Item: Audi A5 Cabriolet
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Audi A5 Cabriolet

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Audi A5 Cabriolet costs a bit more than the&nbsp;equivalent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/coupe/review/n17191">A5 Coupé</a>, but pricing is competitive with direct rivals. Resale values are on a par with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/sports/review/n166">Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet</a>, but can’t quite match those of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/review/n173">BMW 4 Series Convertible</a>.

If you're looking to run an A5 Cabriolet as a&nbsp;company car, CO2 emissions will be just as important. The news here is&nbsp;slightly disappointing&nbsp;because the least polluting engine – the 40 TDI diesel – comes with four-wheel drive, which hurts efficiency. It emits 152g/km, placing it in a higher benefit-in-kind (BIK) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">company car tax</a> bracket than the cleanest 4 Series and C-Class.

Fuel economy also comes up short compared with rivals. The 40 TDI only managing a combined 48.7mpg against the 57.6mpg of the 420d 4 Series and 52.3mpg of the C220d C-Class.

All A5 Cabriolets come with LED headlights, the 10.1in infotainment screen with a DAB radio and sat-nav, and three-zone climate control. S line is largely an appearance package aside from fancier matrix&nbsp;LED headlights, so unless you fall in love with its racier looks, we’d stick to entry-level Sport.

Range-topping Vorsprung trim&nbsp;adds almost everything you can find on the Audi options list. Because of that, though, it’s considerably more expensive and not recommendable.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a> as a brand didn’t perform particularly well in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, finishing in 18th place out of 30&nbsp;manufacturers. That’s still a better showing than Mercedes could manage in 22nd, but behind BMW in 13th place.

There isn’t a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a> safety rating for the A5 Cabriolet at the time of writing. You get automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> as standard, but it does without lane-keep assistance, which the 4 Series has as standard. You’ll need the range-topping Vorsprung to get that, along with traffic sign recognition and blind-spot monitoring.&nbsp;

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You don’t have to drive the Audi A5 Cabriolet very far to realise that it’s better suited to top-down cruising than fast cornering.

Twisty&nbsp;roads highlight the rigidity that's been lost along with the roof compared with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/coupe/review/n17191">Audi A5 Coupé</a>. That’s not to say the A5 Cabriolet&nbsp;handles poorly – body lean&nbsp;is pretty well controlled – but&nbsp;bumps cause the&nbsp;car's steering wheel to writhe in your hands and prevent you from placing the front wheels as accurately as you'd like.

In more powerful versions with front rather than four-wheel drive, attempts to build speed quickly can leave&nbsp;you feeling like the car has a mind of its own, because the steering wheel is tugged this way and that. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/sports/review/n166">Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet</a>&nbsp;isn't especially agile&nbsp;either, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/review/n173">BMW 4 Series Convertible</a>&nbsp;is, with more precise steering that responds more consistently to your inputs.

During more relaxed driving, the A5 Cabriolet&nbsp;delivers&nbsp;a mostly forgiving ride without feeling too floaty, especially if it's&nbsp;fitted with adaptive suspension. Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a>&nbsp;reserves that&nbsp;for range-topping Vorsprung trim. If you can't stretch to Vorsprung, we'd recommend avoiding S line trim, which brings bigger wheels and a firmer set-up.

We’d also be inclined to avoid the more powerful 261bhp 45 TFSI four-cylinder petrol engine. Even though it does 0-62mph in a mere 6.0sec, it doesn’t feel much quicker in the real world than the 201bhp 40 TDI&nbsp;diesel.

The mid-range 201bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol in the 40 TFSI is&nbsp;the pick of the bunch. It offers a solid compromise between performance (0-62mph is in a swift 7.5esc) and running costs. It's quicker than the&nbsp;pricier entry-level 420i found in the 4 Series.

Whichever engine you go for, it’s hard not to be impressed by the A5 Cabriolet’s quietness. Even the diesel is remarkably hushed for this type of engine, with only a little bit of grittiness when accelerating and some vibration at low engine speeds slightly spoiling the experience. The petrol engines are even smoother, with a sporty edge when you rev them.&nbsp;

Buffeting is kept to a minimum with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/convertible">convertible</a> roof down, and you can still chat with your passenger at 70mph. An optional wind deflector, which goes over the top of the rear seats,&nbsp;improves things further.

Some versions we’ve tried generate&nbsp;an awful lot of road roar, but if you stick with the smaller wheels and tyres, it's more than bearable.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

We're yet to try this 148bhp petrol engine in the A5 Cabriolet, but in the A5 Sportback it needs to be worked quite hard to build speed in a hurry. We suspect it’ll be worse in the heavier Cabriolet because 0-62mph takes a ponderous 9.8sec.

http://example.com

35 TFSI

35-tfsi

OUR PICK

The 201bhp 40 TFSI engine is the Goldilocks version of the A5 Cabriolet (not too hot; not too cold). It has enough power to best a similarly priced 420i BMW 4 Series, plus it costs considerably less than the equivalently specced diesel and 45 TFSI petrol.

40 TFSI 204

40-tfsi-204

This engine offers similar real-world performance to the more potent 45 TFSI petrol, but not enough of an improvement in fuel economy to justify its expense over a 40 TFSI. Its emissions aren’t that great for company car drivers, either.

40 TDI 204 Quattro

40-tdi-204-quattro

We’d be tempted to avoid the powerful 45 TFSI petrol engine, because it doesn’t feel an awful lot quicker than the lower-powered and more efficient diesel in the real world.

45 TFSI 265 Quattro

45-tfsi-265-quattro

Like&nbsp;Google Glass and the Facebook Phone, the folding metal roof is one of those inventions that generated a lot of excitement, only for people to realise that it actually made little sense.

For starters, all the moving metal panels and their motors tended to leave you with a car that weighed more than the Moon, compromising efficiency and driving fun. Plus, when you were enjoying the sun&nbsp;there was no room for your luggage&nbsp;because the boot was full of roof.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a> was one of the first to point out that this new emperor had no&nbsp;clothes. Indeed, the&nbsp;Audi A5 Cabriolet&nbsp;and other drop-tops from the brand have always stuck with traditional fabric roofs&nbsp;– albeit powered up and down by electricity rather than muscle power.

In its latest form, the A5 Cabriolet&nbsp;is based on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a4/saloon/review/n105">Audi A4</a>, which was named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/new-car-awards">What Car? Car of the Year</a>&nbsp;a few years ago.

The A5 places less emphasis on keeping costs down, so it's not available with the lower-powered diesel engines you can get in the A4. Instead, there are three petrol options, delivering from 148bhp to 261bhp, plus a 201bhp diesel.

Audi has given the engines <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-a-mild-hybrid-and-should-you-buy-one/n22776">mild hybrid</a> technology to improve emissions and add a performance boost. The most powerful petrol engine and the diesel get four-wheel drive, while the other two petrols get front-wheel drive.

In terms of competition, other open-top four-seaters with premium badges include the sharp-handling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/review/n173">BMW 4 Series Convertible</a> and the classy <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/sports/review/n166">Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet</a>.

So, how does the Audi A5 Cabriolet compare with those and other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/convertible">convertibles</a>? Over the next few pages, this review will answer that question, telling you what it's like to drive, how swanky it is inside, how practical it is and how painful or otherwise the running costs of different versions are.

Finally, if at the end you decide you're ready to buy one – or, indeed, a new vehicle of any make and model –&nbsp;don’t forget to check out the free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>. You'll find hassle-free savings on all manner of new cars and SUVs, including some mouthwatering&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi/a5/sports/deals">Audi&nbsp;A5 Cabriolet deals</a>.

The interior of the Audi A5 Cabriolet&nbsp;is impressive, with plush-feeling materials that are a cut above those used in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/review/n173">BMW 4 Series Convertible</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/sports/review/n166">Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet</a>. The switches are logically positioned and feel as though they’re built to last.

Our tallest and shortest testers could both get comfortable easily behind the wheel, thanks to the wide range of adjustment on offer,&nbsp;including&nbsp;electrically adjustable lumbar support on every model – a real boon on long journeys.

Visibility is fine out of the front and to the sides. While the&nbsp;rear three-quarter view is restricted when the canvas roof is up, at least the rear head restraints can be folded down out of the way, unlike those in the 4 Series Convertible.

As a bonus, front and rear parking sensors plus a reversing camera are provided to help you, but you’ll need the most expensive Vorsprung version to get a 360-degree camera system.&nbsp;

The 10.1in infotainment screen is a lot bigger than the one in the pre-facelift car, and is controlled by voice and touch instead of with a rotary controller and shortcut keys. Unfortunately, that feels like a backwards step, because the new system is actually more distracting to operate on the move. The&nbsp;system in the&nbsp;4 Series is far more user-friendly.

Fortunately, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a>&nbsp;12.3in digital Virtual Cockpit that takes the place of analogue instrument dials comes as standard. You can control phone, music and basic sat-nav functions through it using buttons on the steering wheel.

Sports

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

A quiet and classy four-seater drop-top, but it's not the best to drive.

Clearly, you wouldn't be considering a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/convertible">convertible</a> if space was your top priority, but the Audi A5 Cabriolet is more practical than you might imagine.

A couple of average-height adults can&nbsp;fit in the back, although they’ll have to slouch to keep their heads from brushing against the roof when it's up. Fortunately, that's not&nbsp;too much of&nbsp;a problem&nbsp;because you get more rear knee room than in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/review/n173">BMW 4 Series Convertible</a>.

Officially, the A5 Cabriolet gives you&nbsp;more boot space than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/sports/review/n166">Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet</a>&nbsp;and less than the&nbsp;4 Series Convertible, but the differences are small. The load bay is a useful square shape, and while having the roof down does reduce the capacity, there’s still more than you’d get in most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-small-cars-2021/n16997">small cars</a>.

Rear seats that split and fold 50/50 are fitted as standard and, when down, they leave only a gentle slope in the floor of the extended load bay.

Front space is good. Even if you’re extremely tall, you’re unlikely to have any complaints about how far your seat slides back or how much room there is above your head.

Even entry-level Sport trim comes with LED headlights, a 10.1in infotainment screen with a DAB radio and sat-nav, three-zone climate control and front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera.

Sport

sport

Bigger, 19in alloy wheels, sport suspension, more aggressive styling, matrix LED headlights and a sports steering wheel are among the additions when paying extra for S line trim. Unless you love the look, though, we wouldn’t bother, because it pushes up the price considerably.

S line

s-line

Plump for Edition 1 to get 20in alloys, fine grain nappa leather and electric adjustments for the front seats.

Edition 1

edition-1

The Audi A5 Cabriolet is one of the quietest and classiest four-seater drop-tops in its price range, with certainly the finest finished interior. That interior isn’t as user-friendly as the BMW 4 Series Convertible's, though, plus the 4 Series is similarly comfortable and more enjoyable to drive.

What we're looking for:<ul><li>Wind-in-the-hair excitement</li> <li>Roof that’s quick and easy to raise and lower</li> <li>Comfortable seating for four adults</li> <li>Sufficient practicality for everyday use</li> <li>Little wind buffeting</li> <li>Quietness, whether the roof is up or down</li> <li>Minimal shaking and shimmying over bumps</li></ul>

Despite the British weather, UK car buyers are among the biggest enthusiasts for wind-in-your-hair motoring, so convertibles have always been surprisingly popular here. It’s best to be able to react to the fickle climate, though, so we’re after a roof that opens (and closes) slickly and quickly and good top-down cruising refinement.

There are precious few bespoke drop-tops these days, so your choice of models is generally limited to soft-top&nbsp;versions of existing models. Mini will sell you a drop-top version of its style-focused hatchback, if you’re after a bit of flair. The Audi A5&nbsp;Cabriolet, meanwhile, brings all of the benefits of the regular A5&nbsp;– refined engines and a beautifully finished interior. Alternatively, the much more expensive Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet is one of the most luxurious convertibles on sale.

Convertible

Audi A5 Cabriolet review

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Review of Audi A5 Cabriolet interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

The interior of the Audi A5 Cabriolet is impressive, with plush-feeling materials that are a cut above those used in the BMW 4 Series Convertible and Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet. The switches are logically positioned and feel as though they’re built to last.,Our tallest and shortest testers could both get comfortable easily behind the wheel, thanks to the wide range of adjustment on offer, including electrically adjustable lumbar support on every model – a real boon on long journeys.,Visibility is fine out of the front and to the sides. While the rear three-quarter view is restricted when the canvas roof is up, at least the rear head restraints can be folded down out of the way, unlike those in the 4 Series Convertible.As a bonus, front and rear parking sensors plus a reversing camera are provided to help you, but you’ll need the most expensive Vorsprung version to get a 360-degree camera system. The 10.1in infotainment screen is a lot bigger than the one in the pre-facelift car, and is controlled by voice and touch instead of with a rotary controller and shortcut keys. Unfortunately, that feels like a backwards step, because the new system is actually more distracting to operate on the move. The system in the 4 Series is far more user-friendly.,,Fortunately, the Audi 12.3in digital Virtual Cockpit that takes the place of analogue instrument dials comes as standard. You can control phone, music and basic sat-nav functions through it using buttons on the steering wheel.

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Audi A5 Cabriolet review

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