Premium compact SUVs

Volvo XC60 vs Audi Q5

Why the comparison?

Both Volvo and Audi are hoping to attract a combination of estate car customers, downsizing full-sized SUV owners and those aspiring lifestyle types that the marketing people in car firms get so excited about. The Q5 sits below Audi's huge Q7 and the XC60 under Volvo's XC90, these understudies offering five-seat capability in place of their massive relatives' seven-seat accommodation. Audi wears the more recognised premium badge; Volvo is still fighting to be truly considered a premium player. Does the Swedish player have what it takes to rival Audi's Q5?

How are they similar?

Both are five-seat road-biased SUVs. In either you'll get further off-road than a conventional car, but not much. Audi and Volvo are companies that are hugely proud of the interior design and build of their cars. Each company has the right to be proud as the XC60 and Q5 are each beautifully finished and styled inside - the Volvo's Swedish cool and simplicity easily able to compete with Audi's precise, solid look and feel. Interior design isn't the only area where each stands out as they're both good looking cars on the outside too, again each model displaying its respective marque's design traits to good effect.

Space in each is pretty generous, and either offers an entertaining driving experience on the road. Diesel engines will be the big seller in both, the Volvo coming here with a five-cylinder unit and the Audi a four-cylinder turbodiesel. When it comes to pricing the Audi will cost you £29,320 for the 2.0-litre TDI SE model while Volvo asks just under £29,000 Volvo for the 2.4 D5 SE Lux.

How do they differ?

For all the similarities these two models offer there are a number of differences. Both are safe cars, but Volvo has literally gone to town with new safety equipment on the XC60 - the City Safety system helps slow the car to prevent low speed knocks in town and it's standard on all models. The Volvo is the more powerful of the duo too, its 182bhp bettering the Audi's 168bhp. That allows the Volvo to reach 62mph half a second quicker than the Audi's 9.5-second time. The Volvo is also the better equipped car as standard, with things like iPod connection, seat height adjustment and cruise control included in the list price.

The Audi counters by being the more enjoyable car to drive. It feels more like a tall hatchback on the road, carrying speed through corners more convincingly than the Volvo. It's also significantly more refined, the 2.0-litre TDI of the German car far less vocal than the harsh five-cylinder unit in the Volvo. The Audi's engine also feels punchier, despite what the numbers say. If fuel economy is a concern then the Audi's 42.1mpg betters the Volvo's official combined consumption figure of 37.7mpg. For lower emissions you also need the German car, its 175g/km putting it in the 26% tax band, the Volvo's 199g/km meaning 30% company car tax.

So which one would we have?

As our two-car tests go this duo are so close it's difficult to separate them. The Audi unquestionably has the more upmarket image, Volvo's 'iron' badge not quite having the same kudos as Audi's four rings. That's enough for many buyers in this market. Some might find the Q5's styling a little plain in comparison to the Volvo's striking lines, Audi playing it a little safe on the styling front. The Volvo is better equipped as standard, but the Audi is more economical and tax efficient. We'd pick the Audi over the Volvo for two key reasons though: refinement and driving pleasure; the Audi is the far more entertaining and quieter drive.

Kyle Fortune