Written by Seth Walton Updated: 24 October 2024

Overview

Amid a slew of recent electric vehicle arrivals, Audi has been rejigging its lineup; if you were a fan of the outgoing A4 line, it’s become absorbed by this – the all-new Audi A5 Sportback saloon. Henceforth, Audi models that feature an even number in the name will be electric and those with an odd number will be powered by fossil fuels. Easy to remember.

So, what’s this new A5 all about? Well, it sits on a platform that’s fresh out of the box – designated Performance Platform Combustion (PPC) by the German manufacturer. The 2024 A5 is just the first of a series of combustion-powered vehicles that will have PPC underpinnings, according to Audi, and all of them will feature engines with part electrification.

This new A5 features fresh exterior looks and a brand-new interior, with a wide range of engines are on offer for prospective customers. It’s also available either as a Sportback saloon or in Avant form – that’s Audi speak for estate car.

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To find out what the new Audi A5’s like, I’ve driven it in the south of France. I also got to try the new A5’s hotter variant, the S5 so read on for the full review of both from Parkers. Alternatively, head over to our how we test cars page to find out exactly how I reached my verdict. 

What’s it like inside 

Audi has redesigned the A5’s interior with heavy emphasis on both illumination and display square inch-age. The car I tested was a top-spec Edition 1 model, and so the dashboard came resplendent in Audi’s full display lineup.

Combined in one screen, an 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch infotainment display curve towards the driver’s seat for additional driver-focus, while a 10.9-inch display sits on the other side of the dash for your passenger to play with. An illuminated panel of buttons could also be found on the driver’s side door for easy access, which I welcomed over having to navigate through the display menus.

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However, the excessive piano-black plastic around the displays appeared a little too cluttered and fussy for my tastes. It’s a maximalist design that flies in the teeth of Tesladom, but I found myself struggling to relax with so many screens. The OLED displays are incredibly crisp and easy to read, but I would’ve preferred a slightly neater set up. 

Dashboard aside, the interior has a delectably premium feel. The line of soft wrap Alcantara along the dash serves well in breaking up the materials, while overall build quality is excellent. It feels properly put together, and perhaps a little more luxurious than Audis have been able to muster in the recent past.

There’s a decent amount of space in the back, both in terms of leg room and shoulder room. Storage spaces are a little few and far between in the cabin, but the boot is at least fairly sizeable at 445 litres with the seats up – actually down from 480 in the old A4 Sportback – and 1299 litres with the rear seats folded.

Comfort 

With its high build quality and luxurious ambience, the A5 is an easy car to get comfortable in, though slightly let down by the fussy dash but I won’t mention that again. The seats are plush and supportive, while heated and electrically adjustable at the front.

The three-zone climate control also allowed myself and my passengers to adjust the temperature of the car to our own individual preferences – a boon on our longer journey. Manual four-way lumbar support is offered as standard on all cars, but ventilation and pneumatic lumbar adjustment is offered in top Edition 1 spec.

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Head and shoulder room is excellent, while rear leg room is also sufficient for three adults to get comfortable on the back row, though the middle passenger may have a transmission tunnel to contend with depending on whether you opt for a Quattro all-wheel drive model.

Safety 

A raft of safety equipment is offered as standard on the new A5, while higher specification models benefit from even greater protection. Front emergency brake assist, lane departure warnings and Audi’s park assistance system with a rear-view camera are all provided as standard.

Tops-spec Edition 1 models also benefit from a proactive passenger protection system in the front, sides and rear, as well as a birds-eye view camera. The 2024 Audi A5 Sportback is yet to be crash tested by Euro NCAP, but Audi has previously scored very well on its saloons, including a five-star rating on the previous generation A4. 

What’s it like to drive? 

The A5 Sportback that I tested was a front-wheel drive petrol model, specifically the 204hp TFSI engine. The A5 is also available with a 150hp TFSI in base-spec grade, but I now fear that level of output might be a tad feeble for the job at hand. Even with 204hp, I felt like I had to work with the engine as we ascended the mountain pass of our test route, rather than depend on its ability to haul me out of corners. 

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The s tronic automatic gearbox was competent, but it occasionally required a manual override to find the extra low-end grunt necessary to get myself back on the boil again. It didn’t quite have the guts for me to plant my foot in any gear and simply expect the torque to be there; instead it took a conscious awareness of where the revs were and which cog was turning for me to get back up to speed with the greatest efficiency.

It’s unlikely many people will ever drive their A5 Sportbacks along such a road, but it at least left me fairly convinced that I’d want more than 150hp if it were my car. 204hp was a decent and useable provision, but the S5 with its 350 is the model to opt for If you really want the grunt when you need it.

The steering tune had a delicate responsiveness and was weighted well enough to engage me, but the rest of the car didn’t lend itself to demands of flickability. The A5 didn’t feel especially agile along a route which would’ve rewarded such a trait, but then the Col de Vence wasn’t really what the A5 was bred for.

Around town and on the open roads, the car had a quiet, refined and subdued character, which served to amplify its sense of luxury. It delt with road perfections well, insulating me from their judder on the squishy 18” wheels. I tried another car on 20s and it was just a little too firm, so opt for the smaller wheels if you want to maximise comfort.

What models and trims are available?

The 2024 A5 is available either in Saloon (sportback) or Avant (estate) form. Audi has bestowed its new combustion-powered car with a wide range of engines for customers to choose from. Two 2.0-litre TFSI units are on offer, including the 204hp unit that I tested and the 150hp version, then a 2.0-litre TDI diesel. 

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The latter is the first of its kind from Audi to also benefit from part electrification, as it’s supported by a 48-volt mild hybrid system. I tested this engine in an Avant A5, and it did offer a little more low-down pulling power with the help of the electric motor. Go for this option if you want faster acceleration, as it cuts 0.9 seconds off the 204 TFSI’s 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds. 

Finally, the S5 is provided with a 3.0-litre TFSI engine that produces 367hp, for a top speed of 155mph and a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds. 

As for trims, the A5 is split into three grades: Sport, S Line and Edition 1. The basic-level Sport trim includes 18-inch wheels, heated front sports seats and Audi’s Park Assist Plus system with a rear view camera – all from £41,950. It also includes the 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen and 11.9-inch OLED instrument display with Audi virtual cockpit as standard.

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Moving up the trim grades, over the standard provision, S Line offers lower suspension, some darker exterior styling for a sportier flare and privacy glass. Top of the range Edition 1 models get all of the above plus the passenger side display, 20” wheels, Dinamica microfibre panels inside and a top-view parking camera, among a few other extras. Edition 1 cars start from £49,100.