The 2009 Audi Q5 is Audi's luxury compact SUV, new for the 2009 model year. Its competition includes Acura RDX, Lexus RX 350, BMW X3, Infiniti EX, Mercedes-Benz GLK and from America, the Lincoln MKX.

The Q5 has a 3.2 liter, 270 horsepower gasoline V6 engine, with a six-speed automatic transmission. A clean diesel engine is in the works, but there is no announcement yet concerning date. For the horsepower it generates, it gets a respectable 18 miles per gallon in the city and 23 miles per gallon on the highway. The power to weight ratio is about three pounds per horsepower better than class average. In spite of that, the fuel efficiency is less than one mile per hour higher than average for the compact SUV class.

With its moveable or removable back seat, the Q5 delivers almost 30 cubic feet of cargo volume, about average for the class. It has a maximum towing weight of 4400 pounds, again very respectable for the type of vehicle. It advertises seating for five, but it's unlikely that more than four adults could ride comfortably. In fact, any adults riding in the back seat on a long trip might not be very happy. Even front headroom is slightly below average for the compact SUV class.

It's not uncommon for luxury cars to have only one trim and the Q5 is no exception. With only one trim you would think they could just call it the Q5, but no such luck. The trim line is called the 3.2 Quattro Premium. On the plus side, as with any Audi, you can expect the one available trim to be a plush one.

With the Q5 being both new and foreign, as yet there are neither NHTSA nor IIHS crash test numbers. The Q5 does have most of the better and more common safety features including child door locks, all-wheel drive, antilock brakes with electronic braking assistance, traction control and a vehicle stability control system, locking differential and an optional electronic parking aid.

Two other safety features are worth mentioning. Like its big brother the Q7 the Q5 has split taillights which leave lights visible when you open the rear hatch. The Q5 is also the first Audi with the option of real time SIRIUS traffic information integrated into its navigation system.

As you would expect at a base price of $37,200 the Q5 cost is quite a bit more than the average compact SUV. It's even a little higher than average for small luxury SUVs. But Audi seldom fails to make a car worth the money, and there's no reason to believe the 2009 Audi Q5 is an exception to that rule.