As its name suggests, the A5 has traditionally occupied the space between the A4 and A6 and been offered in coupe, convertible and five-door coupe Sportback guises. But that changed in 2024, as Audi repositioned it as a BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class competitor, thereby effectively replacing both the A4 Saloon and Avant (estate) and the existing A5 Sportback. Available as a five-door hatchback (although it wears the Saloon name) and as an estate (Avant), the A5 sticks to traditional petrol and diesel power, allowing models like the larger A6 e-tron to focus on offering pure-electric power in the executive car segment.
The Audi A5 doesn't reinvent the executive car class rulebook, but it offers exactly what most buyers want – refinement, quality, kerb appeal, and the latest technology. It's an impressive all-rounder.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioThe A5 sits in the premium executive segment and therefore commands premium prices. The UK range starts at £42,660 for the Sport 150PS TFSI S tronic, rising to £60,975 for the range-topping Vorsprung 204PS TDI quattro S tronic. Avant models come with an around a £2,000 price premium, while the petrol plug-in hybrid ranges from £49,450 to £63,670.
Despite being a relatively new model in the Audi range, early used examples are already appearing on platforms such as AA Cars. A5s with a couple of thousand miles on the clock can be found from around £31,000, and there's not much of a price difference between the entry-level Sport and popular S line models. Top-spec Vorsprung and limited-run Edition 1 cars start at around £40,000 to £45,000.
Despite the Avant commanding a premium when new, this is all but wiped out on the used market with prices broadly the same as the Saloon.
It's quite a simple engine line-up – two petrols, one diesel, and one plug-in hybrid.
The petrols are both 2.0-litre units and come with mild-hybrid technology to make them a little more efficient. They come in 148bhp and 201bhp forms, with the latter getting from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds – two seconds quicker than the lower powered 2.0-litre, and 20mph faster with a top speed of 154mph. There's also a sportier version of the A5 that uses a petrol engine – the S5 gets a 362bhp 3.0-litre V6, but that's not the subject of this review.
While many manufacturers have ditched diesels, Audi has elected to carry on doing so, no doubt pleasing those who still rely on this power source. There's only the choice of one, though – a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid TDI with 201bhp. It's a punchy unit that gives 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and tops out at 150mph, while it can come in front-wheel drive form or quattro four-wheel drive.
To rival the likes of the BMW 330e, the A5 also gets plug-in hybrid power, and is called e-hybrid. This takes the form of a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 20.7kWh battery pack, giving a claimed pure-electric range of around 67 miles. It's also four-wheel drive, and Audi claims impressive fuel consumption and CO2 figures of 141mpg and 46g/km.
All A5s come with Audi's S tronic automatic gearbox. There are no manuals available.
The Audi A5 is more about refinement rather than excitement. It's a breeze to drive around town thanks to its light steering, smooth throttle response, and pretty good visibility for a low-slung saloon car. The mild-hybrid system shuts the engine down when necessary, and can drive on electric power at very low speeds and for short distances. The plug-in hybrid is better on this front, and with its 67-mile EV range it can drive on electric power for far longer.
The A5 is most at home on the motorway, though, where wind and road noise fade away, and it feels like a car that can travel big distances with minimal effort. All engines, even the diesel, are super quiet and refined, and are well-matched to the automatic gearbox.
The old Audi A4 always struck the right balance between comfort and sporty handling, and the A5 just continues this trend.
Entry-level Sport cars with 18-inch alloys and standard suspension ride very well, but most people opt for the S line. Even this car with its 19-inch wheels and stiffer suspension rides well, although you will feel potholes and imperfections in the road just that little more. Cars with adaptive dampers might be worth hunting out on the used market, as they can soften or stiffen the ride at the touch of a button.
The A5 drives in a safe and predictable manner, but there's little fun to be had in the bends. In this respect, a BMW 3 Series is more engaging to drive. But for many, the A5's easy-going nature will be exactly what they want.
Audi and interior quality go hand in hand, and that was especially true with the A4 – it felt in a different league to the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Jaguar XE.
While it's still of a high quality, the A5's interior is a noticeable step down compared to the A4. It's still very well put together, though, with some nice design details and materials used, but you will have to like technology.
The A5's cabin is dominated by a curved display, which combines an 11.9-inch digital driver’s screen with a 14.5-inch central touchscreen. The passenger doesn't have to be left out either, as top-spec models get a 10.9-inch screen on the passenger's side allowing them to control features like the media and navigation. The main infotainment system works well, but as it controls all of the car's functions, it can take some time to get used to.
While the A5 is called a Saloon, it is in fact a hatchback. It means it's more practical than the old A4 ever was, as it's easier to load large and heavy items through a tailgate opening rather than a letter box-style traditional saloon's opening.
Standard front-wheel drive A5s get a 445-litre boot, which is a little down on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class; quattro four-wheel drive models see a further dip to 417 litres, and this includes the e-hybrid.
Of course, if you need more space, the Avant estate is probably more suitable. Again, there's a downside to going for a four-wheel drive version, as boot space drops from the 476 litres in non-quattro models to 448 litres. The boot is of a good shape, though, and regardless of which bodystyle you go for you get handy 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats that lie pretty flat when folded.
Space in the back seats is good rather than class-leading. The sloping roofline impacts on headroom and legroom is only average; the Avant is better in the headroom department.
The A5 comes in Sport, S line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung trims. The plug-in hybrid mirrors this except it has a lower entry-level that sits below Sport, and is called Technik. The Technik has LED headlights, 18-inch alloys, heated front sports seats, electric tailgate, and adaptive cruise control, while the Sport adds LED rear lights with dynamic indicators. These two models have all the basics covered, but many buyers opt for the S line with its more purposeful exterior design, privacy glass, and 20mm-lowered sports suspension.
When launched, the A5 came in a high-spec and limited-run Edition 1 trim. This was later replaced by the top-spec Vorsprung and gets a load of extra luxuries, including the passenger display, panoramic sunroof, matrix headlights, and a Bang & Olufsen stereo system.
By far the most numerous used A5s are cars in S line trim and with petrol power. It’s easy to see why as the petrols return decent fuel economy, plus S line trim adds some extra sparkle to the A5’s design. Technik and Sport models shouldn’t be dismissed as these have all the basics covered and are cheaper to buy, while Vorsprung models are laden with luxuries. When it comes to colours, as you’d expect, the A5 comes in numerous shades of grey and black. But there are brighter colours such as blue and red that really help to lift the car’s design.
The A5 has a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with an 87 per cent rating for adult protection and an 88 per cent score for child occupant protection. Reliability is harder to pin down due to how new the car is, but Audi, as a brand, hasn't fared well in industry reliability surveys in recent years.
The Audi A5 is pretty efficient compared to its rivals, with even the petrols returning over 40mpg. In fact Audi claims the two 2.0-litre petrols return the same 42.8mpg, but in the real world that's likely to be in the high-30s, which still isn't bad.
The 2.0-litre TDI diesel will be the best bet for most people who crave fuel efficiency as it can return nearly 60mpg, and then there's the plug-in hybrid. The on-paper fuel consumption figure is 141mpg, but you'll only get near this if you regularly plug in the car into a charging point and run the car in EV mode as much as possible. The e-hybrid also has the lowest CO2 figure of 45g/km compared to 127g/km for the TDI and around 155g/km for the petrols.
No versions of the A5 ever fell beneath the £40,000 threshold for the 'luxury car tax', meaning they are subject to £620 VED for the first five years of the car's life. The e-hybrid will be the best for company car drivers as it falls into the nine per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket.
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