It has been a decade since BMW beat Audi to the laser headlight race. Though it misplaced that battle, the Ingolstadt marque continued to innovate within the lighting division. Extremely superior matrix LEDs with an adaptive excessive beam at the moment are the norm for a automobile carrying the 4 Rings. There have been modifications on the again, too. Configurable OLED taillights are additionally pretty widespread these days. On the lately unveiled Q5, there’s an fascinating new function.
No, your eyes usually are not deceiving you–that is an additional brake gentle. Other than having the normal third brake gentle mounted within the roof spoiler, the Q5 has one other one displayed on the tailgate’s glass. There is a projector gentle integrated into the underside of the rear spoiler. The interrupted bar is wider than the common brake gentle above it, making it much more seen to tailgaters and inspiring them to again off after they discover the Q5 is braking.
These press photographs present the new Audi SQ5 in European taste however its American cousin can have a unique setup. As a substitute of these a number of crimson slabs, the US-spec luxurious crossover will challenge “Quattro” onto the rear glass. Audi is not allowed to try this in Europe as a result of regulators see it as a type of commercial, which is illegitimate.
As we have seen in different high-end Audi fashions launched lately, the 2025 Q5 has configurable gentle patterns each entrance and rear. The matrix LED headlights are provided with as much as eight digital gentle signatures, relying on the extent of apparatus. On the again, an evolution of digital OLED taillight tech may be personalised as nicely. As well as, the tail lamps can alert drivers behind them of accidents and breakdowns by displaying warning symbols.
We’ve blended emotions about this. A few of these gentle video games appear gimmicky whereas others might be helpful in sure situations. Both approach, a minimum of Audi isn’t placing rear flip indicators dangerously low. I’m you, Hyundai and Kia. The Koreans aren’t doing it due to laws saying vehicles offered within the US will need to have fastened brake lights. By the way in which, if that occurs, there needs to be a separate set of lights on bodywork that does not transfer. That was really the case with the previous Q5 since its clamshell tailgate (RIP) integrated the primary taillights. The additional set of lights was mounted within the rear bumper.
A Kia spokesperson instructed The Drive the choice to place the lights within the bumper was pushed by a styling selection: “A senior designer from the World Design Middle stated that they wished to emphasise the slim design of the rear mixture lamp. The blinker is positioned on the backside of the rear bumper to supply a way of unity with the fog lamp design of the entrance bumper.”
Lights apart, the brand new Audi Q5 is a good-looking crossover, albeit one would argue it is too just like the totally electrical Q6 E-Tron. It now has actual exhaust ideas, and again to the lighting theme, it would not have the Q6’s controversial cut up lights.