Review
/5
- Pros:
- Striking looks
- Excellent driving position
- Impressive build quality and cabin design
- Cons:
- Ultimately not as fun to drive as a 3 Series Coupe
- Rear seats are cramped
- Coveted S line versions are expensive
pictured: Audi A5 coupe 2012 2 door
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The A5 looks good, and is good to drive too. All versions are quiet and comfortable – flagship versions are immensely desirable, and are quick and luxurious."
At a glance
- The greenest
- SE Technik 2.0 TDIe 163PS 2dr
£31,545 - The cheapest
- 1.8 TFSI 170PS 2dr
£26,490 - The fastest
- Black Edition 3.0 TFSI quattro S tronic 2dr
£44,040 - Top of the range
- Black Edition 3.0 TFSI quattro S tronic 2dr
£44,040
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The Audi A5 Coupe takes the underpinnings of a four-door A4 saloon and wraps them in a two-door body. Put the two side-by-side, though, and you’ll see the A5 is the much sportier looking car. It's lower and wider, and has less rear head and legroom than the A4, although the boot is nearly as big. Refreshed for 2011, the facelifted car borrows its styling cues from the latest A6 saloon, with new headlights and a revised grille. There are eight engines to choose from and a range of trim options. The most popular engines are the diesels, which offer an appealing blend of performance and economy. S line models get even sportier bodywork and bigger wheels, although the latter spoils ride comfort.
Drive
Steering and gearshift feel light
The A5 a good car to drive, but is better suited to easing the strain of big motorway mileages than tackling corners. It can't challenge the class-leading BMW 3 Series in this department, and while the steering and gearshift feel accurate and the seating position is good, there's little feedback from the wheel, and it's sometimes hard to tell what the front wheels are up to. Bigger V6 petrol and diesel engines are smooth and powerful, and the diesels are particularly quiet. Range-topping S5 and RS5 models deliver incredible acceleration and a dramatic soundtrack, and feel as butch and brawny as any American muscle car.
Comfort
S line versions get big wheels and stiff suspension
The ride comfort of the Audi A5 is not its strong suit. With a focus on high performance, Sport and S line versions feature stiffened suspension and bigger wheels as standard, and are not as comfortable as rivals like the BMW 3 Series Coupe. Standard and SE trim cars do a better job of smothering out the bumps on the road, but even with the optional adjustable ride, the A5 never gets the balance between ride comfort and handling poise quite right. The interior is put together more solidly than any rival, but the rear seats of the coupe are cramped. There are plenty of small buttons for you to learn the functions of, but the updated version uses a simplified layout that's easier to use.
Reliability
The A5 has never been subject to a recall
Audi has earned a reputation for excellent build quality over the years, and the A5 adds to that. Many parts of the cabin, as well as the engines, are shared with the A4, which enjoyed a 91 per cent customer satisfaction rating for both reliability and build quality in the 2010 Driver Power survey. The A5 has never been subjected to a factory recall.
Practicality
Rear seat space is limited
At 455 litres, the A5 Coupe's boot is marginally bigger than rivals from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, although it loses out to both on rear seat space, as leg and headroom is tight on this two-door version, despite its large proportions. The rear seats fold down to accomodate larger items, but not entirely flat, and the coupe's boot opening is much narrower than the A5 Sportback.
Value for money
Entry-level models are cheaper that rivals
The A5 is a premium car that commands premium prices. However, entry-level models are cheaper than both the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe. Choose a popular engine and trim - a diesel version in S line specification, for example - and you’ll enjoy solid resale values, which also keeps lease prices affordable. The 2011 version has gone up in price by around £300 depending on which specification you choose, but with more equipment as standard.
Running costs
A non-quattro 2.0 TDI model with a manual gearbox will return 60.1mpg
Any one of the two TDI diesels - 2.0 and 3.0-litre - will return manageable fuel economy with varying degrees of performance, and the new 201bhp 3.0-litre TDI returns excellent fuel economy. Choose quattro four-wheel drive and emissions will rise and economy suffer, so ask yourself if you really need it. A non-quattro 2.0 TDI model with a manual gearbox will return 60.1mpg and emissions of 122g/km, making it cheap to tax.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
