Audi A5 Cabriolet (2017 – 2022) Review

Audi has been building sleek four-seat convertibles since the 1990s and it shows in the way this Audi A5 Cabriolet, launched in 2017, is presented. Effortlessly stylish, it sticks with a fabric roof rather than a trendier folding metal item. This sums up the Audi A5 Cabriolet as a car that prefers style over more fleeting fashion to make it a sound used buy. Read on for our full Audi A5 Cabriolet review.

Audi knows better than most how to stick to a winning formula – and with the Audi A5 Cabriolet it does exactly that. This all-new car arrived in 2017, although like its Coupe relation it deviated little in style from its predecessor.

It might not be radically different to look at, but underneath Audi worked extensively on its structure, making it lighter, yet stiffer, to the benefit of refinement, economy and handling. It’s a little bit bigger, inside, too.  

Very deliberately retaining a fabric roof to distinguish it as a cabriolet, the Audi A5 Cabriolet is rich in detail and high on desirability. This is in contrast to the likes of the BMW 4 Series Convertible with its folding metal roof. Underlining this was Audi’s standard offering of a range of hood colours, with four no-cost choices of Red, Black, Dark Grey and Brown. 

Whatever the colour, that roof stows at the touch of a button - folding out of sight in just 15 seconds and raising in 18 seconds. That’s not quite as quick as a Vauxhall Cascada, which takes 17 seconds, but still rapid enough to avoid the rain. Its integration is beautifully executed, whether up or down. Open, it reveals a cabin that, true to Audi form, is a shining example of material quality, sophisticated design and operational ease.

There’s space for four adults – just, as is also the case with the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet. The rear seats come with limitations in legroom, while headroom with that roof up is also restricted. The boot space suffers, too, but buyers of convertibles understand the compromises they bring, and even then, with the Audi A5 Cabriolet they’re relatively few.

The engine line-up was cherry picked from the Audi A5 Coupe range, so there’s a choice of 2.0-litre petrol and TDI models, as well as a 3.0-litre TDI. The Audi A5 Cabriolet didn’t get the more economy-focused 1.4 TFSI or TDI Ultra versions, however.

Trim levels will be familiar to anyone who’s ever opened an Audi brochure, with a few revisions. SE isn’t offered; instead the Audi A5 Cabriolet followed its Audi A5 Coupe relative to come in either Sport or S line.

All come with alloy wheels, with 17-inch ones on Sport models and S line gaining 18-inchers. There’s also a slightly more dramatic exterior styling pack, LED headlights and taillights, plus Audi’s dramatic ‘dynamic’ rear indicators.

Audi claimed the Audi A5 Cabriolet had the lightest and stiffest body in its class, which also included the BMW 4 Series Convertible and Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet.

This stiffer platform is more beneficial for refinement and economy, rather than handling. That isn’t to say that the Audi A5 Cabriolet is an unenjoyable car to drive, it just lacks the more focused driving appeal of its German rivals.

Where it unquestionably gains is in its roundedness. More than either its Mercedes or BMW competitors, it has an ease of use that’s deeply impressive. Indeed, the Audi A5 Cabriolet has always had a sort of junior Bentley Continental GT feel to its make up. It’s quick, refined and capable, all while surrounded in a finely executed interior.

That remains the case here; indeed refinement is impeccable. The acoustically damped hood meaning it’s near coupe-like aurally with the hood up, while roof down the A5 manages draughts very well indeed.

To maximise interior serenity with the sun above you you’ll need to utilise the rear wind deflector, which does deny you the use of the rear seats. Even without it at speed you’ll feel the gentle breeze of the outside inside, rather than the full brunt of a Category 1 hurricane.

The S5 is the sharpest offering, with the option of Audi’s Sport Differential to make it even more dynamic. It’s quick and capable, like its lesser relations here, but it still doesn’t quite thrill like its key rivals. That arguably makes the standard models more appealing.

The S line is visually similar to the Audi S5, though we'd look for one that had its brittle standard-fit Sport suspension replaced with the Comfort Dynamic suspension by its original owner.

The engine line-up’s outputs start at 190PS with both the 2.0-litre TFSI turbo petrol and TDI four-cylinder choices, allowing a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds (in either manual or auto) with the TFSI petrol, or 8.3 seconds with the 2.0-litre TDI.

Choose the 2.0-litre TFSI with 252PS and you’ll not only gain a standard seven-speed automatic and four-wheel drive, but shave 1.6 seconds off the 0-62mph time to just 6.3 seconds.

The 3.0-litre TDI is offered in either 218PS or 286PS outputs, the latter coming with an eight-speed automatic, these reaching 62mph in 6.8 and 5.7 seconds respectively.

If you want anything faster you’ll need the S5, its 354PS turbocharged V6 seeing it able to cover the 0-62mph dash in 5.1 seconds.

You don’t want for much in the Audi A5 Cabriolet. It comes with front and side airbags, ESC traction control, parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, LED lights, and automatic wipers and lights.

As a used car, then, it has all the modern safety tech you could want or expect, plus there are Isofix child seat mounts in the back.

Surprisingly for a chic drop-top, the Audi A5 Cabriolet can pull an unbraked trailer of up to 750kg. Fit a braked trailer to the Audi A5 Cabriolet and it can pull 1700kg at least, while some models can haul as much as 2100kg.

You’d have to be uncommonly tall or wide not to find a perfect driving position, the seats hugging you with enough suggestion at sportiness, without grappling you like a race seat. Supportive and comfortable, then, which pretty much sums up the Audi A5 Cabriolet.

That’s even partially true of those in the back. While it’s undeniably a little bit more claustrophobic there thanks to the thicker elements of the hood’s structure than the Audi A5 Coupe, there’s space for normally proportioned adults.

That’s as long as the front-seat passenger and driver don’t lounge in their pews like they’re poolside. The boot loses capacity, but 380 litres is enough to take the obligatory golf bags or a couple of sensibly packed suitcases.

It’s difficult to get inside an Audi A5 Cabriolet and not be immediately wowed by the fit, finish and materials. Audi is very much the leader in its class in this respect.

What’s particularly impressive is that it’s more than eye candy, it’s a tactile treat underpinned by an inherent correctness to the way the controls are positioned and the configurability of it all.

Being a premium model, the Audi A5 Cabriolet came with a decent standard equipment count, which could be significantly added to with some essential extras, plus some show-stopping kit like Audi’s cool Virtual Cockpit.

It replaces the conventional dials with a configurable 12.3-inch colour screen with all the nav, info, media, telephone and driver assistance details within the instrument pinnacle area. It’s a neat extra to have when considering the Audi A5 Cabriolet as a used buy.

A three-year old Audi A5 Cabriolet with average mileage will cost from around £25,000 for a 40 TFSI or 40 TDI model in S line trim.

Older versions of the Audi A5 Cabriolet can be found from £18,500 with average mileages for their age if you look at car supermarkets.

You don't necessarily have to choose a diesel engine to enjoy good economy in the Audi A5 Cabriolet. The 190PS 2.0 TFSI petrol can offer up to 50mpg with the S tronic automatic gearbox.

However, to better that you will need to go diesel with the 2.0 TDI motor to enjoy up to a claimed 62.8mpg. The 3.0 V6 diesel can manage 48mpg, and even the potent S5 version can achieve 35mpg combined consumption.

Audi switched its naming policy in 2019 and all the engines enjoyed a small increase in fuel efficiency.

Road tax shouldn’t be prohibitively costly in the Audi A5 Cabriolet, as the range will demand between £240 and £320 per year at the time of writing. Insurance is also reasonable for this type of car, with the A5 sitting in Groups 30 to 47, with the S5 performance version at that high end.

Maintaining this Audi A5 Cabriolet will cost the same as the Coupe or saloon, so reckon on service stops between 9000 and 18,000 miles depending on how you use the car.

At its launch in 2017, the Audi A5 Cabriolet was offered in Sport and S line trims.

The Audi A5 Cabriolet Sport came with twin leather upholstery, Audi drive select, Audi parking system plus front and rear sensors, Pre Sense City braking, and 17-inch alloy wheels sporting a 15-spoke design. It also had Audi's MMI Navigation and a three-month trial of the Audi connect portfolio.

Front Sport seats that are electrically adjustable included four-way electric lumbar support. Rounding off the enhancements was an LED interior lighting package.

Upping the game, the Audi A5 Cabriolet S line offered 18-inch wheels with a five-spoke Twin star design, and LED headlights with LED rear lights and dynamic rear indicators complemented by a host of signature S line styling details. Inside, S line sport seats upholstered in leather/Alcantara with S embossing lend a suitably sporting air.

Lowered and stiffened Sport suspension was the automatic factory fit for S line versions, but Audi offered the option to deselect to a ‘comfort dynamic’ suspension set-up biased more heavily in favour of ride suppleness at no extra charge if preferred. This is an option worth having.

Latterly, Audi offered the Audi A5 Cabriolet Edition 1 trim when it was updated in 2019. Highlights here were 20-inch alloy wheels and a body kit that aped the S5’s looks.