There really is an Audi for everyone.
This week’s tester, the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback quattro S tronic, is a sporty family sedan that is equal parts luxury, performance and functionality.
Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, TFSI, four-cylinder engine mated to a seven speed S tronic transmission and a quattro all-wheel drive system, the combination generates 252 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, while achieving 34 miles per gallon down the highway.
It’s fast off the line, zooming from 0-to-62.1 miles (100km) per hour in six seconds, and has an electronically controlled top speed of 155 miles per hour, for those with no self control. It’s really a driver’s car, with handling, suspension and braking to match.
The exterior, which was designed to be sporty and athletic, features a “Glacier White” coat of paint, 19-inch, five-parallel-spoke design wheels, contoured headlights and pronounced bulges over the wheel well arches.
The A5 Sportback seats up to five adults in comfort, with a spacious trunk (17 cubic feet) large enough to accommodate golf bags and push carts. You could even throw in a mini bale of hay and cornstalks with the split-fold rear seats dropped.
Interior appointments were highlighted by nougat brown color, plush heated leather seats, power sunroof, three-zone climate control, Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system that delivers 775 watts via19 speakers and ambient lighting with 30 different colors to match any mood.
Thanks to the all-new operating and display concept, including free-text search, the driver can control all functions effortlessly and intuitively. As an alternative to the standard-fit analog instrument dials, there is the Audi virtual cockpit.
Creature comforts include adaptive cruise control, a Google Earth navigation system with up to 10 GB of flash store and DVD drive, rear-view camera, power tailgate, USB interface, Bluetooth, and eight-way power adjustable front seats with four-way lumbar adjustment for the driver.
Audi offers a whole raft of innovative technologies for enhanced safety. The A5 Sportback comes standard with the Audi pre-sense city system. It monitors the road at speeds of up to 53 miles per hour, detects other vehicles and pedestrians and initiates full braking in an emergency.
Collision avoidance assist intervenes if the car has to drive around an obstacle to avoid an accident. Based on data from the front camera, ACC and radar sensors, it computes a recommended driving line within a fraction of a second.
Turn assist monitors oncoming traffic when turning left over a driving speed range from 1.2 to 6.2 mph. In a dangerous situation, it brakes the car to a stop. The system comes on in the background as soon as the driver activates the turn signal to turn left across oncoming traffic.
The A5 is rounded out by other assistance systems such as exit warning, park assist, cross-traffic assist rear, camera-based traffic sign recognition, Audi active lane assist and Audi side assist.
Base Price: $43,575
Price As Driven: $56,450
Destination charge is included in the base price. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
2018 Audi A5 Sportback interior