2014 Audi Q5 TDI

2014 Audi Q5 TDI

Episode 3328
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

The entire automotive industry is working feverishly on alternative fuel vehicles with electric and hydrogen powertrains. But, engineers are also working just as hard to improve the efficiency of traditional internal combustion engines. So, with ever higher mpg mandates ahead, clean diesels are becoming a lot more common, especially in utilities, like this Audi Q5 TDI. So, let’s see if this diesel ute is one Americans can love.

 What is it about turbo diesels like this 2014 Audi Q5 TDI that we love so much? It’s certainly not the smell or more expensive cost of the diesel fuel. Perhaps it’s their simplicity as a higher mileage option, or that ability to fulfill our long range ambitions?

Or maybe it’s just that huge hit of torque you get when you stomp on the pedal. It’s a highly addictive response, and once you’ve sampled it, driving a gasoline powered equivalent is just not the same.

The Q5, Audi’s smallest crossover here for now, got a styling refresh just last year.  But Audi saved the best updates for this year, a high performance SQ5 and our high miler TDI.

The 3.0-liter turbocharged clean diesel V6 is the same 240-horsepower engine that we loved so much in the larger A8 sedan. But there’s even more to love in the Q5 as torque is up 22 lb-ft. to 428. Helping the high mileage cause is an 8-speed automatic transmission, and the combination is good for a towing capacity of 4,400-pounds. 

All Q5s come equipped with the same quattro all-wheel-drive formula found in Audi sedans and SUV’s for years, rear bias and all; and is as much about handling performance as it is about all-weather capability. Though we put the latter to test through a few weeks of what has been a very cold and snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. We had no issues finding traction even in deep snow; a testament to both the quattro’s abilities and the TDI’s low RPM nature. 

All of that white stuff did keep us from taking the TDI to our test track, but Audi claims a 0-60 time of 6.5-seconds and our informal clocking concurs.

As for the recently updated design, the Q5 is truly a modern Audi, from the large Singleframe grille to the LED DRL’s that started the whole phenomenon. 19-inch wheels come standard on the TDI with 235/55 all-season tires. 

Both commute time ride, and weekend getaway handling are quite good. But if you’re looking to get the most out of it in the performance department, make sure you have the crossbars removed from the roof rails; as when they are in place, the ESC adjusts parameters for a higher center of gravity. That’s pretty trick!

Steering is electro-mechanical and felt very natural. Government Fuel Economy Ratings come in at 24-City, 31-Highway, and 27-Combined. We managed a quite good 29.4 miles per gallon. The Energy Impact Score is average for all vehicles at 14.1-barrels of oil used and 6.4 tons of CO2 emitted annually.

You’ve heard our rave reviews before about recent Audi interiors, and the Q5 does nothing to dampen our fondness for the high quality materials, simplicity of design, and ease of use of its many high tech features; including the updated MMI Navigation Plus system. 

Front seats are very supportive and comfortable, and there’s good room for 3 in the back seat. All passenger’s get plenty of light thanks to the standard panoramic sunroof. Cargo space is 29.1 cubic-ft. with rear seat backs in place, but expands to 57.3 cubic-ft. with them folded. 

It’s not all good news, however; as a TDI Q5 will cost you $47,395. That’s almost 10-grand over a base Q5 which starts at $38,195. Our tester, with options, was over 50-grand.

Is the TDI worth all of that extra coin? Well truth be told, our SUV money would probably go elsewhere as there are a lot of mid and even full-size choices for that kind of money. Although, if you’re even contemplating stepping up to a turbo diesel, but are hesitant due to price; our advice is don’t even test drive one. Because, once you get a taste of all the torque that the 2014 Audi Q5 TDI has to offer, you might get addicted too. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.0-liter
  • Horsepower: 240
  • Torque: 428 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.5 seconds
  • EPA: 24 mpg city/ 31 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 14.1 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 6.4 tons/yr
2025 Subaru Forester 14

2025 Subaru Forester

Funky Forester Continues Its March Towards Mainstream

Episode 4409
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

More than any other brand, Subaru is responsible for making all-wheel drive a must-have feature in just about every automotive segment. They have also applied that go-anywhere adventure mentality succesfful to all of their own mainstream models. That includes the always popular Forester crossover of course, which is now kicking off its 6th generation.

The Subaru Forester arrived in the late 1990s when Subaru rightly realized that if they put a more SUV-like body on their capable Impreza platform, they’d be in prime position to cash in on the then new compact crossover craze. That segment has really exploded since then, and still continues to grow; and this all-new 2025 Subaru Forester is ready to make the most of it.

What used to be an outlier with its boxy wagon shape, now looks akin to about every other compact crossover on the road. Subaru considers its updated design for ’25 sleek and contemporary. Granted, but also less unique. The grille is much larger, expanding horizontally to now integrate the headlights into more of a shield shape, and fenders are a little more exaggerated than before.

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Our mid-level Forester Sport wears sculpted 19-inch Bronze-finished alloy wheels, low profile roof rails, and black trim. Dimensions remain about the same as last gen, although it looks larger.

The interior is, on the whole, more familiar than different. Screen domination is up of course, with a portrait-style Starlink touchscreen now measuring 11.6-inches. It’s an option to replace the standard setup that uses 2 smaller screens, but both give enough information to eliminate the previous separate display that used to reside on top of the dash.

It’s good to see Subaru hallmarks like the chunky shifter, and durable materials with carefully applied textured finishes, designed to hide wear and tear are here.

Visibility is excellent as always, and the front seats have gotten noticeably more comfortable, despite a new slimmed-down appearance. Rear seat experience is mostly the same as before, which is good as they recline and fold easily, and there’s adult-size space, which is not something every compact utility can boast.

It’s good to see Subaru hallmarks like the chunky shifter and durable materials.

Cargo space is also closer to many midsize utilities at 29.6 cubic-ft., expanding to 74.4 with the seatbacks folded; all accessed through an available power liftgate that now has sensors to open with the swipe of a foot near the bumper.

Subaru keeps EyeSight driver assistance standard; Sport adds Lane Departure Warning and Automatic Emergency Steering to it.

Subaru claims the Forester’s revised chassis is 10% stiffer than before; our “seat of the pants” meter couldn’t verify that exact number but could detect a movement in that direction.

Both on the street where ride quality itself is quite substantial feeling, and at the test track…

…where it felt well-planted, despite some body roll and higher than typical ground clearance. All-wheel-drive is of course standard, and grip was as sure-footed as always through the cones, aided by the more performance-oriented tires on the Sport’s 19-inch wheels. Steering is accurate, but also typically, without much feel or feedback.

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Powering the Forester is the same 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-4, but it has been updated. In the process, it actually loses 2-horsepower, down to 180, but torque is up slightly to 178 lb-ft., and revised tuning delivers max torque at a much lower RPM. That certainly didn’t manifest itself by being in a particular hurry to get off the line, but Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT remains a bit of a damper not necessarily a performance enhancer.

Still, our 8.2-second trip to 60 was almost half a second quicker than last gen. Here in the Sport, you can work through the CVT’s 8-simulated gears, but we found it best to just let it do its thing, while we relaxed for the 16.3-seconds that it took to complete the ¼-mile at 90 miles-per-hour.

Strong braking feel with consistently short results. Panic stops averaged 105-ft from 60 miles per hour.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for Sport trim are 25-City, 32-Highway, and 28-Combined. We tallied 27.2 miles-per-gallon of Regular.

That’s a better than average Energy Impact Score of 10.6-barrels of annual oil use, with 5.2-tons of CO2 emissions.

The Forester follows the same basic trim path of most Subarus: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring; ranging from the Base’s starting price of $31,115 to Touring’s $41,415.

You might say the original Forester was the right design at the right time, as it quickly became one of Subaru’s best-selling vehicles, and has remained so over the last 25 years. The 2025 Subaru Forester is a new effort that really doesn’t feel all that new, just better. After our test, a lot of things tell us that’s exactly the way Subaru buyers want it to be.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.5-liter flat-4
  • Transmission: Lineartronic CVT
  • Horsepower: 180
  • Torque: 178 lb-ft.
  • EPA: 25 City | 32 Highway | 28 Combined
  • 0-60 mph: 8.2 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 16.3 seconds at 90 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 105 feet
  • MW Fuel Economy: 27.2 mpg (Regular)