When the entire luxury car market is struggling to change to the point of being unrecognizable, Audi is a rare brand that keeps everything the same as it was in the beginning.
The symbol of Audi since its appearance in Vietnam is the muscular Q7, with rounded lines and a large radiator grille that whenever people go down the street, they will turn around to take a closer look. The leading and pioneering role was played very well by Q7, so that the Q5 was introduced to the market without spending much time convincing customers, with a beautiful label: the younger brother of Q7. Q5 imported from Europe since 2010, quickly became the best-selling car of the Audi Vietnam distributor since then.
Among rival luxury car brands from Germany, such as Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus from Asia, Audi is defined as a brand with fashionable design and technology. The Q5's interior at that time was full of things to tinker with, and the beauty of the design did not need to be said when it was chosen as the choice of many artists.
The big change of the 4-ring brand occurred when both Q7 and Q5 entered the new generation around 2015-2016. Curved, rounded lines are now straight and sharp; the exterior blocks are shaped like polygons. While brands are increasingly becoming unisex, graceful, and even have "excessive" lines to serve the tastes of Chinese customers, the simplicity that Audi is loyal to becomes its own quality.
Maybe young people will feel more attracted by the curvy lines of the Mercedes, or maybe a young man who wants the world to know that he is strong and sporty will like the muscular pieces of the BMW, but people who want everything in moderation, not to shout out to anyone about their value, maybe the Audi design is more pleasing to the eye.
For the Q5 driver, getting in the car, everything is right at hand, not having to fumble for them in the menus crammed into the touch screen. Audi does not make the Q5 interior "wow", overwhelming like the current display screen of the car industry. The most interesting part is not eye-catching; they come from the 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen (B&O) hi-end theater and the quattro specialty under the car body.
The first rain of the season washed away the dust that had been clinging to Hanoi for a long time, and the sky was rarely clear. The type of weather suggests a trip out of the city without prior planning. The afternoon sun streaks the amber-gold sunset onto Thang Long Avenue, stretching endlessly to the west. Press the starter, step on the gas pedal, and the 2.0 turbocharged engine, 245 horsepower, cooperates to push the driver up the highway at a maximum torque of 370 Nm. It will not reach the extreme feeling of sticking to the back when people stereotypically describe German cars, but it is enough to help the spirit become excited, even though it is late afternoon.
Road surfaces in Vietnam, even on highways, are not uncommon to encounter puddles of water. And if it were not for the quattro 4-wheel drive system that still sticks tightly to the road with every throttle, the trip would lose half of its excitement.
The history of quattro began 45 years ago, when the most famous road racing format on the planet, WRC, officially gave the green light to the participation of 4-wheel drive racing cars. But most manufacturers were indifferent, thinking that this system was too heavy to dominate in speed races, leaving only Audi. The Audi Quattro first competed in 1981 as a 4WD car with a weight-reducing differential. Although it could not defeat the rear-wheel-drive cars from Ford, Quattro proved its ability by winning the stages in Sweden and Italy. In 1982, Audi became the overall champion. By 1983, the Audi Quattro had officially defeated all rear-wheel-drive cars. Since then, the history of WRC and other rally events has changed, and the top position has been completely occupied by the 4WD world. The quattro drive system has since entered the market.
Half a century later, the Q5 still enjoys the quattro privilege. From purely mechanical differentials to the latest quattro Ultra with a series of electronic sensors, the Q5 switches between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive in milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye, all depending on road conditions. The driver is completely unaware of the change.
Vietnamese drivers often keep a vigilant reflex for bridge abutments or potholes that can appear at any time to ease off the accelerator. But on the Q5, the quattro's articulation with the multi-link suspension, the connection point of the aluminum alloy arms, urges the owner to do the opposite. Each time the throttle is pressed, the car rushes over the bridge abutment, a "thump" swallows and does not bounce excessively.
Of course, the Q5 is not the Porsche Macan's brother. The Q5 was born with a more accessible price, more suitable for the majority, so the extremeness is certainly not as good. The flat-bottomed steering wheel still obeys quickly in each lane change at a speed of 100 km/h, but it cannot be tight and stiff. The multi-link suspension will also need an extra second to bring the car back to a state of balance each time the lane changes suddenly, which the Macan will do right after the driver straightens the steering wheel. In return for daily commuting, relaxing in the cabin will be optimal.
The 30-kilometer stretch of the avenue passes faster than the sunset. The calm lake surface reflects the Ba Vi range gently appearing in front of the windshield, the LED strips from the dashboard slots, the dashboard gently shines down, and the B&O theater begins. 19 speakers arranged throughout the car space for a total capacity of 755 W, almost the most generous in the segment. But in the Q5 cabin, enjoying the sound is not only created by the Danish B&O. Touching the cool brushed metal air conditioner knob, but the sound is also sophisticated and natural like the beans being split. The piano-style air conditioner control keys come with very sensitive force sensors, and the clicking sound when adjusting can become a joke.
The space is more pleasant when not only the hearing is satisfied but also the sense of smell is compromised. Prioritizing metal and material treatment helps the German car company prevent agents that can cause odors from carpets and leather seats.
When the sun sets, the Matrix LED headlight system speaks up. The light strip is clearly visible on both sides of the road from a distance of hundreds of meters. The ability to recognize the brand from the LED strips is nowhere better than in the German brands. The LED lights turn on from the inside out when turning off or unlocking the car is another highlight that is not related to function but shows meticulousness.
In a world filled with giant touch screens and gear levers that are racing to shrink, making them invisible on the dashboard, the Audi Q5 goes the opposite way, preserving traditional values. Lying back in the seat, eyes above, hands tightly hugging the gear lever below without looking, is the feeling of mastery.
With a price of 2.39 billion VND for the Q5 Black Edition, along with a one-year insurance support package and three-year maintenance for customers buying cars in April and May, it also helps customers save nearly a hundred million. The amount of money is enough for many spontaneous trips, like when Hanoi's sky is tinged with amber and rare clarity.