Buyers Guide – Audi A5 Sportback
There are many ways to design a coupe, but the main attraction is the practicality and the luxury mixed into a stylish design. The A5 brings all of these aspects into its drive thanks to its huge 465-litre boot and large back seats, the A5 can be a school-runner or a track star depending on the driver’s mood!
The coupe arrived back in 2016 and instantly became a hit with its lighter frame, more power and more efficient engines. They come in 148bhp, 187bhp and 249bhp in the shape of a 2.0 TFSI, with the 349bhp 3.0 V6 being reserved for the S5.
Powertrain
The Sportback arrived in 2009 on Audi’s 100th birthday and came with the option of a 2.0-litre TFSI or a 3.2-litre FSI petrol engines along with 2.0 TDI 170 or 3.0 TDI diesels. The S5 Sportback arrived a year later with a 328bhp turbocharged 3.0 V6 petrol engine and was fast!
In 2011, the Sportback range was overhauled and they tweaked the exterior, as well as adding a 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TDI 177 and 3.0-litre TDI 204 engines to the line-up.
Then in 2019, there was a big change as they brought in a number-based system of differentiating the various power outputs of different engines. This made it much simpler to differentiate between different models. It works as follows: both the 148bhp 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines became 35; the 187bhp models became 40; the 249bhp 2.0-litre petrol was renamed 45 and the 282bhp 3.0-litre diesel is identified as 50.
Interior + Trim
Trim-wise, the entry-level SE models come with xenon headlights, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control and a 7.0in colour screen. Sport trim adds leather seats and powered front seats with four-way lumbar adjustment to that tally, and you get SD card-based sat-nav.
However, the top-spec S line car, though well equipped, still required the original owner to fork out extra on Audi’s Technology Pack, which offered its widescreen infotainment system, fingertip-input MMI rotary controller, full online connectivity and wireless smartphone charging.
What to look out for?
Although the Sportback is a hatch, there’s no wash/wipe for the large rear window, so it gets dirty and stays that way. Also, the Multitronic gearboxes that are used have been known to have issues. Furthermore, there have been reports of high oil consumption on certain TFSI models too.
Audi has never recalled the A5 Sportback, while the A4 on which it’s based hasn’t been recalled since way back in 2005. Audi’s record for recalling vehicles is pretty squeaky clean too, with any problems being isolated and fixed pretty quickly. Be aware of buzzing trim or a rattling parcel shelf. Check the infotainment is free of glitches and that your phone can connect to it. Many owners rave about the A5’s performance and build quality, but complaints have arisen around ride quality, efficiency and reliability.
Our Choice
Audi A5 Coupe 2.0 TDI Ultra 190 Sport: A great balance of performance and economy, with an impressive level of specs like smart alloys, interior mood lighting, sports seats and navigation. You can even find one with the optional virtual cockpit.
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