Audi A5 Saloon Review 2025

People often pick a make and model of car and stick with it, repeatedly buying newer versions of the same thing. Manufacturers call this brand loyalty — for many it’s more about ease and familiarity. But if their staple go-to is gone, might their custom follow suit? Read our full Audi A5 Saloon review to find out whether its solely aimed at new clientele or if former A4 regulars will remain smitten.

The Audi A4 is dead — long live the Audi A5. Change is embraced when it makes sense, which could pose a problem for this upmarket German marque as not all of its previous branding decisions were easy to fathom. Take its incomprehensible move to replace engine size badging with a baffling power band numbering system — mercifully this is now being phased out.

What it gives with one hand, it takes with the other. Whereas the previous A4s were the practical, family-friendly choices, previous Audi A5 models were slinkier Coupes and Cabriolets.

Forget all that because in Audi’s new world the odd-numbered models will be fitted with combustion engines and the evens reserved for electric-only power systems. So there will likely be a future Audi A4 but it’ll be a battery-powered range closer in size to the A3.

Audi’s compact executive continues to be available as a Saloon and an Avant. Except that’s not quite true because while the A5 Avant remains an estate, what Audi calls the A5 Saloon is actually a five-door hatchback.

If anyone has any further questions, please leave them to the end because we really must crack on.

Principal rivals to the A5 remain as they were before although whether the extra 1 added to its name may make some customers assume its grown significantly is a possibility. In reality this is still very much an alternative to the Mercedes C-Class Saloon and not the larger E-Class.

Doubtless the BMW 3 Series Saloon will also remain a model the A5 goes toe-to-toe with although the Audi’s tailgate also brings the five-door BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe into the equation.

Elsewhere the pickings are a little thin as the plush, medium-sized saloon market is one that many other brands have abandoned, as reflected by the disappearance of the Jaguar XE, Peugeot 508 Fastback, Volkswagen Passat Saloon and Volvo S60.

From a pragmatic perspective, the five-door hatchback version of the Skoda Superb can give the A5 a hard time, offering more metal for the money together with a great deal of engine and technology commonality.

For the brave — providing you can stomach the eye-watering depreciation — is the DS 9, which will reward you with exclusivity. When did you last see one?

Having already invested heavily in its electric fleet, Audi is hedging its bets somewhat here, with an all-new platform dedicated to combustion engined cars, albeit with a variable-sized whiff of mild hybrid electrification.

With a plug-in hybrid waiting in the wings, the new Audi A5 Saloon range is available with 150 PS and 204PS versions of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, a 204PS 2.0-litre diesel unit and, for the S5 Saloon, a 367PS 3.0-litre petrol V6. Quattro all-wheel drive is restricted to the diesel and the V6.

Visually, there’s more A4 than old A5 here in terms of looks — the latter’s finest styling attribute was that sinuous nose-to-tail belt-line along the body sides, now consigned to the under-desk circular filing receptacle.

Instead is a gently blander offering with a flatter, wider grille and customisable light signatures both fore and aft. It’s okay but no longer portrays any hint of prettiness, merely more of a hint of Audiness from a generic family saloon shape.

On board it’s all screens. An 11.9-inch digital driver’s display and a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen are standard, while pricier A5s add a third, clumsily non-integrated 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, to which we can see little point.

Almost every function is now controlled via that central touchscreen, although mercifully temperature and seat-heating icons are ever-visible.

Build quality is largely outstanding as is the driving position with only a small amount of less pleasing plastic finishes and haptic steering wheel touchpads from the mind of a sadistic engineer who presumably doesn’t drive spoiling matters.

Slightly greater in terms of dimensions, doors and name than the model it replaces the Audi A5 Saloon remains a satisfyingly complete package but one that’ll become more widely tempting when the plug-in hybrid editions go on sale.

The Audi A5 Saloon is available with three suspension set-ups. The Sport comes with Comfort suspension, S Line models feature a firmer, Sport arrangement that’s lowered by 20mm and the hot S5 combines that with adaptive damping, which can be specified as an extra-cost option as fitted to the only versions we’ve tested so far.

As with most Audis, a drive mode selector allows you to switch between Comfort or Sport settings, but also common with most Audis, the Auto mode can be relied upon to consistently sort things out on your behalf.

Left to its own devices, the adaptive suspension makes a decent fist of smoothing-out the potential tough ride elicited by a lower ride height and big 19- and 20-inch wheels. Combine this with nicely weighted steering and a composed ride and you have a tidy package that excels at devouring motorway miles.

Both the diesel engine and the petrol V6 are notably quiet at cruising speeds, while even on the larger wheel size the S5 Saloon offered impressive hush at considerable pace. Pity that even with sharper, more predictable steering and stacks of grip, the A5 Saloon isn’t quite as engaging as you might hope when the going gets twisty.

The adaptive suspension’s firm enough to keep the car feeling well-planted over undulating roads while absorbing and cushioning bumps with gentle efficiency, giving the driver the confidence to push on with some gusto.

It comes as no surprise to discover that the S5 Saloon is a whole lot more fun. Stacks of power, a great noise from under the bonnet and all-wheel drive gang-up with that adaptive suspension and terrific poise to make the car a properly entertaining means of tackling cross-country routes with enthusiasm and vim. 

The new Audi A5 Saloon range is available with 150 PS and 204PS versions of a 2.0-litre petrol engine, a 204PS 2.0 litre diesel unit and, in S5 guise, a 367PS 3.0-litre petrol V6. Quattro all-wheel drive is restricted to the V6, and as an option with the diesel engine.

A lure for company car drivers in particular, a plug-in hybrid option will join the range during 2025.

The A5 Saloon is not available with a manual gearbox — instead all versions come with a seven-speed automatic transmission that Audi titles S Tronic. If you opt for S Line trim or higher you’re rewarded with manual paddle shifters on the steering column.

Gear changes are smooth and quick most of the time but you’ll need to switch to Dynamic mode to persuade the ‘box to shift down a ratio sooner and keep the engine response feeling more lively.

The front-wheel drive, TFSI 150PS petrol produces 280Nm of torque, will accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 134mph. The more powerful 204PS variant of the same powertrain offers 340Nm of torque for an improved 0-62 acceleration time of 7.8 seconds and a 152mph top speed.

In front-wheel drive guise the TDI 204PS diesel produces a healthy 400Nm of torque, good for a 0-62mph dash in 7.7 seconds, stacks of effortless mid-range grunt, and a maximum speed of 149mph.

Specifying that same engine with Quattro all-wheel drive knocks the 0-62mph time down to just 6.9 seconds.

Quickest of the A5 Saloon family is the S5 TFSI 367PS Quattro — its rich 550Nm seam of torque squirts it from 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds while the top speed is electronically pegged at 155mph.

The Audi A5 has been awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP following its crash-test and safety assessment, scoring 87% and 88% in adult and child occupant protection, respectively.

You get decent safety kit as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, traffic sign recognition, hill-hold assist and parking assistance technology with a 360-degree camera. Adaptive cruise control is included on all models and includes collision-avoidance technology.

Top-spec Edition 1 models get extra safety features, including lane-change assist and a system that prepares the car when it senses an imminent impact to minimise the effect on the occupants.

The new Audi A5 Saloon is 67mm longer and 13mm wider than the four-door A4 it replaces. However because Audi mounts its engines lengthways the bonnet — unlike its in-house Skoda Superb rival which has them installed across the engine bay — this doesn’t equate to any greater feeling of space on board, particularly in the rear seats.

The front seats are properly comfortable and the driving position’s first class, with outstanding ergonomics. That curved array of dashboard screens makes the diver feel even more cocooned without inducing claustrophobia.

Its rear seat headrests obscure much of the view out of the back window but front and rear parking sensors plus a reversing camera are standard.

Storage up front includes a shallow, wide tray under the adjustable centre armrest, two cupholders beside the gear selector and a phone tray with integral wireless charging. The door bins will hold a bottle, if you can get it in the slot.

Rear seating legroom is fractionally improved over the outgoing A4 but headroom is still somewhat limited —six-footers can expect an unsolicited hair restyle from the roof lining. Storage in the back takes the form of nets of the front seatbacks, two cupholders in the centre armrest and door bins.

Practicality is significantly increased by the A5 Saloon’s tailgate over a traditional four-door’s bootlid, although the boot space inside is good rather than outstanding.

Capacity expands from 417 litres to 1271 litres with the rear seats folded over. They’re split in a sensible 40:20:40 arrangement offering great flexibility when carry a combination of load and passengers. Folding them down is a doddle via levers positioned just inside the tailgate opening.

Superb Audi build and material quality abounds inside the A5 Saloon though the ubiquitous piano black gloss finish — necessary to allow the haptic touchpad controls to work — collects fingerprints at an alarming rate.

Theres is a whiff of scratchy plastic about the central air vent and the console by the armrest but higher spec cars compensate with plenty of fabric and soft-touch finishes on most surfaces.

In truth those haptic pads on the steering wheel may look the part but it’s all too easy to inadvertently operate them with your thumb whilst wielding the helm. So, no thanks.

The display screen framework is a bit clunky and the junction between the main twin-screen set-up and the additional 10.9-inch front passenger screen is just plain awkward. It will be interesting to see a cheaper A5’s dashboard without the latter — it might make for a slightly less frenetic layout.

Speaking of which, posher A5 trims and S5 models feature an ambient lighting strip that runs under the windscreen base, the outer sections of which change colour to a green sweeping effect when you use the indicators. Clearly, the flashing amber light in the door mirror casing was far too sensible and classy to survive.

An 11.9-inch digital driver’s display and a 14.5-inch multimedia touchscreen are mounted side-by-side in one curvaceous, dashtop swathe, and pricier models add a third, clumsily non-integrated 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. We can see little point but teenagers may disagree.

Almost every control except for driving mode and parking camera buttons plus the volume knob are now on-screen. Mercifully, temperature and seat-heating icons are always visible.

There are two columns of shortcut virtual buttons near the driver for major functions but they’re small and difficult to target accurately on the move. Finding other features is a chore because the main screen piles up loads of icons you need to scroll through. At least the graphics a crystal clear and the screen responds quickly and smoothly to inputs.

A step backwards is the integrated navigation system which can no longer be shown in the driver’s display, meaning glancing across to the centre screen to check your route. It’s worth mentioning Audi’s Sound and Vision pack here, available as a £2495 option and standard on the S5.

Not only does Sound and Vison add a head-up display in which you’ll see route guidance but it also lobs in a B&O premium sound system which features integrated front headrest speakers that can whisper navigation instructions into your ear without disturbing other passengers’ listening pleasure.

There are three familiar trim levels available for the Audi A5 Saloon — Sport, S Line and Edition 1 — while the rapid S5 Saloon is solely available in the latter.

Least costly is the petrol-engined A5 Saloon Sport TFSI 150PS at £41,980 while the priciest is the S5 Saloon Edition 1 TFSI 367PS Quattro at £69,455.

Of the A5’s rivals, a BMW 3 Series Saloon can be had for £40,220 if you choose the 320i Sport, while the five-door BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe costs from £45,415 in 420i M Sport trim. Weighing in at £45,120 is the Mercedes C-Class Saloon in C 200 AMG Line specification.

For a very reasonable £35,695 you could be getting behind the wheel of a Skoda Superb Hatch in SE 1.5 TSE e-Tec 150PS guise while a bold move towards a DS 9 will set you back £56,200 although that is for the far more powerful, plug-in hybrid Rivoli+ E-Tense 250 version.

A word of warning before you begin virtually building an A5 Saloon online — the configurator on the Audi website is, frankly, a mess. Switching between different engines and trims, while it pre-loads extra-cost options making it tricky to fathom out the actual cost of each version.

And don’t waste your time looking for a brochure or price list to download because Audi stopped producing those years ago.

In terms of fuel economy the petrol Audi A5 Saloon TFSI 204PS is slightly more frugal than an equivalent BMW 3 Series, although not quite as economical as a Mercedes C 200. Similarly, the A5 TDI diesel is also slightly less fuel efficient than a C 220 d, while the 3 Series is no longer available with a diesel engine.

WLTP Combined cycle figures for the TFSI 150PS petrol’s efficiency and emissions are 37.7-41.5mpg and 155-170g/km of CO2, respectively. Choose the punchier TFSI 240PS and those stats fractionally worsen to 37.2-41.5mpg and 155-174g/km.

No surprise that the front-wheel drive diesel TDI 204PS performs better still, averaging out 50.4-57.6mpg with CO2 emissions rated at 129-146g/km. Adding Quattro all-wheel drive dents those figures a little, delivering 49.6-54.3 mpg and 135-149g/km of CO2, respectively.

Least efficient overall is the S5 TFSI 376PS Quattro which averages 36.2mpg and emits 176-177g/km CO2 depending on the equipment fitted.

Company car drivers looking for low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rates will be better off waiting for plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi A5 Saloon to arrive later in 2025, which are expected to have a 60-mile electric-only range.

You get a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty which isn’t as generous as the unlimited mileage cover you get from a Mercedes or BMW. For an extra cost you can extend that warranty for up to five years or 90,000 miles.

Three trim levels are available for the Audi A5 Saloon — Sport, S Line and Edition 1. The rapid Audi S5 Saloon spin-off is only available in Edition 1 guise.

Standard equipment specification for the Audi A5 Saloon Sport trim is pleasingly comprehensive and includes 18-inch alloy wheels, the 14.5-inch OLED multimedia touchscreen and an 11.9-inch OLED instrument cluster with Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, three-zone climate control, heated front sports seats, leather upholstery, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control.

Opt for an Audi A5 Saloon S Line to add more aggressive exterior styling, 19-inch alloy wheels, 20mm lower Sport suspension, darkened rear privacy glass and a sportier steering wheel design that’s flattened at the top and bottom.

Upgrade further to an Audi A5 Saloon Edition 1 version to include 20-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers, keyless entry, a black styling package, electrically adjustable front sports seats in part-suede and leather and a 360-degree camera system.

Pick the range-topping Audi S5 Saloon Edition 1 and that further adds a smattering of S logos, adaptive suspension damping, a panoramic glass roof with opacity control, Matrix LED headlights and the Sound and Vision Pack with head-up display and Bang & Olufsen premium sound system.