First drive verdict on new A5 Sportback
FIRST DRIVE Behind wheel as sleek five-door is given a new lease of life
THE Audi A5 Sportback acts as a halfway house between the sporty A5 Coupé and more mature A4 saloon. Think of it as a sleek, stylish coupé with a bigger boot and a pair of usable rear seats. It first went on sale in 2010, and now we’ve been given the chance to drive the second-generation model before UK deliveries start early next year.
As with the A4, the A5 Sportback comes with a range of proven petrol and diesel engines, and there’s a high-performance S5 edition capable of 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. The entry-level 2.0-litre TDI will take the lion’s share of sales, but it’s the more powerful 3.0 TDI we drive here for the first time.
Hooked up to the brand’s venerable quattro all-wheel-drive system, the A5 Sportback feels incredibly planted on the move. Audi hasn’t announced performance figures for the 3.0 TDI, but the 282bhp engine is an updated version of the 268bhp version featured in the A4, which manages 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds. The Sportback feels even faster. Eventually, all Audis fitted with the 3.0 TDI will get the power increase, as well as the 20Nm boost in torque.
By using the VW Group’s MLB evo platform – which underpins everything from the A4 to the Q7 – engineers have shaved up to 85kg from the Sportback’s kerbweight over its predecessor. This makes the sleek five-door feel more nimble on the road than it did before, with impressive body control through long, sweeping bends. The light and slightly numb steering means it’s less suited to quick changes of direction, but it’s incredibly stable and easy to drive.
The Audi is amazingly refined, too. You can detect slight wind whistle around the A-pillars and door mirrors at high speeds, but there’s very little in the way of tyre roar, even at 120mph on a stretch of deserted
autobahn. The ride is supple, but smooth German roads don’t provide an accurate picture of how the car will fare in the UK.
Not only is the new A5 Sportback faster and more fun, it’s also more economical. While the 3.0 TDI’S economy figures haven’t yet been announced, 55mpg is highly likely thanks to its sweet-shifting eight-speed auto gearbox. Predicted CO2 emissions of around 135g/km should shame the 150g/km BMW 435d xdrive Gran Coupé, too.
The entry-level 2.0-litre TDI ultra will be top of the wish-list for high-mileage drivers. Again, numbers haven’t been revealed, but the Coupé claims up to 70.6mpg, so the Sportback is unlikely to be far behind. On the outside, Audi’s design bosses have taken an evolutionary styling approach, and the new Sportback initially looks similar to the old car. But line them up side by side and the differences become clear. The front sports a wider grille and sharper headlights, although the sweptback shape remains.
Interior quality is second to none – and it’s here the big advances have been made. Only the Mercedes C-class comes close to matching the high-quality, luxury leather and metals dotted around the Audi’s cabin.
The addition of rear doors helps make the Sportback more practical than the Coupé. There’s enough space for two in the back, although tall passengers will struggle for headroom. The middle seat is almost useless, however, as that sloping roofline really limits versatility. The decent 480-litre boot features handy tie-down points and luggage nets. There’s no underfloor storage, though, and the door bins are slightly smaller than we’d like.
“Only a C-class comes close to matching the quality and luxury inside”