The Difference in Chassis Setup

Just as sushi restaurants offer different grades of nigiri, cars have their own tiers of quality, like pine, bamboo, and plum.

Now, the question is which one to choose. A sushi chef might prefer you to order the premium options, but as a service provider, they'd likely gauge your reaction and budget before making a recommendation. Cars are no different... or are they? The significant price difference, due to the large unit cost, makes it more efficient to close a deal by guiding customers towards less expensive options and meet sales quotas. And in many cases, this is also beneficial for the user.

However, if you prioritize driving dynamics when choosing a car, you should pay attention to Audi. From S line to S, and from S to RS, there are significant differences in performance that cannot be measured by price alone.

For example, this "SQ5." The engine is a 3-liter V6 supercharged unit, essentially the same as the one in theQ5" 3.0TFSI quattro. The SQ5 boasts 354ps, while the Q5 has 272ps, an 82ps difference. While this is a substantial figure, many would argue that 272ps is more than sufficient. On the other hand, the price difference is 760,000 yen. Considering the car's price range of around 6 to 7 million yen, it's difficult to justify this price gap under normal circumstances.

However, in my opinion, the SQ5 is largely a different car from the regular Q5. If the 760,000 yen price difference is the cost for this distinction, then it's perfectly understandable. In fact, I'd go as far as to say the SQ5 is the one to buy, even if it means foregoing some optional extras. The most significant difference lies in the chassis setup.

The Balance is Just Right for Car Enthusiasts

The monocoque chassis itself should be identical between the Q5 and SQ5, as the standard body already possesses ample rigidity. The Q5 pairs this highly rigid body with suspension that offers initial softness and firms up progressively, aiming to balance ride comfort and handling.

However, the initial response of the accelerator and steering is sensitive and light, resulting in a lack of tactile feedback at lower speeds. This is likely a deliberate design choice, leveraging the inherent stability of the FF or front-biased AWD platform to create a sense of agility that is easy to perceive.

While this setup might not be ideal for car enthusiasts, the fact that BMW and Mercedes have adopted similar tendencies recently might be partly due to their increased market presence. Ironically, Japanese cars, once criticized for their flimsy feel compared to German counterparts, now offer a more substantial tactile response in their controls, as you'll notice in the latest


Lexus" GS" and "IS" models.

Compared to the Q5, the SQ5 offers noticeably more substantial feedback from its controls and a higher degree of precision in its responses. The throttle response is linear with respect to accelerator input, and the car vividly communicates its grip on the road. Overall, the ride is slightly firmer, but this aligns with the car's sharpened character and is not uncomfortable.

When the alignment between operation and response is clearly improved, the firmness is perceived as pleasant. This is where Audi's "S" models strike the perfect balance for car enthusiasts.Audi's "S" designation hits the sweet spot for car lovers.