Audi S5 2020 Car Review

While it may not offer quite the same performance of the top-end RS5, the Audi S5 Sportback has the looks, sound and performance to stand out from the crowd.

Familiar styling

Our test model was in Audi’s striking ‘District Green’ colourway, which isn’t too dissimilar to ‘British Racing Green’ and looks great on an ultra-modern sportback.

The Audi S5 Sportback flaunts a sleek side profile and comes standard with an S Line exterior package. There’s a three-dimensional wave shoulder line which extends from the rear all the way to the front. Interestingly, this line integrates the edge of the bonnet which covers over the compact front quarter panels. The styling is also garnished with 19-inch double-arm S style wheels and the silhouette is very balanced, despite the rather curvaceous haunches on the rear.

Ventilation slits above the grille are reminiscent of the Audi Sport quattro from 1984 - a bold blade forms the lower edge of the bumper, which boasts larger air inlets. A new sill provides a slimmer appearance when viewed from the side, and a diffuser insert with quad tailpipes gives the rear of the car an aggressive look.

The inside story

The interior is very similar to most of the other 2020 Audis, and has a minimalistic futuristic feel to it with lots of horizontal lines and brushed aluminum accents. Nearly all surfaces feel luxurious and well fitted, and the star of the show is the new MMI touch system, which gives the driver an experience similar to a smartphone.

The 10.1-inch touch display features acoustic feedback, and replaces the rotary pushbutton system that have been used in previous models. The audio was also crisp thanks to the Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound.

If one screen wasn’t quite enough for you, the Audi S5 Sportback also features the Audi virtual cockpit as standard, which shows key vehicle data clearly on a larger 12.3-inch full-HD display directly in front of you.

The classic three-spoke steering wheel is wrapped in leather and has been tastefully stitched in contrasting stitching, which adds to the S5 Sportback’s sporty feel.

The front seats are covered in Nappa leather and are fully electric. They have pneumatically-adjusted lumber support for increased comfort and are also heated with a massage function to help you feel more at ease while driving. The seats also include a memory function, which is useful if you have multiple drivers using the car.

The rear of the Audi S5 Sportback is reasonably roomy despite a lower roof line. Back seat passengers can benefit from their own climate controls, which is just one of the three controllable zones in the cabin. In the middle of the second row is a center arm rest, which includes two drinks holders and some additional storage.

The interior is very practical and has near-SUV-like usability thanks to its large boot and a seats-up capacity of 465 litres. With the seats down, this increases to an impressive 1,300 litres. Believe it or not, during testing, we were able to fit a two meter long recycled timber book case into the car (with the passenger seat folded forward).

Controlled Driving

At the heart of the S5 Sportback is a powerful V6 engine, which produces 260kW of power and 500 Nm of torque, and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds.

The 3.0 TFSI S5 model has quattro all-wheel drive technology and uses a smooth eight-speed tiptronic transmission, with several drive modes: Auto, Comfort, Efficiency, Dynamic, and Individual which lets you customise the car’s driving settings to suit your driving style. The Dynamic mode seems like a bit of an understatement – it’s effectively a Sport mode, which firms up the ride and changes the exhaust note when selected.

 Safety-wise the Audi S5 Sportback is fitted with Audi Active Lane Assist, Pre-Sense, Side Assist, Cross Traffic Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control to name just a few. There’s also an advanced suite of safety assist systems built into the car’s anti-lock braking system, helping keep a vehicle of this power on the road.

Verdict

If you don’t want to jump on the SUV bandwagon because the handling or styling isn’t your cup of tea, then the Audi S5 Sportback could be a good option for you. Another model worth considering would be the BMW M8 grand coupe, however, it is a very different car with a lot more power.

Realistically, the new Audi S5 Sportback seems to have found a happy medium for their target market.

Safety systems

• Audi Active Lane Assist
• Audi Side Assist
• Audi Pre-Sense City 
• Airbags - Driver, passenger, front side and curtain
• Park Assist

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