The Audi Q5 has been awarded the best premium mid-size SUV in the annual CAR Magazine’s Top 12 Best Buys Awards for 2018. Officially launched into the South African market in July 2017, the all-new iteration of Audi’s best-selling SUV was considered as having the best overall package in terms of personality, performance and price.
The vehicles which are considered in the premium mid-size SUV category come from aspirational brands and are seen to be offering sophistication, comfort, connectivity options and class.
According to the CAR Magazine editorial team, from their first encounter with the new Audi Q5, they knew that there was something special about the vehicle so it proved to be one of the easiest awards to call. “The Audi Q5 is a class act, lifting the bar for refinement and comfort and also offering class-leading engines and superb fit and finish,” said Terence Steenkamp, deputy editor of CAR Magazine.
The publication held its annual Top 12 Best Buys of 2018 at a gala evening in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg on Tuesday, 13 February. The Audi Q5 is also a finalist in the 2018 Wesbank South African Car of the Year.
A special award was presented to Audi’s global motorsport driver, Kelvin van der Linde, for his aspiring and successful motorsport career. The South African born racing driver who competes behind the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS has achieved many outstanding victories in the Australian GT series, the European ADAC GT Masters, a win at the California 8 Hours and the prestigious triumph at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
Audi was also acknowledged for the Best Family Sportscar for the Audi RS 6 Avant and the Best Everyday Sportscar for the Audi TT RS Coupé.
Other categories in which Audi featured in the CAR Magazine’s Top 12 Best Buys for 2018 include:
- Audi A3 2nd place Mid-size hatchback category;
- Audi A4 2nd place Premium mid-size car category;
- Audi Q7 3rd place Large SUV / crossover category
“With the new Audi Q5, we were not only able to build on the success of the previous model which was a firm favourite in our country but also allow the new Audi Q5 to once again set standards in the B-SUV segment,” said Trevor Hill, Head of Audi South Africa. “We are proud to have the Audi Q5 recognized as an overall best buy amongst the premium SUV’s in the South African market and more so, by a credible source and industry experts in the CAR Magazine editorial team,” concluded Hill.
