Audi A5 Review

The Audi A5 has a new job. It’s no longer simply the sleeker alternative to the A4; the latest A5 has effectively taken the A4’s place, with a choice between the five-door A5 Saloon and the more practical A5 Avant. 

That means it now has to work as an everyday executive car rather than just the stylish option. The Saloon’s large hatchback opening makes it more useful than its shape suggests, while the Avant gives you extra luggage space without moving up to an SUV. Both put the A5 directly up against cars like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. 

There’s plenty of choice under the bonnet too, including petrol, diesel and electrified options. Which one makes sense depends heavily on your mileage, so we wouldn’t automatically head for the most powerful version. 

In this Audi A5 review, we’ll look at how it drives, where the new interior works and where it frustrates, how much space you actually get and which engines and trims are worth considering. If you’re looking at an Audi A5 lease, we’ll also help you work out where we think the best value lies. 

Quick Verdict on the Audi A5 

The Audi A5 is at its best on longer journeys. It’s quiet at motorway speeds and comfortable enough for a long commute, with a much more modern cabin than the old A4. If you’re considering an Audi A5 lease, the Saloon should be practical enough for most drivers. The Avant is worth the upgrade if you regularly need the extra luggage space. 

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 

The Audi A5 scores 8.5/10 because it does a particularly good job of making long journeys easy. It feels settled on the motorway and the cabin is a pleasant place to spend a few hours. 

There are compromises. The touchscreen-heavy interior takes some getting used to, and higher trims can push the monthly price up quickly. We'd compare the lease deals carefully rather than assuming you need to move straight past the entry-level versions. 

Audi A5 Review at a Glance 

The Audi A5 is available as the five-door Saloon or the more practical Avant. The Saloon’s hatchback-style boot opening makes it more useful than its name suggests, but we’d choose the Avant if you regularly carry bulky loads. 

Who Should Lease the Audi A5? 

The Audi A5 is a good car to lease if you spend plenty of time on the motorway but still want something manageable for everyday driving. The Saloon will suit most drivers, with the Avant making more sense if you regularly need the extra luggage space. 

The Audi A5 is a great choice if: 

You spend plenty of time on the motorway 

Long-distance driving is where the A5 makes the strongest case for itself. It settles down nicely at 70mph and keeps wind noise under control, so a long commute shouldn't leave you feeling like you've spent two hours battling the car. 

There's still a diesel option too. If you're covering 15,000 or 20,000 motorway-heavy miles a year, we'd certainly compare it with the petrol rather than dismissing diesel automatically. 

You want something lower than an SUV 

If you don't need the height of a Q5, the A5 gives you plenty of space without feeling as bulky from behind the wheel. The lower driving position also feels more natural if you're moving from another saloon or estate. 

We'd consider it if most of the time there are only one or two people in the car. You get plenty of front-seat space without driving around in something larger than you actually need. 

You want a practical car without automatically choosing an estate 

The A5 Saloon is more useful than the name suggests because the whole rear hatch opens rather than just a small boot lid. Suitcases or a big weekly shop shouldn't cause much trouble. 

We'd only move up to the Avant if you regularly carry taller loads or need to make full use of the space above the parcel shelf. Dog owners will probably appreciate the extra height too. 

The Audi A5 may not be the best choice if: 

Most of your driving is around town 

The A5 is a fairly large car to choose if most journeys are short trips through busy streets. If you're rarely carrying passengers and seldom leave town, a smaller Audi could do the same job with less car to manoeuvre. That applies to engine choice too. We'd avoid the diesel if your routine mainly consists of short journeys. 

You need maximum family space 

The Avant gives you more flexibility, but it still isn't enormous. If you're regularly carrying several passengers with a pushchair and a boot full of luggage, we'd check that everything fits before committing to a lease. 

Boot capacity figures only tell you so much. The shape of the load area matters just as much once you're trying to fit your own stuff inside it. 

You want an electric car 

The standard A5 range is built around petrol and diesel engines, with mild-hybrid assistance available on selected versions. If you can charge at home and specifically want to move to a fully electric lease, we'd look elsewhere in Audi's range. 

Our Verdict 

We think the Audi A5 makes most sense for someone covering regular longer journeys who doesn't want to move into an SUV. We'd start with the Saloon because its hatchback-style boot makes it practical enough for most people. 

Choose the Avant if you know you'll use the extra load space. More importantly, match the engine to your mileage before getting distracted by trim levels. That decision will make a much bigger difference to how well the A5 fits your routine. 

Exterior Design & Road Presence 

The Audi A5 looks lower and sportier than the A4 it replaces. The wide grille gives the front more presence, with slim LED headlights keeping things sharp rather than overly aggressive. 

The Saloon is the sleeker of the two. Its sloping roofline hides a large hatchback opening, so you get the coupé-like shape without sacrificing easy access to the boot. The Avant has a squarer rear end to make room for bulkier loads. 

Trim makes a noticeable difference. S line adds a sportier edge, with Black Edition taking the darker look further. We actually prefer the A5 when it’s kept relatively simple. The basic shape has enough going on without needing the biggest wheels or lots of black trim. 

Interior, Technology & Comfort 

The Audi A5 interior is built around an 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit and 14.5-inch MMI touchscreen. It looks much more modern than the old A4, although we’d prefer a few more physical controls for functions you use regularly. 

The screens are sharp and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. Higher-spec versions can also add a 10.9-inch passenger display, but we wouldn’t pay extra for it alone. 

More important is the comfort. The driving position has plenty of adjustment and the seats are supportive on longer journeys. Taller adults may find the back of the Saloon a little tighter because of its sloping roofline. 

Our biggest gripe is the reliance on the touchscreen. It looks smart, but a proper button is much easier to use when you’re doing 70mph. 

What’s the Audi A5 Like to Drive? 

The Audi A5 is at its best on the motorway. It feels settled at 70mph and keeps wind noise under control, making it a good fit if your commute involves regular long-distance driving. 

Around town, the steering is light and the automatic gearbox makes stop-start traffic easy enough. It’s a fairly large car, though, so the parking sensors and cameras are useful in tighter spaces. 

There’s plenty of grip on a winding road, but the A5 is more focused on comfort than making every journey entertaining. If you’re choosing quattro, we’d do it because you’ll benefit from the extra traction rather than expecting it to completely change the way the A5 drives. 

Audi A5 Engines & Performance 

The Audi A5 is available with petrol or diesel power, with MHEV Plus mild-hybrid technology on selected versions. Petrol is the natural starting point for mixed driving, but the diesel still makes sense if you regularly cover long motorway distances. 

Petrol Audi A5 

The 2.0-litre petrol is the one we'd look at first if your mileage is fairly moderate. It’s quiet in normal driving and has enough performance for joining the motorway without feeling like you’ve paid for power you rarely use. 

Diesel Audi A5 

Higher-mileage drivers should still consider the 2.0-litre TDI. The 204 PS version gets quattro all-wheel drive and reaches 62mph in 6.9 seconds, but its real advantage is how well diesel suits regular motorway mileage. We’d skip it if most of your journeys are short trips around town. 

Audi A5 MHEV Plus 

Selected A5 engines use Audi’s MHEV Plus mild-hybrid system to recover energy and provide electrical assistance during driving. You don't plug it in, so there's nothing you need to change about your routine. 

All A5 models use a seven-speed S tronic automatic gearbox. It suits the car well, especially if much of your driving involves commuting or longer motorway journeys. 

Practicality & Boot Space 

The Audi A5 Saloon has a 445-litre boot, increasing to 476 litres in the A5 Avant. The difference on paper isn't huge, but the Avant's taller load area makes it the better choice for bulky luggage or a dog. 

The Saloon is still surprisingly practical. The whole rear section opens like a hatchback, giving you much better access than you'd get with a traditional saloon boot. 

There’s plenty of room for adults up front and reasonable space in the back. Taller rear passengers may find headroom tighter in the Saloon because of its sloping roofline. 

If you mostly carry suitcases or shopping, we'd stick with the Saloon. If you regularly load a pushchair or anything awkwardly shaped, the Avant will make life easier. 

Fuel Economy & Running Costs 

Audi A5 running costs depend heavily on the engine you choose. Petrol makes sense for lower-mileage drivers, but diesel is worth considering if you regularly cover long motorway distances. 

Don’t just compare Audi A5 lease prices either. Bigger wheels mean more expensive tyres, and more powerful quattro versions can cost more to run. 

We’d choose the engine that best matches your annual mileage before spending extra on a higher trim. That’s likely to make a much bigger difference to your overall running costs. 

Reliability & Safety 

The Audi A5 received a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2024, scoring 87% for adult occupant protection. It also comes with the driver-assistance technology you'd expect, including systems designed to help with lane keeping and potential hazards. 

New Audis are covered for three years or 60,000 miles, with three years of roadside assistance included. If you're taking a longer Audi A5 lease, check whether your contract will extend beyond that warranty period. 

Long-term reliability is harder to judge because this generation of A5 is still relatively new. For now, there simply isn't enough real-world data to draw firm conclusions. 

Audi A5 vs the Competition 

The Audi A5 competes directly with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The biggest differences come down to how they drive and what you want from the cabin, so we'd compare lease prices before settling on one. 

Audi A5 vs BMW 3 Series 

The BMW 3 Series is the one we'd look at if driving enjoyment matters most. The A5 is less involving, but it's quiet at motorway speeds and feels well suited to covering long distances. The A5 Saloon also has a hatchback-style boot opening, which can make loading larger items easier. 

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class 

The Mercedes C-Class puts more emphasis on comfort and luxury. The A5 has a more technical-looking cabin, so we'd sit in both before deciding which interior you prefer. Both work well as motorway cars, making the monthly lease price particularly important if you're struggling to choose between them. 

What Else Should You Consider? 

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé is another option if you like the A5 Saloon's sleeker shape. If you're considering the A5 Avant, we'd also compare it with the Volvo V60, especially if boot space matters, as the Audi's 476-litre maximum is smaller than several estate rivals. 

Is the Audi A5 Worth Leasing? 

Yes, the Audi A5 is well suited to car leasing if you want a premium car with predictable monthly payments and no need to worry about selling it later. After reading this Audi A5 review, we’d compare deals across different trims rather than automatically choosing the cheapest model. Lease pricing doesn’t always follow list prices, so a better-equipped A5 can sometimes cost surprisingly little more per month. 

The main thing is getting the specification right. Choose the engine for your mileage and the body style for the space you actually need, then see which trim offers the best monthly deal. 

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Audi A5