‘A FINER FIVE’ - Audi A5 Independent New Review (Ref:899/14242)

Car and Driving’s Independent New Review of the Audi A5.

By Jonathan Crouch Added 26^th July, 2024

Audi reinvents its A5 as a replacement for the old A4. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

This Audi A5 is the Ingolstadt maker's new offering to the mid-sized executive market that used to be served by saloon and Avant versions of its long-running A4 model line. It's luxurious, well engineered but, unlike its rear-driven premium rivals, still front-driven in its most affordable forms. If you like the Audi brand and want a car of this kind, you'll be tempted.

Background

Time to get used to a new kind of Audi A4. For a start, it's not called that any more, Audi having rebadged this model range 'A5' in line with its new policy of keeping even-numbered monikers for its EVs. The next change is that there's no longer the saloon body shape that used to define the A4 model line, abandoned in favour of the kind of sleek five-door shape that Ingolstadt previously marketed in this segment as the A5 Sportback. That old model's also gone of course, as have the other two body shapes that previously wore an old generation 'A5' badge, the Coupe and the Cabriolet (models that disappointingly, aren't being replaced). We do still get is an estate body style in this segment, an 'A5'-badged Avant model now selling alongside the new five-door.

Aside from the new bodywork, much might seem familiar here if you previously had some sort of A4 on your driveway. Even maybe the evolved look, which remains very 'Audi'. As before, the core engines are 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TDI petrol and diesel units, mated to the usual Stronic dual clutch auto, with quattro 4WD if your chosen variant has more power. But as we're going to see, much else is different, making this a useful step forward to build on thirty years of A4 sales success dating all the way back to 1994. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

Has the backlash against the EV revolution started? We can't remember the last time we reviewed a completely new model with significantly redeveloped combustion engines and a completely new combustion platform. Yet that's what this new generation Audi A5 offers. To be strictly accurate, the engine redevelopment applies almost completely to a cleverer 'MHEV plus' upgraded mild hybrid system, added to the V6 petrol and four cylinder diesel variants that only a relatively small proportion of customers will choose. But the 'PPC' ('Premium Platform Combustion') architecture which replaces the 17-year-old MLB chassis of the old A4/A5/Q5 models really is new from the ground up; almost revolutionary in an era where many other volume brands stopped developing combustion platforms some time ago.

Audi thinks that was premature. And feels the same about the deletion of diesel from so many competing model line-ups. So the VW Group's familiar 2.0 TDI unit (which can be had paired with front-wheel or quattro drive) continues here with 204PS; aided by the aforementioned 'MHEV plus' mild hybrid system, which is different from the old MHEV set-up in that in addition to the usual system-integrated starter-generator, there's also a second centrally-mounted powertrain generator. The result is dramatically increased levels of regenerative braking - and consequently, a bit more of a positive impact on efficiency.

The frugality benefits though, are still relatively marginal. As is also the case with the 'MHEV plus' system that features on the top S5 variants, where the 3.0-litre V6 powerplant in use has now switched from diesel to TFSI petrol power and develops 367PS. So you might feel the need to wait for the pair of TFSI e PHEV powertrains Audi has planned for this car - with 299PS and 365PS, both with quattro 4WD and over 62 miles of EV range.

Disappointingly, there's no sign of electrification for the volume engine that for the time being most A5 customers are likely to choose, Audi's familiar 2.0 TFSI petrol unit. This props up the range in 150PS front-driven form. And is also available in 204PS guise also in a front-driven format. That front-driven format continues to set this Audi apart from its key segment rivals, the Mercedes C-Class and the BMW 3 Series (both rear-driven). But Audi says it's worked to make this car more driver-focused, with stiffer suspension mounts, a more rigid front axle and more connected, progressive steering. Plus, there's a wider 'Audi Drive Select' mode spread between 'Comfort' and 'Sport'. The S5 gets an electronic differential and torque vectoring.

Design and Build

In both five-door 'Saloon' hatch and Avant forms, you'd know this new A5 as an Audi, but a rather more modern one. Slim LED headlights with customisable OLED technology sit above contrasting corner outer vents and flank the familiar Audi Single Frame grille. The long bonnet flows into a steeply raked windscreen with A-pillars shifted back by designer Jacob Hirzel to well behind the front wheels. The roofline dips away past the B-pillar and there's more fancy optional OLED lighting tech at the back, where the rear clusters can be made up of 364 segments offering a total of eight configurable lighting signatures. Key to the profile perspective are flared arches the designers refer to as 'Quattro muscle'. And the dimensions here are slightly bigger than before, the A5 hatch 67mm longer and 13mm wider than the old A4 saloon.

Inside of course, it's the usual modern screen fest, with a higher-set curved free-standing MMI infotainment display comprised of an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen. Options include a head-up display and a smaller 10.9-inch screen for the passenger side, which has a clever polarised filter so the driver can't be distracted by what's on it. This extra monitor could be used by the passenger to, say, set the sat nav or watch movies.

There's certainly quite a feeling of luxury, embellished by a 'Softwrap' fabric panel that flows across the dashboard into the doors, both back-lit with subtle ambient lighting. The doors also get 'smart Door Panel' controls which gives access to things like seat and mirror settings. And sustainable and vegan materials feature throughout.

It'll feel roomier in the back than the old A4, thanks to 80mm of extra wheelbase length. Which now means that a couple of six-foot adults can sit on the more heavily bolstered rear seats more comfortably. Aided by a lower hip point for the seat base and a slightly raised position over the front seats that offers a better view forward. Out back, the hatch model's 445-litre boot capacity is down on the 480-litres of a rival BMW 3 Series saloon, but the space is easier to get at and rises to 476-litres in the A5 Avant. The PHEV drivetrain reduces those figures, but only by 28-litres - in contrast to a rival Mercedes C300e PHEV, which reduces space by 140-litres.

Market and Model

Let's get to the pricing, pitched from launch from around £42,000 for the five-door 'Saloon' and from around £44,000 for the Avant estate. That's about the same to the level as a rival BMW 3 Series but significantly cheaper than a rival Mercedes C-Class. Expect the usual range of trims - 'Sport', 'S line' and 'Edition 1'. The S5 starts from around £69,000. Even entry-level A5 variants will be well equipped, with features like navigation, a powered tailgate and a wireless smartphone charger. For those wanting to spend more, 'Tech', Tech Plus' and 'Tech Pro' option packs will bundle together key extra features.

Only the priciest variants will get things like the digital OLED lights and adaptive damping. Desirable options include a panoramic roof with Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals, which can transform itself from translucent to opaque at the touch of a button. 'Edition 1'-spec will include the optional 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display. This new A5 has an optional, configurable head-up display that has been further developed compared to its predecessor (and is standard on the S5). For the first time, drivers now have the option of controlling vehicle and infotainment functions via the head-up display. All the usual camera driver assistance safety systems you'd expect are of course included.

Cost of Ownership

The key engineering efficiency development with this new A5 is, as we told you in our 'Driving' section, the new 'MHEV plus' mild hybrid system. This is based on a 48-volt on-board electrical system that supports the combustion engine and reduces CO2 emissions while increasing performance. Its added powertrain generator (the 'PTG') enables electric driving components that contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption.

The 'MHEV plus' system offers advantages in CO2 emissions compared to the previous MHEV set-up. Over the WLTP driving cycle, these total up to 10g/km of CO2 in the 2.0 TDI and up to 17g/km of CO2 in the S5 (which uses a V6 3.0 TFSI petrol unit). The PTG can also add up to 24PS of electric power to the output of the combustion engine. When decelerating, the PTG feeds energy back into the battery at up to 25kW. As a result, purely electric manoeuvring and parking are possible to a limited extent.

Thanks to the option of using an electric air conditioning compressor, the air conditioning system can also be operated when the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights and the combustion engine is switched off. With the integrated and blending-capable brake control system, the brake pedal and the brake hydraulics can be completely decoupled. In models with the 'MHEV plus' system, it achieves the necessary deceleration without using the friction brakes thanks to regenerative braking. This means that deceleration is initially achieved solely by recuperation. The friction brakes only kick in when the brake pedal is pressed harder. The brake feel remains unaffected by this.

Summary

Audi has spent over a quarter of a century perfecting this kind of car - and that really shows with this new generation A5. It's a spacious, classy car that's fully conversant with the kind of hi-tech design and faultless cabin quality that its target middle-management executive market likes to expect. So it stacks up in the showroom just as well as it does on the balance sheet, with 'MHEV plus' and TFSI e models offering running cost returns that should please your company accountant. Audi knows this car's front wheel drive / quattro 4WD drivetrain format isn't going to make it the segment choice for handling response, but compensations should come with refinement and ride quality.

If these are your priorities too and you can afford the premium asking prices, you'll find much to like here. This A5 aims to be the class benchmark for build quality and cool, understated cabin design. No other brand does a better digital dash. And the infotainment screen upgrade brings media connectivity up to the standard of rival BMW and Mercedes systems. That stiffening competition has forced Audi to up its game in terms of standard equipment lower down the range - which is welcome. Plus the styling changes have given this car a little more pavement personality.

And in summary? Well, even more than its A4 predecessor, this A5 feels like a car that's been lovingly and very carefully considered. The depth of engineering and the thought that's gone into the tiniest details combine to further enhance the warm fuzzy feeling that's charmed Audi customers for years. If you're one of those people, then you'll like this car very much. And even if you're not, you'll find it hard not to be impressed by way it systematically ticks almost every box on the mid-sized executive market wish list. It's very thorough. And very Audi.