Fast cars have long been a staple of the Audi range, but until recently its smaller sports utility vehicles had been all about comfort and competence rather than performance.

Now you can get a hot-hatch rivalling Q3 or a very sporty Q5 if you have a need for speed.

Both vehicles come with only one engine offering - a retuned 2.5-litre TFSI petrol unit used in the Audi TT for the more nimble RSQ3 and a more appropriate 3.0-litre V6 diesel for the bigger SQ5.

This is the first RS version of an SUV and the first S version of a diesel-powered SUV, so Audi is breaking new ground here.

First up, I tried out the RSQ3, which is the smoothie of the two, with a thrilling turn of speed. It will reach 62mph in only 5.2 seconds compared with 6.9 seconds for the regular two-litre petrol Q5.

Given that a Q3 will far more likely be seen on a school run than a racetrack, you may question the need for such acceleration, but Audi has a reputation for bringing niche models to market and this latest offering will be sure to find customers searching for more oomph from their compact SUV.

It’s something of a curiosity with no obvious rival except possibly the BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque and maintains a lot of the cabin features seen in its regular sibling.

That means you get the usual highquality Audi feel with some nice extras as standard, such as the flatbottomed steering wheel, heated sports seats, dual-zone climate control exposed stitching and carbon-fibre trim detailing, Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, front and rear parking sensors, and a ten-speaker sound system.

The RSQ3 rides beautifully on the optional 20-inch alloy wheels (19- inch standard), with very little intrusive noise, and the creamy powerplant is all whoosh and purr, while the S-Tronic automatic gearbox has impeccable manners.

The SQ5 is the range-topping Q5.

It’s the fastest, the most advanced and the only one to be fitted with the excellent 309bhp Audi BiTurbo six-cylinder diesel engine. Not that it particularly sounds like a diesel when it’s moving, thanks to a ‘sound actuator’ in the exhaust that translates the organic engine noise into a grumble.

Muscular and nicely proportioned, the heavy SQ5 is well-suited to a diesel engine that can return almost 40mpg While the weight blunts the big TDI’s throttle response a little, it’s still awfully fast, reaching 62mph one-tenth of a second faster than the RSQ3. For something as relatively heavy and aerodynamically inept as the Q5, even a slightly lowered one, that’s amazing.

Huge mid-range torque and a wonderful willingness to rev, pulling hard all the way up to just under 5,000rpm make its performance genuinely enjoyable to use.

Fortunately the brakes are among the strongest you’re likely to find on a road car.

The next major box it ticks is the interior. The leather is marvellous throughout - the best I have come across from Audi.

There are negatives, like the lack of steering feedback and the system’s variable weighting that can sometimes seem just a little uncertain and inconsistent. It’s also a big old thing, so despite the huge grip on offer from wide tyres, physics has the last word.

However, it’s very impressive for its size and bulk, Despite big, big performance and a beautiful interior, this is still a practical SUV if you’re careful with the leather. The rear seats offer plenty of leg and shoulder room, there’s a neat MP3 player pocket in the glove box and the boot floor area is expansive, albeit high up because of the space taken up beneath it by the four-wheel-drive system.

It rides well enough given its stiffened suspension and 20-inch wheels, but upgrading to the 21- inch options might be a bridge too far in Britain, with our remarkable lack of smooth roads or quiet Tarmac.

The amount of technology on board is a bit of a Marmite factor.

The depth of settings that are available is mind-boggling.

The two biggest memories the SQ5 leaves you with are firstly its huge acceleration; that sense of irresistible momentum, and after that how uniquely satisfying the interior is, in both style and quality.
 

PRICE: £41,735 
ENGINE: Five-cylinder 2.5-litre TFSI petrol producing 310PS
TRANSMISSION: Sevenspeed S tronic driving all four wheels
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 155mph; 0 to 62mph in 5.2 seconds
ECONOMY: 32.1mpg combined
CO2 RATING: 206g/km
PRICE: From £43,075
ENGINE: 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel producing 313PS
TRANSMISSION: Eight-speed tiptronic driving all four wheels
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds
ECONOMY: 41.5mpg
CO2 RATING: 179g/km