Audi A5 Sports Car

Description

Is the Audi A5 Coupe any good?
The Audi A5 is a two-door, four-seat coupe version of the popular A4 Saloon, offering sleeker, more eye-catching styling for the image-conscious owner. Both cars share broadly the same trim levels and engines, with performance and economy figures only differing slightly. Like its sister car, the A5 is also available in performance S flavour and race-car-for-the road RS guise, both coming as standard with Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel drive system.

Direct rivals come in the form of the BMW 4 Series Coupe and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, as well as the less popular – but still capable – Lexus RC Coupe. Is Audi’s A5 the best in class? Read on to find out.

Read the Audi A5 Coupe verdict

What’s it like inside?
Step inside the A5 Coupe and you’ll instantly recognise the dashboard themes from both the A4 and the Q7 SUV. This is a good thing, because the German manufacturer’s current interior styling is seriously on point. As well as an elegant and unfussy layout, you get an easy-to-use MMI multimedia controller for the large LCD screen.

Audi A5 Coupe S Line interiorEnlarge0videoEnlarge102photo
Spec the optional Virtual Cockpit digital instruments and you can flick between a sat-nav display, media information and trip computer data while leaving the main screen free for other functions.

Read more about the Audi A5 Coupe interior

What’s it like to drive?
Suiting the Audi A5’s sportier nature, the lower-powered diesel engines from the A4 range aren’t included. The engine range mainly consists of 2.0-litre units, with three outputs for petrol and two for diesel. The more potent 3.0-litre diesel is limited to the S5 for stronger performance. Place an R in front of that S, and you find 450hp in the RS 5, although these days it’s a 2.9-litre V6 rather than the V8 installed previously.

Quattro all-wheel drive is available on the more powerful engines, and there’s a mix of seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch automatic and eight-speed Tiptronic traditional auto gearboxes on offer.

Improved handling for the second-generation Audi A5 Coupe
While the A5’s driving dynamics still don’t quite match-up with its coupe rivals, the second-generation model is a big improvement over its predecessor. You still get the same car-on-rails traction levels with Quattro all-wheel drive but it’s married to more feelsome and well-weighted steering this time around. Adaptive and Dynamic suspension options add to an already capable design.

Pick one of the faster diesel engines and you’ve got a great balance of power, precision and economy.

Read more about how the Audi A5 Coupe drives

What models and trims are available?
Those familar with current Audi models should recognise the structure of the line-up, with of four regular models to pick from, with the two performance S5 and RS 5 versions at the top.

Trim levels start with Sport, working up to S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung – with S line expected to be the most popular.

Opt for the S5 and this has its own sub-range to choose from, with standard, Black Edition and Vorsprung levels, too. This goes for the RS 5 as well, with standard, Carbon Black and Vorsprung.

With all this kit and kudos, the Audi A5 looks like it has the opposition beat fair and square. But does it?