Audi wants top spot back.

The Q5 was one of the first players in the mid-size luxury SUV market and dominated it from the time it went on sale in 2009 until 2016. Last year the German brand was met with a combination of running out an aging model and an onslaught of newer rivals, namely the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Now Audi is back with an all-new Q5 to take on these new challengers and it boasts a new advanced and more efficient drivetrain, lighter but stronger underpinnings and evolutionary styling.

There is a four model range for the Q5 initially, two turbo diesel models and one turbo petrol, plus the SQ5 you can read about separately.

The regular range begins at $65,900 (plus on-road costs) for the 2.0 TDI Design, moves to $70,700 for the TDI Sport and tops out at $73,211 for the TFSI Sport.

Photos: Chris Benny Imaging

Audi had already given us a drive of the Q5 TDI earlier this year so we'll focus on the 2.0 TFSI Sport model.

For the asking price, it comes with 20-inch alloys, adaptive LED headlights, full colour paintwork, sports front seats, leather upholstery, power tailgate with hands-free opening, tri-zone air-conditioning, keyless entry and ignition, navigation with MMI touch, Audi's Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard and a 10-speaker sound system.

All Q5 models will come equipped with Audi pre-sense city with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), exit warning system, cross traffic assist, blind spot warning and semi-autonomous parking system with rear-view camera.

As is typical from the brand, Audi is offering optional packages instead of an a la carte menu of extras. There are three for the Q5 - Comfort, Technik and S line styling.

Comfort Pack, which costs $2200 on the design model and $1900 on the Sport, adds electric steering column adjustment, heated and folding side mirrors, memory front seating position and a reach bench seat that slides and tilts.

The Technik Package costs $5600 and adds a head-up display, Bang & Olufsen 19-speaker sound system and Matrix LED headlights.

The S line Styling Pack brings additional body styling, 20-inch alloy wheels and illuminated front S line door sills for an additional $3300.

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that pumps out a healthy 185kW of power and 370Nm of torque.

It's a willing engine, spinning up quickly and offering good response from low in the rev range. It doesn't make the Q5 feel like a hot hatch but it still has more than enough punch to pull the Q5 from 0-100km/h in a respectable 6.3 seconds.

It's paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which still has the same low-speed hesitation and occasional jerkiness but is necessary to incorporate Audi's new 'quattro ultra' all-wheel drive system.

The Q5 is the first SUV to get the new advanced quattro technology, which despite its impressive name is, in more simple terms, a part-time all-wheel drive setup. It has been developed largely to save fuel, with Audi accepting that most Q5 buyers don't actually need all-wheel drive the vast majority of the time.

Quattro ultra instead defaults to front-wheel drive in most conditions, effectively disconnecting the rear differential and driveshafts to reduce friction and efficiency losses.

But Audi is adamant that all-wheel drive traction must be maintained whenever it is needed so the system is incredibly proactive in switching the rear end back on. If any of the sensors detect wheel slip in milliseconds the SUV is back in all-wheel drive mode.

Torque steer, for example, is not an issue because the all-wheel drive system reacts proactively, not waiting for wheelspin but anticipating it. In any scenario, whether it is taking off from standstill, enthusiastic driving or overtaking, the all-wheel drive will kick-in if the system decides there's even a chance it is needed.

The beauty of the system is you don't know it's working. The activation and deactivation of the rear differential isn't noticeable and Audi claims it helps reduce fuel consumption by up to 0.3-litres per 100km.

The Q5 impresses on the road in other ways. The cabin not only looks nicely presented and finished but is well insulated on the road, offering a quiet and comfortable place for long journeys.

The steering is light in its weighting but direct. The suspension does a nice job soaking up the bumps but still offering responsive handling.

All up it's enough to make the Q5 a tempting proposition for anyone in the market for a new mid-size luxury SUV.

2017 Audi Q5 2.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI pricing and specifications

Price: From $65,900 (TDI design), $70,700 (TDI sport), $73,211 (TFSI sport)

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel/2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 140kW/185kW

Torque: 400Nm/370Nm

Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, all-wheel drive

Fuel use: 5.3/7.3L/100km

• For more information, visit our Audi showroom.