AboutThatCar.com

2014 Audi Q5 quattro TDI Tiptronic

By Frank S. Washington

DETROIT – Audi already had a hit with its Q5 crossover vehicle. The addition of the 2014 Audi Q5 TDI should make this luxury CUV even more popular.
The Q5 TDI was powered by a 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged direct injection diesel engine that made 240 horsepower and a healthy 428 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 to 2,250 RPM. It was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
That engine put the diesel right in the middle of Audi’s Q5 five model lineup with a zero to 60 mph time of 6.8 seconds. Top speed was electronically limited to 130 mph.
And the Q5 had an EPA rating of 24 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg combine. In our world, after six days and 122 miles of driving, we still had more than three-quarters of a tank of fuel left and a range of 530 miles. Fuel capacity was 19.8 gallons.
Power was the operative term during a week-long test drive of the O5. It didn’t feel overly quick nor did it seem to be speedy. But step on the accelerator and the vehicle would power forward with authority from any speed.
Our test vehicle was equipped with Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Capable of sending torque to the wheel with the most traction, quattro operated with a 40-60 rear bias during normal operation. Putting traction to all four wheels all the time enabled a level of handling that rivaled some sporty cars.
Everything with any exterior design of Audi starts with the Singleframe® grille and so it did with the Q5. The vehicle had a sloping roof, LED daytime running lights, Xenon headlamps for nighttime driving and LED taillights.
Also new for 2014, the Q5 TDI had the S line plus package. It included 20-inch 5 segment spoke wheels, brushed aluminum inlays, a three-spoke flat bottom steering wheel with shift paddles, an adaptive damping suspension, Audi drive select controls and a high gloss black package with matte black roof rails.
Inside, the Audi Q5 TDI had a black leather sports interior. There wasn’t any wood trim but there was aluminum trimmed instruments and inlays. The test vehicle had a panoramic roof, the movable section in the front and the rear section was fixed but it would tilt open.
There was plenty of leg and head room in the Q5’s backseats. Back seat passengers could get the full effect of the glass roof. It had 29.1 cu. ft. of storage capacity with the second row seats in use. That opened up to 57.3 cu. ft. of storage with the second row seats folded.
The driving characteristics of the 2014 Q5 were light. That is the vehicle didn’t feel like it weighed 4,475 lbs. It drove pretty light on its treads.
Of course it had a navigation system, a premium audio system, Bluetooth, satellite radio and voice controls, a rearview camera. It also had Audi connect, an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot that enhanced the navigation system with Google Earth maps and it featured local weather, news and fuel prices.
It also enabled local searches for information about travel destinations like restaurants, hotels, pricing, traffic information as well as parking.  The Audi Q5 could even detect when the roof rack cross bars were installed and then adjust driving dynamics based on the center of gravity.
The starting price of the 2014 Audi Q5 was $46,500. Add on three option packages, plus the freight charge and the price as tested was $55,445.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.
Frank Washington

by Cheryl Eldridge and wire reports

When you see the Lexus LS 460 you think of executive, status seeker and luxury, but when you drive one you get the true meaning of the “finer things in life.”
My one week- tester with an Obsidian color Lexus with a sticker price of  $85,390 was definitely my cup of tea. Not only was excitement in the air from  my eldest  daughter getting ready to graduate from high school and my son and middle daughter being given great awards from school, and two weddings in one day, it was a nice time to treat me.
The LS460 is not only one  head-turner,  it’s also an easy drive.  The engineers make both the driver and passengers feel right at home.
When I arrived home, I didn’t even want to get out of the LS460 due to  its  comfort and convenience package. I was definitely in another world, maybe on cloud LS 460. Hmmm.  I really enjoy the Lexus family and plan on owning one real soon.
Some good attributes for the LS are  it’s fabulously quiet; its impressive smooth ride quality; painstaking construction; unrivaled backseat with Executive Class package; strong reputation for reliability, with which I agree.
The 2014 Lexus LS 460 is a full-size luxury sedan available in standard – and extended – wheelbase (LS 460 L) models, with rear or all-wheel drive. Five-passenger seating is standard, though the L is available with a four-passenger configuration with a rear center console.
Standard equipment on the LS 460 and LS 460 L includes 18-inch wheels, adaptive automatic xenon headlights (xenon only for low-beam setting), LED foglamps and running lights, auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors, automatic wipers, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a sunroof, power door closers, adjustable drive settings and keyless ignition/entry. Inside, there’s dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats (12-way driver with four-way lumbar; 10-way passenger with two-way lumbar), front-seat memory functions, leather upholstery, a power tilt-and-telescoping wood and leather steering wheel, and a folding rear seat.
Electronic features include the Lexus Remote Touch interface, a 12.3-inch display screen, a navigation system, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, Lexus Safety Connect emergency communications, the Lexus Enform suite of smartphone-integrated apps and the Siri Eyes Free interface (which provides additional voice control functionality for newer iPhones). The standard 10-speaker sound system includes a CD player, HD radio, iTunes tagging, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.
Stand-alone options include 19-inch wheels, summer tires, LED headlights (low- and high-beam), an adjustable air suspension (includes enhanced steering, ride height adjustment and additional drive settings), a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control with an enhanced pre-collision system, upgraded leather upholstery (includes a simulated suede headliner), an advanced pre-collision system with a driver attention monitor and forward collision avoidance system, a heated wood steering wheel, a wood and leather padded steering wheel and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system.
The LS 460 is offered with various option packages. The All Weather package adds headlamp washers and a wiper de-icer (standard on all-wheel-drive models). The Ultra Luxury package adds four-zone climate control, six-way power rear seats (with heating, cooling and massage functions), rear-seat side airbags and rear audio controls. The Comfort package (standard on the LS 460 L) adds a power-closing trunk, heated and ventilated front seats, and a power rear sunshade.
The standard LS 460, my tester, can be livened up with the F Sport package, which includes 19-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential (rear-wheel-drive sedans only), a sport-tuned air suspension, sport-tuned steering, sharper adjustable drive settings and a transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel and rev-matched downshifts. The F Sport model also wears unique exterior and interior design elements such as darkened headlamps, a unique front fascia, blackout grille and chrome body side trim.
The long-wheelbase LS 460 L can be equipped with the Executive-Class Seating package, which includes the backseat upgrades of the Ultra Luxury package, only in a two-seat configuration with a center console (including enhanced controls, a cool box and added storage). It also adds extended leather trim, a power passenger-side ottoman, power rear side sunshades and a rear-seat DVD/Blu-ray entertainment system with a power drop-down screen.
The 2014 Lexus LS 460 is powered by a 4.6-liter V8 engine that produces 386 hp and 367 pound-feet of torque in the standard rear-wheel-drive configuration. Those power figures drop to 360 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque on models equipped with all-wheel drive. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on every LS 460.
In Edmunds testing, a rear-drive LS 460 went from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, which is slower than average for a high-end luxury sedan with a V8 engine.
On the safety side, the 2014 Lexus LS 460 comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front knee airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, front and rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. Lexus Safety Connect, which includes automatic collision notification, an emergency assist button, enhanced roadside assistance and a stolen vehicle locator, is also standard on all LS 460 models.
Safety-related options include lane keeping assist, a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alerts, and an adaptive cruise control system that includes a pre-collision system that preps various vehicle systems when it detects a possible collision. Sold as a separate option is the more sophisticated Advanced Pre-Collision system, which includes a driver attention monitor and can automatically initiate braking to help avert forward collisions. Rear-seat side airbags are also available.
As befits a top-end luxury sedan, the interior of the Lexus LS 460 features outstanding materials, including soft leather and high-quality vinyl, and padded surfaces are joined with elegant contrast stitching. Wood trim is artfully applied, mixing with metallic surfaces and chrome details for a modern, albeit understated atmosphere.
The Lexus Remote Touch electronics interface controls most cabin functions. It’s a mouselike device that allows the user to navigate among a variety of function icons on a horizontally oriented, 12.3-inch display at the top of the dashboard. However, useful Remote Touch is for integrating basic tasks and smartphone applications, it ultimately draws too much attention away from the road. Cursor control with the Remote Touch controller is wobbly and imprecise, making audio and navigation selections difficult when you’re on the move. If you’re planning to buy an LS 460, Remote Touch should be tested out thoroughly at a dealership.
Seat comfort, on the other hand, is simply outstanding up front, with wonderfully sculpted, multi-adjustable front buckets that can accommodate a variety of body types. Things get better in back, especially on LS 460 L models, as the options list contains features that would be the envy of a day spa, including a massaging rear seat with near full recline and a powered ottoman. Trunk space is generous at 18 cubic feet.
Gas mileage for the LS was 16 mpg in the city and highway 24. You definitely pay to play.
Until  next week, drive safe, buckle up, and don’t text and drive, it’s the law.