Audi A5 Sportback review

Mercedes-Benz may have been the first brand to combine coupé style with family car practicality when it launched the original CLS, but that car came with a hefty price tag. Audi, meanwhile, democratised the formula with the first-generation Audi A5 Sportback and brought it within the reach of the majority of executive car buyers.

Offering a pair of extra doors and a more practical hatchback-style tailgate over the coupé model, the A5 Sportback was essentially an A4 saloon in a well-tailored suit – and proved a big hit with buyers.

It's no surprise, then, that this current A5 Sportback retains the key ingredients that made its predecessor such a hit. But it also has the potential to be an even better all-rounder. Why? Because the current A4 on which it’s based is so much better than the previous model.

Read on over the next few pages for everything you need to know if you're considering an A5 Sportback, including how it compares with rivals such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and Kia Stinger, and which version you should choose. And when you have chosen, be sure to look at our new car deals page.