Audi has had a change of heart. Just two short years ago, the firm told us it was striving to become an electric-only car manufacturer by 2029. It also proudly announced it wouldn’t launch another combustion engine car from 2026. But this is the new Audi A5 – and it isn’t an EV. It’s a petrol- or diesel-powered executive car designed to rival the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
As part of the launch, Audi has restructured its model range. Now, its even-numbered cars (such as the A4, Q4 and Q6) will all be powered by batteries while odd-numbered models (like the A5, Q5 and Q7) will feature more traditional combustion engines. That means the new Audi A5 replaces the old A4 in the company’s range.
Plus, because the Cabriolet and Coupe versions of the previous-generation A5 were only marginal sellers for Audi, the new car will only be sold in the brand’s Sportback and Avant body styles. That’s a saloon-aping hatchback and estate to you and me. Scroll down to learn everything there is to know about the car.
What engines can you have in the new Audi A5?
From launch, A5 buyers will be able to choose from four freshly developed petrol and diesel engines. At the lower end of the car’s range are two petrol units, both based on the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The cheapest option produces 150hp, while the more expensive option has 204hp. Both send their power to the front wheels via a dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard, although the latter engine can be specified with Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system as an optional extra.
Above these 2.0-litre petrol engines is – rather unexpectedly – a 2.0-litre diesel engine. It’s a rejigged version of the diesel engine found in cars such as the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Superb, and it produces a healthy 204hp and 400Nm of torque (pulling power). To help control the extra grunt, it’s only available with quattro all-wheel drive.
At the top of the range (for the time being, at least), there’s the sporty S5. Even more surprisingly, it features a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with a storming 367hp and 550Nm of torque. Obviously, as the performance flagship model, it’s only available with all-wheel drive – and it has a few suspension tweaks to make it drive a little sharper.
We appreciate that, so far, the A5 sounds rather conventional. However, Audi has done some incredibly clever engineering under the skin. It’s developed a new MHEV Plus mild hybrid system which uses a powerful electric motor mounted to the back of the car’s gearbox and a 1.72kWh battery pack, which is much larger than usual.
The upshot of the technology is that it can harvest more energy when decelerating and it can spend more time pottering around on electric power. In fact, Audi says its MHEV Plus system can power the A5 at speeds of up to 18mph – and it can keep the car ticking along greenly at motorway speeds. That’s good for fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
Eventually, Audi will also launch a pair of plug-in hybrid powertrains for the A5 with 299hp or 340hp. They’ll both use Audi’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as their starting point and they’ll both have large enough battery packs for a maximum electric range of more than 100km (62 miles).
What’s the new Audi A5 like inside?
Unlike any Audi we’ve seen before, that’s for sure. We’ve spent some time with the new A5 in the studio and we’re pleased to report that it represents a definite step change over Audi’s previous generation cars. The firm is ushering in a new dual-screen infotainment setup that’ll gradually be rolled out across all its cars.
There’s an 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster ahead of the driver and a 14.5-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard for your media and nav functions. They’re both mounted under one giant piece of curved class, like BMW’s technology.
Buyers can also specify an extra 10.9-inch touchscreen for the passenger side of the dash as an optional extra. It can be used for either entertaining the front passenger (with video apps such as YouTube) or for supporting the driver (with secondary controls for the cabin temperature or sat-nav). Plus, the passenger can use it without distracting the driver thanks to a clever polarising filter.
We spent a lot of time poking around the new A5’s infotainment system in the studio and, although it doesn’t feel quite as polished as BMW’s system, it’s eons ahead of Mercedes’ technology. The menu design already looks a little dated (it’s quite similar to Audi’s previous generation tech), but the graphics are crystal clear and the processors are lightning fast, so there’s very little lag when swapping between screens.
There’s stacks of space, too. The new A5 is 67mm longer and 13mm wider than the old A4 – and its wheelbase is 80mm longer than its predecessor. That means there’s more elbow room and legroom. We sent a six-foot staffer to the A5’s launch event and he had about four inches of knee room behind his own driving position.
The rear seats are also unusually comfortable. They’re more heavily bolstered than the seats you’ll find in the back of the 3 Series or the C-Class. Plus, they have a very low hip point, which means your thighs are better supported.
How practical is the new Audi A5?
It’s pretty average for the class. The Sportback has 445 litres of boot space while the Avant has 476 litres. That first figure is considerably less than the 480 litres of space you get in the back of a BMW 3 Series saloon – but the Audi’s boot has a hatchback instead of a traditional boot lid which means it’s easier to load luggage into the space.
Crucially, you won’t lose any storage space by opting for one of Audi’s eventual PHEV A5s. The battery is packaged into a massive cavity under the boot floor – and it only shaves 28 litres off the car’s maximum capacity. That’s much better than the Mercedes C300e PHEV, which loses a whopping 140 litres of boot space to its battery pack.
When can I buy the new Audi A5?
The new Audi A5 is available to order now. Prices start from £42,675 for the saloon and £44,575 for the Avant. The V6-powered S5 saloon has a starting price of £69,425, while the equivalent Avant model will set you back another £1,900.
Audi also says that the even the most basic A5 will be well-equipped, featuring items such as sat-nav, an electrically assisted tailgate and wireless smartphone charger. First deliveries are expected to arrive in November.
What this means for you
If you’re feeling sidelined by the industry-wide push towards electric vehicles, Audi has presented a solution. The brand has committed to building combustion engine vehicles for at least the next decade, as it has recognised that neither Europe’s EV infrastructure nor its buyers are ready for the change.
To achieve this, the brand has designed a new combustion-only architecture called Premium Platform Combustion (PPC). It’s destined to prop up a fresh generation of petrol- and diesel-powered Audis that’ll see the brand up to (and beyond, if legislation changes) the EU’s 2035 ban on petrol and diesel engines.
The cars earmarked for the platform stretch from the A5 right up to a new generation of Q7 SUV – and they’re all going to make use of Audi’s snazzy new MHEV Plus technology. Audi’s executives even hinted there’s a brand-new V8-powered SQ7 in the works. Watch this space. It seems electric cars aren’t going to be as dominant as originally expected.
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