2021 Audi Q5 Facelift Spied Winter Testing With Bigger Grille, New Lights

But since competition with BMW and Mercedes is fierce, the quattro brand is taking this mid-life refresh quite seriously.

We're dealing with the second major sighting of the Q5 facelift, taking place at the onset of the winter testing season in Scandinavia. We'll probably get several of these photos before Audi is ready with the debut.

Let's talk about the cosmetics first, since these are the easiest to spot. The second-generation Q5 was never a bad-looking SUV, but these changes make it more modern and sporty. The headlights are now, borrowing their shape directly from the recent A4 family facelift. In fact, we would be surprised if they didn't use the exact same projectors.

The whole front end has been revised, featuring a wider geometric grille that closely follows the lines of the hood and lights. Surprisingly, Audi chose not to mirror the popular Q8's look. Around the back, the new taillights are easy to spot, thanks to bright graphics.

Inside, we should see the same treatment as for the A4, meaning new infotainment that's controlled via touch. The layout won't be as advanced as other, newer Audis, meaning the climate system won't have the dedicated screen.

The engine changes are already beginning to trickle down into the Q5's bay. For example, there's a new plug-in hybrid model, called not the e-tron, but the 55 TFSI e. It looks just like the SQ5 and even has slightly more power.

Like the A4 models, the Q5 will have a range of 12V mild-hybrid engines. These have batteries under the passenger floor capturing some of the energy lost during braking, which is later used by the car's systems. The best version uses a 48V architecture and already motivates the powerful 3.0 TDI of the European SQ5, equipped with both turbochargers and an electric compressor.