MHEV(+) sound - is it normal ?

Hi guys,

Since June, I'm happy owner of the newest SQ5 2025 (V6 , MHEV plus) model.

What started to worry me a bit is a sound from the MHEV system that appears when slowly accelerating between about 24–30 km/h, and again when braking from around 30 km/h downwards.
It’s a squeaking noise, which you can hear in the attached recording (headphones recommended).

I’m quite sure this sound didn’t occur during the first 400 km I drove this car.
Could it be related to some sort of adaptation phase?
I only noticed it after a long trip, when the odometer reached around 1,000 km.

I contacted my local authorized service, and they even had the “master of service” sit in the car with me. After just a few minutes of driving, he told me that this is absolutely normal for the latest Audi models built on the MHEV(+) platform.

Afterwards, I checked some “POV” driving videos of Audi A5 and Q5 models to see if I could spot the same sound — and indeed, in some of them I could hear a similar noise during braking.

What’s your experience with MHEV(+) sounds?
I’m quite surprised this isn’t mentioned in car reviews, as it can be a bit annoying.

Regards,