Audi A5 Saloon (2025-) Review

Introduction

The A5 made its name as a sleek, two-door version of the A4, before spawning a five-door fastback called the A5 Sportback. And now, to make matters even more confusing, Audi has replaced both the A4 Saloon and the A5 Sportback with this: the A5 Saloon. It’s a combination of the two names, and indeed the two cars, but it’s still here to compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series.

And Audi has done more than just fiddled with the nomenclature. The new A5 Saloon comes with a softer new look, a more stylish and more modern interior, and fresh chassis technology, which Audi hopes will allow the five-door car to contend with its compatriots. But for all that, it remains to be seen whether the new A5 can beat the C-Class and 3 Series at their own games, and whether customers will embrace the new branding.

At a Glance

Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed that while Audi calls the new A5 Saloon a saloon, it is in fact a five-door fastback, just like the old A5 Sportback. And that means it has a nicely aerodynamic shape, with rounded edges and a swooping roofline that merges into the e-tron GT-inspired rear end. It’s arguably a more attractive piece of design than the old A4 and any of its rivals.

And it looks cool inside, too, although it isn’t necessarily as minimalist as some others. But the materials on show are classy, and all the tech works well. Space-wise, the A5 doesn’t look brilliant alongside its rivals, but it’s roomy enough for most, and you can always choose the Avant estate version if you need more.

Whichever version you pick, you get a choice of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, with plug-in hybrid options expected some time in 2025. There’s also a high-performance 3.0-litre V6 petrol S5 option, which comes with all-wheel drive as standard and competes with the BMW M340i xDrive. Every A5 gets an automatic gearbox, while the Quattro all-wheel-drive system is available on some 2.0-litre versions.

No matter which engine and gearbox you choose, Audi has tried to make the A5 better to drive than any of its predecessors, with a sharper response to the steering and a bit more life in the chassis. The good news is that improvement has been achieved without damaging the ride comfort, which remains fairly impressive, but the handling still isn’t quite as sharp as that of the BMW 3 Series. Nevertheless, it’s a solid compromise.

Key Features

Cabin quality and technology have long been key to the success of Audi models, and the new A5 is clearly playing into that. While the new digital instrument cluster might not be quite as configurable as the Virtual Cockpit display in the old A4/A5 models, the display is still sharp, and the central touchscreen is highly impressive. It responds quickly, and though it’s packed with gizmos, which makes the menus occasionally tricky to navigate, the system is generally pretty good. As is the overall quality of the cabin. The steering wheel buttons are quite small and fiddly, but otherwise it’s beautifully made and fairly easy to navigate.

But while the interior might be Audi’s traditional strength, the driving experience has often been less of a selling point for the German brand. With the new A5, however, Audi wants to change that, improving the car’s chassis to make it more engaging and more agile than its predecessors without damaging the ride comfort. And to an extent, it has paid off. The new A5 is much closer to the 3 Series than its predecessor in terms of handling, with sharpened steering and improved turn-in to corners, but it still can’t quite match the BMW. Nevertheless, the combination of ride and handling is a compelling one.

Performance & Drive

For the most part, the A5’s engine range is made up of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, some of which come with mild hybrid technology to help save a little bit of fuel. Some are also available with all-wheel-drive traction, but all of them come with an automatic gearbox as standard.

The base option is a 2.0-litre petrol engine that drives the front wheels and produces 150hp, which is enough to provide adequate performance for any everyday occasion. It isn’t the most economical engine, especially if you start exploiting all of that power, but it’s fairly smooth and quiet.

There’s also a more powerful 2.0-litre petrol engine on offer, producing 204hp and offering all-wheel drive, but we reckon the 2.0-litre diesel options will be better suited to most customers. Like the petrol engines, they’re available in front- and all-wheel-drive forms, with a similar power output to the more potent petrol engine and a bit more grunt. That means they feel nice and meaty, as well as being really efficient on a longer drive.

But if you’re more concerned with power than efficiency, the S5 will be the one for you. That 3.0-litre V6 produces 367hp and sends it to all four wheels as standard, allowing a 0-62mph time of about 4.5 seconds. It’s pretty quick, then, and it handles better than other A5s thanks to its sportier suspension.

That said, every version of the A5 is more lively than any of its predecessors. Audi has worked hard on the steering and suspension to make the car a little more competitive on that front. The steering is sharper than the A4’s ever was, and there’s plenty of grip and body control on display from the chassis. Yet it’s still quite a comfortable thing, absorbing the bumps nicely and proving very capable on the motorway.

Running Costs & Emissions

The A5 might be all-new, but the decision to leave electric power with the new A4 means customers face a fairly conventional choice of powertrains. For those choosing the Audi as a company car, we’d recommend holding off until the plug-in hybrid versions arrive, offering ultra-low company car tax rates. But until those versions arrive – and for everyone else – it’s a straight choice between petrol and diesel power.

If you aren’t going to do many miles, the petrol engines will be absolutely fine. They’re slightly more refined than the diesels, and their relative inefficiency isn’t a great issue if you aren’t filling up that regularly anyway. But if you’re going to do lots of long drives, we’d recommend a 2.0-litre diesel option, which should return well over 40mpg on a long run, and possibly even 50mpg if you drive it sympathetically.

Interior & Technology

The Audi A4 always majored on cabin quality and technology, and the A5 aims to carry on in the same vein. Like the new A6 e-tron, it has a very modern dashboard design with a massive touchscreen and digital instrument display, but despite the dependence on touchscreens, it still isn’t quite a minimalist environment.

There are lots of materials on display, and though all of them are very classy, they mean the interior doesn’t feel quite as clean as in some executive saloons. But it’s very well made and very modern, with every panel fitting neatly alongside its neighbour, while most of the switchgear is pretty robust.

Admittedly, there are a couple of ergonomic issues – such as the tiny buttons on the steering wheel – but it’s generally quite well thought through, and the technology is solid enough. The digital instrument display isn’t quite as configurable or as useful as the old Virtual Cockpit in the outgoing A4/A5 models, but it’s sharp and easy to read, while the touchscreen is crisp and quick to respond. Some of the menus are a bit fiddly, purely because there’s so much tech living in there, but it’s a system that’s clean enough.

It does, however, include the heater controls, which would normally be a bit of a red flag. Touchscreen climate control is seldom a good idea, but we have to hand it to Audi, because the A5’s system works remarkably well. The temperature controls are always available no matter what you’re doing, and the sharpness of the screen makes it quick to use.

Then there’s the question of the optional passenger display, which is arguably even better than the central screen. The slightly stripped-back nature of it makes it really easy to use, and it gives the passenger better access to the infotainment system than the central screen, which is angled towards the driver.

Practicality & Boot Space

Practicality is the sole major sticking point with the A5, because the figures reveal the boot is a bit cramped in comparison with a BMW 3 Series. That said, at 445 litres in the basic 2.0-litre petrol version, the luggage bay isn’t exactly tiny. That’s the same sort of space you get from a VW T-Roc. And because the A5 has a massive tailgate, rather than a conventional boot lid, loading the boot is a bit easier than it is in a 3 Series or a C-Class.

Arguably the bigger issue, therefore, is that the sloping roofline impinges on rear headroom slightly. It isn’t disastrous, but anyone over about six feet tall is going to prefer sitting in the back of the Avant estate version, which has a higher roofline. For everyone else, though, the A5 Saloon will be fine, particularly as legroom is ample for all kinds of rear-seat passengers.

Safety

Although it’s still a very new model, the A5 has been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, and it came out with a five-star rating. It scored strongly in every department, including safety assistance technology and child occupant protection, which makes it about as safe as any of its rivals and safer than many.

Of course, it helps that some of the latest driver assistance systems are there to help you out. Autonomous emergency braking is there to stop the car automatically if the driver fails to brake for a hazard, and there’s a reversing camera to help with rear visibility when backing up. There’s also lane departure warning, and you can have adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance to the car in front.

Options

At launch, the A5 range comprises four basic trim levels. Things kick off with the Sport model, which gets the digital instrument cluster and touchscreen as standard, and comes with climate control, heated front seats and a reversing camera. It also gets 18-inch alloy wheels and adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance to the car in front.

Above that is the S Line, which is expected to be the most popular choice, with its 19-inch alloy wheels, sportier styling and sports suspension that sits 20mm lower. There’s privacy glass, too, and a slightly sportier interior with black roof lining and stainless steel pedals.

Initially, Audi is also offering an Edition 1 model at the top of the range. That car gets almost all the trimmings, with 20-inch alloys, red brakes and dark exhaust tips, as well as black trim around the windows and door handles. Inside, meanwhile, there’s a 360-degree manoeuvring camera and the passenger touchscreen.

And for those who want even more sportiness in their lives, the S5 models get their own trim level, complete with S sports suspension with adjustable damping and bespoke styling based on the S Line version. There’s seat ventilation in the front, too, and you get a head-up display and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Rival Cars

The A5 Saloon’s list of rivals is definitely shrinking. The Jaguar XE, Volvo S60 and Genesis G70 are three impressive alternatives that have recently – and very sadly – departed the market. The losses of the Ford Mondeo and Mazda 6 have an impact, too, although the latter is returning soon as an all-electric proposition.

Yet despite the reduction in the volume of competition, the strength of the rivals that remain is as high as ever. Chief among the alternatives is the BMW 3 Series, which has made its name as the best-handling executive saloon of them all. But it does more than just drive well, with great tech and a solid cabin, as well as a classy image and plenty of space. It’s a tough car to beat.

In fact, apart from the Audi, the only thing that comes close is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which majors more on style than sportiness, but still offers plenty of performance. The cabin is funkier and more modern than the BMW’s, and the diesel options are remarkably fuel-efficient, which makes it an understandably popular choice. Particularly among those who will spend their time pounding up and down the nation’s motorways.

Verdict & Next Steps

Although some may prefer the practicality of the A5 Avant, the A5 Saloon remains a very strong contender. The new design is classy, the tech is competitive and the driving experience is better than ever, even if the BMW 3 Series remains the class leader on that front. But the gap has narrowed noticeably, and the A5 Saloon is definitely the executive saloon of choice for those who value solidity and technology above all else. It’s a great addition to this dwindling sector of the market.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Audi A5 Saloon .

**Correct as of 25/02/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £3,840.12 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.