Q5 Hybrid

Make
Audi
Segment
SUV

The Audi SQ5 is no longer the most powerful version of Audi's best-selling Q5 crossover you can buy - that accolade now belongs to the Q5 Plug-In Hybrid, at least until the Q5 eventually gets the full-fat RS treatment.

Whereas the SQ5 has a 3.0-liter turbo V6 producing 349 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the Q5 Hybrid's (or the 2020 Audi Q5 55 TSI e Premium with quattro S tronic, to give it its long-winded full name) 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and 14.1 kWh battery delivers a combined 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. To fill the void of a hardcore RS Q5, aftermarket tuner ABT Sportsline has worked its magic and given Audi's plug-in hybrid SUV a power boost. ABT also recently turned the RS6 Avant into a 740-hp supercar slayer.

This is the first time ABT has tuned a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Thanks to a new power upgrade from ABT Sportsline, the 2.0-liter turbo combustion engine now produces 305 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a combined output of 419 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque.

ABT hasn't said how this upgrade affects the performance, but it's probably safe to assume the modified Q5 Plug-In Hybrid will do the 0-62 mph sprint quicker than the standard model, which takes 5.3 seconds before the electrified crossover maxes out at 149 mph. To complement the performance upgrade, ABT has fitted 20-inch wheels with a two-color design.

The most popular finish for the wheel is glossy black with a diamond-machined rim flange according to the tuner, but customers can also finish them in matt black with an entirely diamond-machined surface.

In addition, ABT offers a comprehensive range of interior upgrades, ABT integrated entrance lights with logo projection, a start-stop switch cap with the ABT logo, and a shift knob cover in high-quality carbon fiber and leather. Pricing for ABT's tuning package hasn't been announced yet, but the standard Audi Q5 Plug-In Hybrid starts at $53,895 including the $995 destination charge. All ABT parts include a four year/100,000 mile warranty.