Driver’s delight ticks the boxes
ROAD TEST/ Mark Smyth greatest — A5 coupe reports on Audi’s latest — and possibly
Once in a while a car comes along that makes you go: “Damn, this thing is good”. It’s not usually a Ferrari, a Range Rover or something you expect to be brilliant — not that I had low expectations of the Audi A5 2.0T FSI quattro. But what I didn’t expect was to be sitting behind the wheel after a few days confident it is one of the best cars I have driven in 2017.
However there are some caveats to this in terms of practical issues. It only has two doors, which are so wide you almost need to be one of those idiots who takes up two parking spaces so as not to bump them when you open them. And you have to open them wide to avoid twisting your body to get into the car. Another issue is getting anything or anyone into the back seats, which is a whole mission in itself.
But this is not a car for those with 2.4 kids; it’s a coupe. And a brilliant coupe at that.
The new styling is a winner. The nose looks sleeker than the last generation while the rest of the design adds definition to some of the lines. This more athletic look is helped by slanted LED headlight clusters.
Inside, there are design elements I am less fond of. Some components come across as being slightly less solid than we are used to in an Audi. However, the overall feeling is of quality and premium finishes with a slightly sporty bias.
But the big thing is not the design — it’s the drive. Get behind the wheel and the driving position is as perfect as you can get. Everything feels right before you even push the start button. When you do, there is a rumble beneath you that is not expected — after all, this is a turbocharged four-cylinder, for goodness’ sake. The noise is not quite real, with a resonator creating some of it, but it sounds phenomenal. It sounds even better when you select Sport on the S-Tronic transmission or the Drive Select and you put foot.
While there is an initial lag, you can overcome this by sticking to Sport mode or using the paddles. These options will increase your fuel consumption but if you are ambling around town, just sit back and relax in normal drive mode.
Except you won’t want to, which is even more surprising because this is only the 2.0T, not an S5 or even an RS5. The optional dynamic steering lacks response in urban traffic but pick up a bit of speed or switch to dynamic mode and it feels as though the person who engineered the system actually cares how it feels. Trust me, that is not so common these days.
Turn the wheel and there is no play in the steering. During the commute to work I found myself wishing I could teleport the car instantly to a mountain pass somewhere.
There is barely even a hint of the understeer that is so often a characteristic of quattroequipped vehicles. The thing sticks to the tarmac as though it is its sole job in life and it encourages you to try to find its limits. We didn’t — in fact we got nowhere near the limit, but what is great is that you can have fun without going to the edge. This is a car you can enjoy whether you are trying to own the next corner or just sitting in traffic.
Even that traffic situation seems better. I found myself less annoyed by idiot drivers, more relaxed, more composed and even (here comes the terrible motoring cliche) more at one with the car. I can’t believe I actually said that, but I can’t beat myself up because it’s true.
You do pay for all this though and our test model comes with a price tag of R757,500. Do not expect to sign off on this price though because we had more Type: Turbocharged four-cylinder petrol Capacity: 1,984cc Power: 185kW at 5,000-6,000r/min Torque: 370Nm at 1,600-4,500r/min Type: Seven-speed dual clutch Type: All-wheel drive 0-100km/h: 5.8 seconds Top speed: 250km/h Fuel consumption: 6.2l/100km Emission: 141g/km than 200 grand’s worth of extras, many of which you want. You need the Virtual Cockpit digital dash, the sports suspension and the dynamic steering. While you’ll probably want to, you don’t have to go overboard on the luxuries. Exercise some caution because the car is brilliant without most of them and you’ll lose out when it comes to resale value.
ENGINE TRANSMISSION DRIVETRAIN PERFORMANCE (claimed) STANDARD FEATURES
Electronic differential lock. ABS with EBD, brake assist, traction control, stability control, multiple airbags, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, tyre pressure monitoring, multifunction steering wheel, lane departure warning, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, remote central locking, leather upholstery, climate control, LED daytime running lights, rear park distance control
COST OF OWNERSHIP
Warranty: One-year/unlimited km Maintenance plan: Five-year/100,000km Price: R757,500 (as tested R983,100) Lease*: R16,094 per month