Verdict
The Audi Q7 is the family-hauling choice: seven seats, a 770-litre boot and a 2,994-mm wheelbase give it a substantial edge over the Q5 Sportback’s five seats, 515 litres and 2,528 mm. Its 333 hp/500 Nm V6 mild-hybrid powertrain also beats 268 hp/400 Nm. But the Q5 Sportback is 335 mm shorter, costs RM40,282 less and incurs RM434 annual road tax against RM1,632. For Malaysian urban use, that is a meaningful saving; for regular seven-up trips, it is not enough to offset the Q7’s usefulness.
Pick the Audi Q5 Sportback if five seats are enough and you want the smaller 4,717-mm SUV with far lower RM434 annual road tax.
Pick the Audi Q7 if you need seven seats, a 770-litre boot and the extra shove of 333 hp and 500 Nm.
Key differences
- Price: Audi Q5 Sportback RM421,990; Audi Q7 RM462,272.
- Road tax per year: Audi Q5 Sportback RM434; Audi Q7 RM1,632.
- Power and torque: Audi Q5 Sportback 268 hp/400 Nm; Audi Q7 333 hp/500 Nm.
- Seating and boot space: Audi Q5 Sportback 5 seats/515 litres; Audi Q7 7 seats/770 litres.
- Length and wheelbase: Audi Q5 Sportback 4,717 mm/2,528 mm; Audi Q7 5,052 mm/2,994 mm.
- Wheels and suspension: Audi Q5 Sportback 20-inch wheels with multi-link suspension; Audi Q7 22-inch wheels with adaptive air suspension.
Q5 Sportback
- RM40,282 cheaper to buy with RM1,198 lower annual road tax.
- 335 mm shorter for less cumbersome urban manoeuvring.
- Ventilated front seats and a 14.5-inch Android Automotive touchscreen.
- Only five seats and a 515-litre boot versus the Q7’s seven seats and 770 litres.
- 268 hp and 400 Nm trail the Q7’s 333 hp and 500 Nm.
- No adaptive air suspension or all-wheel steering.
Q7
- Seven seats, split-folding third row and a 770-litre boot.
- 333 hp, 500 Nm and a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 5.6 seconds.
- Adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering and soft-close doors.
- RM40,282 more expensive, with RM1,632 annual road tax versus RM434.
- At 5,052 mm long and 1,968 mm wide, it takes up more space than the 4,717-mm by 1,900-mm Q5 Sportback.
- Its front seats are not specified with ventilation, unlike the Q5 Sportback’s ventilated front seats.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM421,990✓ | RM462,272 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM434✓ | RM1,632 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, supercharged with variable valve timing | 24-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, turbocharged with variable valve timing, 48V Electric Motor Assistance |
| Capacity | 1,984 cc | 2,995 cc |
| Horsepower | 268 hp at 5,000 rpm | 333 hp at 5,200 rpm✓ |
| Torque | 400 Nm at 1,600 rpm | 500 Nm at 1,370 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | V 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 84.5 mm × 89 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 7-speed S-tronic | 8-speed tiptronic |
| Gears | 7 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Audi AG |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 5.6 seconds |
| Top Speed | — | 250 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,717 mm | 5,052 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,968 mm |
| Height | 1,641 mm | 1,740 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,528 mm | 2,994 mm |
| Fuel Tank | 68 litres | 85 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 515 litres | 770 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 255/45R20 | 285/35R22 |
| Rear Tyre | 255/45R20 | 285/35R22 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV | Bridgestone Turanza T005 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Mexico (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" Audi Sport 5 Twin-spoke Alloys | 22" Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Audi Sport 5 Twin-spoke Alloys | 22" Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | S Sport Suspension | Adaptive Air Suspension, All-wheel steering |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Front Centre Airbag) | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electric for rear doors | Electric for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Two Outer Rear Seats | Available for three middle row passenger seats and two last row seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Matrix LED Projectors | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam and Sequential Indicators |
| Taillamps | Full OLED Tail lights | Full OLED Tail lights |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function, Ventilated | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 40:20:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control System | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Middle, 2 USB-C Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | — | Manual Rear Door Window Shades |
| Audio | 14.5" Touchscreen with Android Automotive OS, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen Sound System | 10.1" Touchscreen with MIB 3, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Digital Key | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | — | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Surround View Camera | Yes, with Surround View Camera |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Soft-close Doors |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 2 years |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used Q5 Sportback & Q7 for sale
Q5 Sportback vs Q7 FAQ
Is the Audi Q5 Sportback or Audi Q7 better?
The Q7 is better for a large family because it has seven seats, a 770-litre boot and a 2,994-mm wheelbase. The Q5 Sportback makes more sense for five occupants who value a smaller footprint and much lower annual road tax.
What is the price difference?
The Audi Q7 costs RM40,282 more than the Audi Q5 Sportback. It also carries RM1,198 more annual road tax, so the ownership-cost gap extends beyond the purchase price.
Which Audi is more practical for carrying passengers and luggage?
The Q7 is decisively more practical: it has seven seats, 7 three-point seat belts and a 770-litre boot. The Q5 Sportback has five seats, 5 three-point belts and 515 litres of boot space.
