AUDI A5 SPORTBACK REVIEW

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

No A5 is short of power. Even the cheapest petrol model – with a 1.8-litre turbo engine – gives punchy performance, but you can also have a 2.0-litre turbo and a 3.0-litre V6. The entry-level diesel is a flexible 2.0-litre, while 201bhp and 242bhp 3.0-litre units complete the line-up. You can also choose from manual and automatic transmissions.
Ride & Handling

3 out of 5 stars

There's the usual Audi mix of standard and sporty (S line) suspensions, as well as front- or four-wheel drive. The car grips well, but its rubbery steering robs you of some fun and the body feels a bit floaty over undulating roads. The ride is fine at cruising speeds, but it thumps too much over bumpy urban roads.
Refinement

3 out of 5 stars

The A5 Sportback has coupe-like frameless side windows, so you might expect wind noise to be a problem, but the car actually remains pretty quiet until you're going very quickly. Shame that the intrusive road noise and boomy exhaust spoil the calm.

Buying & Owning

4 out of 5 stars

There’s quite a price hike to step up from an A4 saloon to an A5 Sportback. The good news is that the Sportback will hold its value better than the A4, and at least as well as the A5 Coupe. The 2.0-litre diesel model with stop-start is an appealing prospect for company car drivers, with its 120g/km CO2 figure.
Quality & Reliability

3 out of 5 stars

If there's one thing you expect of an Audi, it's a lush interior. The Sportback delivers to a degree, but there are areas of the cabin that don't look and feel as special as they should. Audi’s track record for reliability has been disappointing in recent years, but the A5's mechanical reliability was rated as average in the 2011 JD Power survey.
Safety & Security

5 out of 5 stars

The Sportback gets plenty of standard safety measures, including stability control and several airbags. Options include rear side airbags, blind spot- and lane-departure warning systems, and cornering lights with automatic beam adjustment. It also has all the security features that have earned Audi several What Car? security awards in recent years.

Behind The Wheel

2 out of 5 stars

This is arguably the A5 Sportback's biggest Achilles heel. The pedals are offset, which affects comfort, and the clutch pedal drops into a recess in the floor, so to get it down fully, you have to poke it with your toe. The ventilation controls are fussy and the visibility isn't great. Still, at least the seats are comfortable.
Space & Practicality

3 out of 5 stars

The Sportback might be badged as an A5, but it's underpinned by the platform of the A4. It has similar legroom and only a fraction less rear headroom, plus buyers can choose from two individual rear seats and a three-person bench. Boot space is comparable with the A4 and the rear seats fold almost flat. Shorter owners may struggle to reach up to close the high-lift tailgate, though, and to load heavy cases over the boot lip.
Equipment

4 out of 5 stars

Entry-level trim is reserved for the four-cylinder engines; it’s reasonably equipped, but most buyers will upgrade to SE, which is standard with the six-cylinder engines. Extras on SE models include an upgraded stereo, larger alloy wheels, leather seats and rear parking sensors. S line trim brings extra sporty trim and xenon headlights, while the S5 is a stand-alone model that comes with higher-quality leather, extra cosmetic upgrades and electrically adjustable front sports seats.