Audi A5 Sportback 40

TFSI 204PS Vorsprung

S Tronic

Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, front, action
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, side, action
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, side, static
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, rear
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, nose
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, tail
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, interior
Audi A5 Sportback, 2022, boot

THE Audi A5 Coupe is genuinely a very fine car and a very lovely vehicle to spend time in.

Depending on what sort of budget you have, what sort of driving experience you're after, it's a car that would sit happily on any driveway in the UK.

But it also comes in Sportback form. Could that be better, the same, or perhaps not quite as good?

Of course, the major difference is the Sportback comes as a five-door instead of the two offered by the Coupe so it's instantly more versatile and practical. Though, it's probably best for carrying four adults as the middle rear seat is a little useless.

And, like the Coupe, it's very stylish - more so I think - the interior is fabulous, it's stacked with technology and is as good to drive as most people will ever want.

There's 'Sport', 'S line', 'Edition' and 'Vorsprung' trim levels but whichever you choose, you should find your car to be very well equipped. Among the features included are xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, LED interior lights, three-zone climate control, Bluetooth, a USB charging function, a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, the Audi drive select dynamic handling system and Audi 'pre sense city' autonomous braking.

The interior design and quality is top class, making the A5 feel properly premium. The leathers, woods and metals are all tactile and of real quality. A large and simple to use 10.1-inch touchscreen is the control centre of the latest operating system and focal point of the instrument panel. Angled slightly toward the driver, it offers a user experience similar to a smartphone.

Like all the latest Audis, it comes with the brand's 'virtual cockpit' instrument binnacle, a 12.3-inch TFT display that replaces the conventional dials.

The top spec Vorsprung comes with 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof and upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Out back, the boot's well sized, offering 465 litres of storage space - the same as the Coupe. Fold the rear bench down and this extends to 1,280.

Obviously, if you opt for the Sportback over the Coupe, you get a proper adult four-seater and it's much easier for rear seat passengers to get in and out. There's a little more rear legroom but the swoop of the Sportback's roof does eat into headroom for taller adults.

All Audi A5 models are available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, all with automatic transmission as standard, but the pick of the bunch is the 40 TFSI here.

This engine now features 12-volt MHEV technology, which recuperates energy and stores this in a small lithium-ion battery, enabling the start-stop system to operate in a larger window and reducing the amount of effort required by the engine while moving at speed, reducing CO2 and supposedly improving fuel economy.

Officially the Vorsprung model returns a smidgeon under 41mpg though I only managed 31mpg.

The A5 Sportback at home on the motorway, where high-speed refinement is excellent and, as you'd expect the cabin is well insulated from wind and road noise. Head into corners on the wiggly roads and it's nimble with impressive body control and loads of low down torque.

FAST FACTS

Audi A5 Sportback 40 TFSI 204PS Vorsprung S Tronic

Price:£55,705

Mechanical:201bhp, 1,984cc, four-cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox

Max Speed:130mph

0-62mph: 7.2seconds

Combined MPG:40.9mpg

Insurance Group:41

C02 emissions:158g/km

Bik rating: 36%

Warranty:3yrs/60,000miles

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