Third-Generation Audi Q5 (Typ GU)

The Audi Q5 is now in its third generation, and it promises to be the most advanced Q5 to date. The question is, what's it all about, the all-new Audi Q5?

2025 Audi Q5

2025 Audi Q5 Sportback

The all-new, third-generation Audi Q5 starts at 52,300 Euros plus additional costs. This all-new model is a gambit in its class as it aims squarely at the likes of the BMW X5, the Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Lexus RX, and the Genesis GV80. Do you think that the Q5 can compete with these luxury vehicles?

Beginning with the design, the all-new Q5 is reminiscent of its all-electric equivalent, the Q6 e-tron, because of the time Audi used a naming policy where odd numbers were used for ICE-powered cars and even numbers for EVs. Long story short, but never mind all that. With such looks that mimic the Q6 e-tron, it's a sign that Audi's new design language is suffering from the Russian doll effect.

2025 Audi Q5 interior

The all-new Q5 features a familiar Audi interior representative of the current generation. However, it has been noted that the soft-touch haptic controls can be tricky to use, especially for those with recently sanitized fingers. The Q5 is equipped with an MMI panoramic display that includes an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch touchscreen that manages nearly all vehicle functions. Additionally, there is a 10.9-inch MMI display for the front passenger, designed to be visible only to them for safety reasons.

The all-new Q5 is not as spacious as its predecessor, so your comfort zone may not be as large as it was on your old ride. Although the wheelbase has grown by just a millimeter, it was not enough to improve cabin space. This new Q5 is shorter and wider than the previous model, and it is taller. What I find particularly disheartening is that there is less cargo space in the new model, 47 liters less, to be precise.

2025 Audi SQ5

2025 Audi SQ5 Sportback

Because it now runs on the new Premium Platform Combustion, a platform suitable for ICE-powered vehicles, which serves as a replacement for the MLB architecture, the all-new Q5 feels more dramatic to drive than before, even with Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive system. Feels bulky, but it's slightly enough for your next escape plan, especially if you're on either tarmac, gravel, or snow.

Under the hood, the Q5 is packed with an all-electrified choice of a 2.0L TFSi, a 2.0L TDi, and the range-topping 2.0L TFSi eHybrid with its 105kW electric motor and 20.7 kWh battery that produces up to 367PS of power and 500Nm of torque. Armed with the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, it does 0-100kph in 5.1 seconds and is electronically limited to 250kph. Fuel economy is around 2.6L/100km.

If you want more, you should go for the ultra-expensive SQ5 range with its 367PS 3.0L V6 TFSi engine with mild hybrid and the same S tronic gearbox mentioned above. It does 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds and is electronically limited to 250kph.

For safety, the all-new Q5 features adaptive cruise assist plus, active front assist, traffic sign-based cruise control, park assist plus, and rear turn assist, among others.

Do you want a car that looks exactly like an EV but is powered by a traditional engine? If so, the all-new third-generation Audi Q5 is a good choice. It shares a lot of design elements with its all-electric equivalent, the Q6 e-tron, but it is powered by a combustion engine. The third-generation Audi Q5 may be less spacious than the previous model, and its soft-touch controls can be a bit troublesome, but it feels okay.

Photo: Audi AG

Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback

The Audi Q6 e-tron range demonstrated that crossovers are as popular as Hollywood superhero movies. While it may not be a superhero itself, it offers great value, costing less than its Porsche Macan sibling. With the addition of the Sportback variant, there's a lot to ask about it.

2025 Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback

2025 Audi SQ6 e-tron Sportback

Starting at 65,900 Euros plus additional costs, the first-ever Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback is also the cheaper alternative to the second-generation Porsche Macan. Which sounds fair, but is it really worth it?

Like its normal equivalent, amid its coupe-like silhouette, the Q6 e-tron Sportback has taken a simpler approach, which is clean by Audi standards. It features matrix LED front headlamps, OLED rear taillights, the signature Audi Singleframe grille, and other notable details that make it sporty, progressive, and perfectly proportioned.

Step inside, the Q6 e-tron is packed with the MMI panoramic display consisting of an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch touchscreen that controls almost the entire vehicle. There's even a 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display that can only be seen in the eyes of a front passenger, not the driver, for safety reasons. Thanks to its coupe-like silhouette, it slightly reduced the boot space from the normal one, resulting in 511 liters with the rear seats present, up to 1373 liters with the passenger seats folded down.

Running on the PPE platform and 100kWh battery pack, the Q6 e-tron Sportback's power output ranges from 292 to 387PS, with the latter sprinting from 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 210kph. The mid-range variant packs the longest driving range with up to 637km on one full charge.

For those who want to push further, the SQ6 e-tron Sportback offers 462PS of power output when launch control is active. It can sprint from 0 to 100kph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 230kph. Both variants are easy to drive everywhere, especially on asphalt, gravel, and snow. They also come equipped with Audi's suite of intelligent driver aids, including adaptive cruise assist plus, active front assist, traffic sign-based cruise control, park assist plus, and rear turn assist.

Normal or Sportback, the Audi Q6 e-tron holds a similar story, telling us that crossovers are as popular as Hollywood superhero movies. While it may not be a superhero itself, it offers great value, costing less than its Porsche Macan sibling. That's all I can say.

Photo: Audi

A quick history of 15 years of Love Live!

June 30th, 2025, marks 15 years of the Love Live! franchise. From μ’s, Aqours, Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, Liella!, to Hasu no Sora, we have been with Love Live since the very beginning and will continue to follow the franchise. We have been there since the first installment and will continue to be there for the next. To commemorate 15 years of Love Live!, it’s time for a super-quick history lesson.

Love Live! Series 15th Anniversary

μ’s - The Love Live! series started on this day, June 30th, 2010. This is the day we celebrate the franchise's first school idol unit, μ's. The group consists of Honoka Kosaka, Umi Sonoda, Kotori Minami, Rin Hoshizora, Hanayo Koizumi, Maki Nishikino, Eli Ayase, Nozomi Tojo, and Nico Yazawa. Their first single, "Bokura no Live, Kimi to Life" debuted on August 25, 2010, and that's how the legend began. Three years later, μ's made their way to TV sets. In the TV anime "Love Live! School Idol Project", fans learn the origin story of μ's and how they risk themselves to save Otonokizaka High School from collapse. After two seasons, μ's story concluded with the movie version launched in 2015. A year after the movie, the world bid farewell to μ's with the Final Love Live concert at the end of March 2016.

Aqours - Five years after the first installment of the Love Live! franchise, a new generation of idol was created. The group, which was known as Aqours, was introduced with a TV anime series. The group had a total of nine members: Chika Takami, You Watanabe, Riko Sakurauchi, Yoshiko Tsushima, Hanamaru Kunikida, Ruby Kurosawa, Dia Kurosawa, Kanan Matsuura, and Mari Ohara. Their first single was released on October 7, 2015, and is titled "Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteiru Kai?". The TV anime series ran for two seasons, with the finale having aired in January 2019. The group is also well known for its song featured in the spin-off series titled "Yohane of Parhelion -SUNSHINE in the MIRROR-," which was released in 2023. Aqours' final concert was in June 2025.

Nijigasaki High School Idol Club - Nijigasaki High School Idol Club is a byproduct of the Perfect Dream Project from the now-defunct Love Live! School Idol Festival games. Three original idols from the first SIF app game—Shizuku Osaka, Emma Verde, and Kanata Konoe—were chosen to be part of the newest idol group, along with six new faces: Ayumu Uehara, Setsuna Yuki, Karin Asaka, Ai Miyashita, Rina Tennouji, and Kasumi Nakasu.

The group's debut album, "TOKIMEKI Runners," was launched on November 21, 2018. On September 26, 2019, the Nijigasaki members' stories unfolded when Love Live! School Idol Festival All-Stars was released. As the Nijigasaki story progresses, the group welcomes three new additions: Shioriko Mifune, Zhong Lanzhu, and Mia Taylor.

In the fall of 2020, the Nijigasaki story came to life on TV. The Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club TV anime series lasts for two seasons and centers on the eyes of a young teenage girl named Yu Takasaki, who holds the fate of the group. The first of the three-part Nijigasaki finale movies came out last year, and the second is due out this November 2025.

This group's story has an additional distinction. While this group is not just the first in the Love Live! franchise to add members, it is the first to have a seiyuu replaced. Tomori Kusunoki announced her retirement from her role as Setsuna Yuki at the end of March 2023 due to health concerns, and she was replaced by Coco Hayashi.

Liella! - What is Liella!? Liella! is the newest addition to the Love Live franchise, and it comprises five interstellar school idols who hail from the Yuigaoka Girls' High School. These girls are Kanon Shibuya, Tang Keke, Sumire Heanna, Chisato Arashi, and Ren Hazuki. They debuted on April 7, 2021, with their single "Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora." Three months later, their origin story unfolded on the TV screens.

Their story followed Liella! through the second season with the addition of four new members: Kinako Sakurakoji, Mei Yoneme, Shiki Wakana, and Natsumi Onitsuka. In a run-up for the third and final season that aired last Autumn 2024, the group grew to include Wien Margarete and Tomari Onitsuka, rounding out the group. Liella! is the next generation of school idol idols, and they promise to continue the Love Live tradition.

School Idol Musical - The School Idol Musical production is the first to feature an original story, not based on any of the existing Love Live! series. The show, which debuted in 2022, focuses on the challenges and triumphs of 10 high school girls as they pursue their dreams. The musical follows a group of school girls and their musical aspirations, featuring fresh and experienced talented actors alike. The show's positive reception led to the addition of further performances. There is also a live-action mini-drama, aired last November, another first for the series.

Hasu no Sora Girls' High School Idol Club - Link! Like! Love Live! is the first in the Love Live! series to take on an entirely digital format. This app is centered around a group called the Hasu no Sora Girls' High School Idol Club.

The original members are Kaho Hinoshita, Kozue Otomune, Sayaka Murano, Tsuzuri Yugiri, Megumi Fujishima, and Rurino Osawa.

Three new members were added during the app's second year of service. These are Ginko Momose, Kosuzu Kachimachi, and Hime Anyoji.

The 104th Final Term Fes x LIVE in Link! Like! Love Live! marked the last performance for three members before they were replaced. Those three members who were replaced are Kozue Otomune, Megumi Fujishima, and Tsuzuri Yugiri. Kozue, Megumi, and Tsuzuri were replaced by two new members: Ceras Yanagida Lilienfeld and Izumi Katsuragi.

Ikizulive! - The Love Live! franchise celebrates its 15th year by welcoming the world with its latest project titled "IKIZULIVE! LOVELIVE! BLUEBIRD." This new installment, designed for X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube, focuses on ten girls enrolled in different branches of Love High School. Together, they form a school idol team called "Ikizulive!" It comes from a time when school idols and "Love Live" became a distant thing of the past.

,,,and there you have it. 15 years of the Love Live! series. The past, present, and future of the franchise that rocked the world. Whether you're a seasoned Love Liver or a newcomer, whichever Love Live series group you represent, you are glad that you have been part of the franchise that caused a lot of stir around the globe.

HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY TO THE LOVE LIVE! SERIES!

Let's Do The News! (June 30, 2025)

        

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- About 6,000 farmers are expected to benefit from the opening of the Rice Processing System (RPS) II Facility in the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija. The inauguration of the new facility was led by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., along with the distribution of farm machinery to farmers. The new rice facility features a multi-stage rice mill that can process two to three tons of rice per hour.

- PH Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed his application to become the next Ombudsman.

- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III invited Vice President Sara Duterte to visit Camp Crame to see their use of modern technology in police operations.

- Alice Guo's mayorship in Bamban, Tarlac, was nullified by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34.

- A ₱50 daily minimum wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) has been approved by the NCR Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB). With this, the daily wage for non-agriculture workers will be ₱695 while it will be ₱658 for the agriculture, retail, and service sectors, effective July 18.

- Glastonbury Festival organizers said they were "appalled" by punk duo Bob Vylan's chants about the Israeli military.

- The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra broke its own Nurburgring Nordschleife record in 6'22"091, making it the third fastest overall.

- Nissan has confirmed job losses at its Sunderland factory.

- Proton teases its upcoming eMas7 EV vehicle.

- The Austrian Grand Prix will remain on the F1 calendar until 2041 under a new deal.

- HYBE announces plans to establish its Indian subsidiary.

- Angel Reese scored a season-high 24 points and became the first WNBA player with 15 or more rebounds in four straight games.

TTFN.

F1 2025: MSC Cruises Austrian Grand Prix

The 75th Anniversary celebrations of Formula 1 continue at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg for the MSC Cruises Austrian Grand Prix. While the world is still buzzing from the recent release of "F1: The Movie," the drivers are ready to get back to work in Styria, bringing their energy to the racetrack.

Carlos Sainz's "did not start" situation, the crash that sent Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen packing, and Alex Albon's mechanical failures are just some of the worst moments that occurred in Spielberg. However, behind their heartbreaks, there have been some exciting moments with the two McLaren drivers clashing for the lead while the others have pulled a lot of drama, as demonstrated by the penalization of Yuki Tsunoda for sending Franco Colapinto spinning on Lap 31.

Image: F1

Business as usual for McLaren with their 1-2 finish with Lando Norris the winner and Oscar Piastri the second-placer. More than enough to further tighten McLaren's constructor championship grip. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, completes the Austrian podium with a third-place finish. Other finishers include Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto, Nico Hulkenberg, and Esteban Ocon.

F1's 75th Anniversary celebrations will continue at the track that started it all, Silverstone, for the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix this July 6, 2025.

WRC 2025: EKO Acropolis Rally Greece

The 2025 World Rally Championship continues with the EKO Acropolis Rally in Greece, as the drivers feel the heat while conquering what is known as the Rally of the Gods.

Screengrab from WRC

Hyundai driver Ott Tanak is unstoppable during the EKO Acropolis Rally. Despite late mechanical issues, he managed to beat Sebastien Ogier to win the EKO Acropolis Rally. Adrien Fourmaux completes the podium by finishing in third place.

Post-Greece, the gap between Tanak and Elfyn Evans is now 12 points.

The next event is the Delfi Rally Estonia this July 17-20, 2025.

2025 NASCAR Cup Series - Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart

New to the 2025 season is the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, where drivers clash through five rounds to win the $1 million cash prize. The first of the In-Season Challenge rounds is set at Atlanta's EchoPark Speedway for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

As the green flag waved, the first round of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge was on. The first stage saw a weather stoppage on Lap 43, but as the race resumed, Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon got caught in a messy situation as the #20 got spun. As Austin Cindric wins Stage 1, Stage 2 witnessed the big one with a multi-car disaster involving multiple drivers, with Ryan Blaney the hardest to be hit. As Tyler Reddick barely won Stage 2 with a microscopic margin of 0.001 seconds, the final stage saw trouble for Shane Van Gisbergen and Bubba Wallace, as well as Justin Haley's spin changing the course of the first round.

Screengrab from NASCAR

Having survived the chaos in Georgia, Chase Elliott wins the Quaker State 400 of the NASCAR Cup Series!

And now, the bracket update. As Chase Elliott wins the race, T. Dillon, Keselowski, Bowman, Wallace, Nemechek, Jones, Stenhouse Jr., Gragson, Preece, Hocevar, Reddick, Allmendinger, Gibbs, Smith, and Buescher are advancing to Round 2.

NASCAR's In-Season Challenge continues with the Chicago Street Race on July 6, 2025.