Item: Used Audi A5 Cabriolet 2009 - 2017
Rating: 3
Author: Steve Huntingford

Premium convertibles aren’t great in number, but the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/sports/used-review/n252">BMW 3 Series</a> and later <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/sports/used-review/n875">4 Series</a> are amongst the most popular. These two are ideal for those who prefer a fine driving experience and both offer an excellent mix of economical four-cylinder diesel engines and sonorous six-cylinder petrols.

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<h3 dir="ltr">High oil consumption</h3>

A number of owners have had problems with 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engines suffering&nbsp;high oil consumption. If you believe your car is using too much, you’ll need to have it inspected by an Audi dealer to determine if it is using more oil than it should be. If it fails, the cost of engine repairs could be more than the car is worth, although some people have been able to get that cost reduced after speaking to <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a> UK customer services.

<h3 dir="ltr">Fuel leaks</h3>

Fuel has been found to leak from the fuel rails of some examples built between 18 February, 2014 and 2 September, 2016. Speak to your local Audi dealer to find out if your car is affected.

<h3 dir="ltr">Auxiliary heater element may fail</h3>

Some A5s made between 1 April, 2011 and 31 July, 2015 could have a problem with the auxiliary heater element of the air conditioning system failing. In extreme cases, this could lead to a fire. Your local Audi dealer will be able to tell you whether or not your car is affected by this.&nbsp;

Audi didn’t do particularly well in the&nbsp;latest What Car? Reliability survey, and only managed a 20th place finish out of 31 manufacturers.&nbsp;

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.&nbsp;

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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

The Audi A5 is a&nbsp;classy convertible&nbsp;that's more of a cruiser than sports car

Used Audi A5 Cabriolet 2009 - 2017

The&nbsp;four-cylinder engines are the best&nbsp;to go for if saving money is what you’re after. The 1.8-litre TFSI petrol kicks off the range with a combined NEDC fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg and 172g/km CO2 emissions. However, the bigger 2.0-litre TFSI petrol does better at 41.5mpg and 159g/km, but not as well as the least powerful diesel. The 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI achieves 57.6mpg and 124g/km, while the 168bhp version manages 51.4mpg and 144g/km.

The six-cylinder range starts with a 2.7-litre diesel that returns&nbsp;43.5mpg and emits 169g/km, while the more potent 3.0-litre engine is only slightly thirstier at 41.5mpg, emitting&nbsp;179g/km. Petrol six-cylinder engines are much less efficient, with the 3.2-litre engine managing only 29.7mpg and 219g/km.&nbsp;

The turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol in the S5 isn’t too bad for a performance car, with an economy figure of 33.2mpg and 199g/km, but the 4.2-litre V8 in the RS5 will hurt your bank balance; it returns&nbsp;just 26.4mpg and emits 249g/km.

All versions of this generation of A5 should have been registered before the revisions in the tax systems that occurred on 1 April, 2017. This means that the amount you’ll be charged will be based on the CO2 output of the car, and you can read about the different pricing structures by following <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">this link here</a>.&nbsp;

Audi servicing is much more reasonable than most other premium rivals, whether you decide to pay for it upfront under a fixed price scheme, or set up a monthly plan to pay for two services over the course of 18 months. For A5s with engines that are 2.0-litres or under, it’ll cost £26.67 per month or £180 for a minor and £345 for a major. Larger engines cost £30 a month or £210 and £399, respectively. High-performance models will cost more, however. An S5 will set you back £220 for a minor service, or £485 for a major one. RS5 models presently cost £350 for the smaller minor check-up, or £675 for a more intensive major one.&nbsp;

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The Audi A5 is a classy convertible that's more of a cruiser than sports car

A high-mileage, early A5 Cabriolet can be found for as little as £4500, but we’d suggest you spend £6500 for something with fewer miles on it.&nbsp;

A facelifted example from 2012 onwards will cost you around £11,000, while a late model from an Audi franchised dealer should be around £20,000.

A tidy S5 can be found for £13,000, but a more specialised RS5 is at least £23,000 for a higher-mileage example, or £30,000 for something fresher.

Check the value of a used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a> A5 cabriolet with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

Standard SE spec is probably the best way to go because you get all the luxuries you’ll need without having to resort to the rock-hard ride of S Line cars.

We also prefer the automatic S tronic gearbox over the manual; the offset driving position&nbsp;mentioned earlier makes the&nbsp;latter's clutch pedal awkward to use.&nbsp;&nbsp;The S tronic gearbox is also far nicer than the Multitronic CVT that's teamed&nbsp;exclusively with the 2.7 TDI.

Regarding engines, because of the oil consumption issues of 2.0-litre TFSI engines and the thirst of some of the larger petrols, we’d suggest you go for one diesels instead. The 2.0-litre is the most popular and economical, while the 3.0-litre is a worthwhile upgrade, so long as you can afford the higher running costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a> A5 Cabriolet: 2.0 TDI SE S tronic

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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 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.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/sports/review/n17253">Audi A5 Cabriolet</a>, meanwhile, brings all of the benefits of the regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/hatchback/review/n170">A5</a> – refined engines and a beautifully finished interior. Alternatively, the much more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/continental-gt/sports/review/n24424">Bentley Continental GT Convertible</a> is one of the most luxurious convertibles on sale.

Convertible

The most obvious thing to look for is whether or not the hood leaks. Head to a local car wash and put it through a wash with the hood up, and look at all the seals to make sure no water is getting through.&nbsp;

S Line A5s have larger 18in alloy wheels that&nbsp;can look terrible with excessive kerb damage, and can be expensive to repair. Such damage&nbsp;could also be a sign of possible alignment issues and future tyre wear problems.&nbsp;

There’s a certain phrase that would apply perfectly to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a> A5 Cabriolet: airs and graces. You see, you could be the least classy person in the world, yet still look like you belong to royalty if you drive around in an A5 Cabriolet because of its impeccable image. Plus, with early ones only costing a few grand, you can definitely enjoy Champagne motoring for lemonade money.

That theme of inexpensive motoring continues with the smaller, more economical&nbsp;four-cylinder engines, such as the 158bhp 1.8-litre and 208bhp 2.0-litre petrols, as well as the 148bhp and 168bhp 2.0-litre diesels. The bigger 187bhp 2.7-litre and 242bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesels aren’t too bad on fuel either, and the latter option is very smooth and refined. Then there are the rare 261bhp 3.2-litre V6 and&nbsp;turbocharged 328bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrols. There’s also the&nbsp;slightly bonkers 444bhp 4.2-litre V8 of&nbsp; the RS5.

Even when fitted with an engine of huge power, the A5 is best thought of as an urban boulevardier rather than a sports car. Neither the handling nor the steering ever encourage you to drive with vigour, and unless you go for one with firmer S Line suspension, it tends to lean over quite a lot through the corners. Trouble is, if you do go for sportier suspension, the ride is very hard, which does little to remedy&nbsp;the rattle and shake you experience when going over lumps and bumps in the road.&nbsp;

The interior is of impeccable quality, though. Dense, soft-touch plastics adorn most surfaces and there are tasteful chrome highlights throughout. The only major disappointment is its offset driving position –&nbsp;a particular issue&nbsp;in examples equipped with a manual gearbox. Meanwhile, the folding roof mechanism means there isn’t room for a fifth seat, so the A5 Cabriolet is a four-seater&nbsp;only. However, the boot is still a decent size and the rear seats fold down to allow you to load longer items.

Standard equipment on SE cars is decent with an electric roof, 17in alloy wheels, leather, climate control and rear parking sensors. S Line models have sportier exterior styling, bigger 18in alloy wheels, sports suspension, sat nav, Bluetooth connectivity, xenon headlights, automatic lights and wipers, heated front seats and a quieter acoustic hood. 
 
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Used Audi A5 Cabriolet 2009 - 2017 review

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Wondering what the best used Audi A5 2009 - 2017 is for your money? The expert What Car? review team can help you out.

Standard SE spec is probably the best way to go because you get all the luxuries you’ll need without having to resort to the rock-hard ride of S Line cars.,We also prefer the automatic S tronic gearbox over the manual; the offset driving position mentioned earlier makes the latter's clutch pedal awkward to use.  The S tronic gearbox is also far nicer than the Multitronic CVT that's teamed exclusively with the 2.7 TDI.,Regarding engines, because of the oil consumption issues of 2.0-litre TFSI engines and the thirst of some of the larger petrols, we’d suggest you go for one diesels instead. The 2.0-litre is the most popular and economical, while the 3.0-litre is a worthwhile upgrade, so long as you can afford the higher running costs.  Our favourite Audi A5 Cabriolet: 2.0 TDI SE S tronicPage 4 of 5

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Used Audi A5 Cabriolet 2009 - 2017 review

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