A Q5 ships as an ordinary mid size SUV, and there is nothing exotic about moving one. It fits a standard open carrier without special handling, it loads on ramps like everything else, and the price sits a modest step above a sedan on the same route. Three things are worth knowing before you book: it has quattro all wheel drive, it has an electronic parking brake, and some Q5s are plug in hybrids. Each changes one small detail of how the car is handled.
What It Costs
Across the 19 Audi Q5 moves in our own book since 2023, the middle half ran $1,000 to $1,450. The figures below are planning estimates for a lane rather than for this car in particular.
Open transport ranges for a Q5, which as a mid size SUV runs roughly 10 to 15 percent above a compact sedan on the same lane.
Enclosed transport adds 20 to 30 percent, and a car that will not start or roll adds roughly $100 to $250 for winching.
Quattro Matters If It Will Not Start
For a running car, all wheel drive changes nothing. It is driven onto the carrier and strapped down like any other vehicle.
It matters when the car does not run. An all wheel drive vehicle cannot be towed with two wheels on the ground, because that turns the driveline with no engine to match it, and that risks real damage to the transfer case and differentials. A Q5 that will not start has to be winched onto the deck with all four wheels on the trailer, or loaded on a flatbed with dollies under the wheels that stay down.
Say up front if the car is not running, and say whether it rolls and steers. Those are separate questions and they change the equipment sent.
The Electronic Parking Brake
The Q5 uses an electronic parking brake rather than a lever, and it will engage automatically in some situations. That is fine on the trailer, but it is worth mentioning to the driver, because a carrier repositioning cars in a yard needs to know how to release it and that it will not simply roll when the car is switched off.
If yours has adaptive air suspension, mention that too. The ride height setting affects clearance on the loading ramps, and drivers would rather be told than discover it halfway up.
If Yours Is the Plug In Hybrid
Some Q5s are plug in hybrids, and they ship on exactly the same carriers as the gasoline cars. Two small differences.
Leave the battery around 30 to 50 percent rather than full or empty. That is comfortable for a car that will sit for several days, and it is what most carriers ask for on any electrified vehicle. And put the charging cable in the house rather than the trunk, because loose equipment is not covered by cargo insurance and a cable is easy to lose.
Open or Enclosed
Open transport is the right choice for almost every Q5. It is the same service that delivers new Audis to dealerships, and the car is simply outdoors for the trip.
Enclosed transport is worth the premium in narrower cases: a car with fresh paint or recent bodywork, an SQ5 or RS variant you would rather not have arrive with road film, or a winter move through the salt belt. Otherwise it is money spent on a risk you do not really carry.
Preparing It
Standard preparation applies and the pre-pickup checklist covers it. Wash it so existing marks are visible, photograph every panel in daylight, empty it out and leave about a quarter tank of fuel.
Two Audi specific notes. Disable the alarm or tell the driver how, since a keyless car sitting on a trailer for a week can drain its battery if something keeps waking it. And retract or fold the mirrors and remove any roof rack or bike carrier, because anything projecting from the car affects how it fits in the slot above.
At delivery, inspect before signing. Compare the car against your photographs and the pickup condition report, check the roof and lower panels, start the engine, and note any exception on the bill of lading while the driver is present.
Common Questions
Does a Q5 need special equipment? No. It is a standard mid size SUV and fits any open or enclosed carrier.
Why does it cost more than a sedan? Size and weight. An SUV takes more of the trailer, roughly 10 to 15 percent more on the same route.
Can you ship one that does not run? Yes, but it must be winched rather than towed, because all four wheels need to be off the road on an all wheel drive car.
What charge level for the hybrid? Around 30 to 50 percent, and leave the charging cable at home.
Should I ship it enclosed? Only for fresh paint, a performance variant you are particular about, or a winter move through road salt.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with both zip codes and your dates, or price the move with the instant calculator.
