Audi RS 5 Sportback
Audi’s sleek hatch joins the Coupé to take the fight to Alfa and BMW
Twin-turbo V6 hatch is big on pace, short on charm
IT’S been a long time coming, but you can now buy an Audi RS 5 Sportback. While the Coupé variant went on sale back in mid-2017, this five-door didn’t make it here before WLTP-enforced emissions certification came into play.
But here it is, lining up against rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and the soon-tobe-replaced BMW M3. There are just 250 Sportbacks (plus 250 Coupés) available to order in the UK this year before an updated version – following the rest of the facelifted A4 and A5 ranges – comes later in 2020.
Under the skin, the basics are the same as in the Coupé. That means a 2.9-litre twinturbo V6 pumping out 444bhp and 600Nm of torque. All of the UK’s 2019 allocation comes in Audi Sport Edition trim which – on top of some black exterior pieces and a new top speed of 174mph – gives the RS 5 a throaty-sounding sports exhaust.
But what makes the RS 5 unique, at least until the next M3 is released, is its four-wheel-drive set-up. In most situations, the quattro system sends 40 per cent of its torque to the front axle, which means none of its rivals come close for traction.
Despite giving away 59bhp to the Alfa, the Audi will crack 0-62mph in an identical 3.9 seconds. Yet in the real world the difference is even more stark. Where it takes a gentle, considered approach exiting a corner in the Alfa or Merc, the RS 5 can fire out at a violent rate. Combined with the huge levels of grip, it means that the RS 5 can cover ground at an astonishing rate.
The roads of our test route were smooth, but any mid-corner bumps were shrugged off with impressive composure, while the brakes felt strong and positive.
The sports exhaust is welcome, too; the RS 5 still can’t quite deliver the thunderous roar of the C 63’s V8, but one press of the button on the centre console makes the RS 5 significantly noisier than before.
While it’s impossible to knock its speed, its harder to make a case for the RS 5 being fun to drive. There’s little adjustability in the chassis, and despite the quattro system’s ability to send up to 85 per cent of drive to the rear wheels, the set-up rarely feels anything other than neutral. The steering, although precise enough, offers little feedback, either. Quick though it is, the RS 5 sometimes seems a little too easy to drive.
But isolating some of the information between road and driver means that the Sportback is a phenomenal cruiser. Bumps are rounded off more subtly than in either the M3 or C 63, and – apart from a little road noise – the cabin is hushed at speed. It’s not unreasonable to expect 30-35mpg on a motorway cruise, too, so it delivers a decent range between fill-ups.
The interior is as smartly appointed as ever, and build quality is impossible to fault. But the infotainment system is getting on a bit now; there’s no touchscreen, which makes apps like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay a faff to use. At least it’s backed up by Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, which is still one of the most intuitive and customisable digital set-ups on the market.
If you do need to carry four, then the Sportback makes more sense than the Coupé, too. A wheelbase stretched by 60mm translates to generous rear legroom, while the huge hatchback opening makes the Sportback’s boot more usable, as well.
Prices for the RS 5 Sportback are identical to the Coupé, with both starting at £68,985. That makes the Audi nearly £5,000 more expensive than the Alfa and almost £10k more than the ageing BMW. Yet it is quite a bit less than the £73,258 that MercedesAMG asks for the boisterous C 63 S.
“Bumps are rounded off more subtly than in rivals, and the cabin is hushed at high speeds”