Life choices
LOVE ’EM OR LOATHE ’EM, today’s luxury midsized SUVs like the Audi Q5 45 TFSI and BMW X3 30i are now as much a part of the story of us as any homegrown Holden or Ford. It just depends on where you are in life.
Thirty-odd years ago, with Ps in hand, maybe your choice – like mine – was between a Volkswagen Golf and Nissan Pulsar. A decade on, commitments might have meant a Mazda 6 or Toyota Camry (and a NoDoz addiction) before the need for bigger stuff like a Ford Territory or Holden Captiva arose. Life’s great tapestry and all that.
Today – if you’re lucky – you might be middle-aged (ish), middle class and in the market for a mid-sized premium SUV. You’ve made it this far, so why not? And before you think this is yet another instance of you turning into your parents, don’t forget that back in their day a Ford Fairlane or Volvo 740 was likely in the mix. So maybe not.
Freshest of the medium luxury SUV all-stars right now is the facelifted Audi Q5. To bring you up to speed, it gains a minor visual makeover (usual stuff: headlights, grille, bumper, tail-lights and alloys) and the mandatory multimedia update. But, lo and behold, it also scores a major mechanical upgrade, including fresh
