Audi A5 Sportback - TopCarNews

Audi A5 Sportback (2017 – present) | Expert Rating [hide]

Summary

The Audi A5 first appeared in 2007 as basically a coupé version of the mass-selling A4 saloon. Two years later, it was joined by a cabriolet and the A5 Sportback – this tries to retain the coupé look while adding some extra practicality with another pair of doors and a liftback rear.

A second-generation version arrived in showrooms in eary 2017, which then received an update in late 2019. Reviewers generally like the thinking behind this car, Motors.co.uk dubbing it “one of the best-looking models in Audi’s range.”

Testers consider the changes work, retaining the sharp looks of the A5 despite creating a 580-litre boot. Auto Express highlights the frameless windows and low roof line that ensure the car is not confused with the A4.

The interior earns plus marks too – “material quality is superb and all the minor controls are easy to make sense of,” says Honest John, while adding that the exterior visuals come at the cost of extensive rear-seat space.

Three petrol and two diesel engines are on offer for the A5 Sportback, with the top versions of each also including quattro all-wheel-drive. There are also two potent models – the S5, which has a 341hp diesel engine, and the RS 5 with 450hp of petrol power.

Reviewers generally favour the diesels for their smoothness and economy, but accept that ever more stringent tax laws will steer most buyers to the petrols. “All the engines are smooth, quiet and powerful enough to feel luxurious,” says Carbuyer.

The on-the-road performance produces fewer plaudits – The Telegraph comments that the A5 Sportback is “very competent” but “still not a car that delivers the kind of exciting handling that makes a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe so compelling.”

As of January 2022, the Audi A5 Sportback holds an Expert Rating of 71% based on 18 reviews. That’s one point better than the A5 Coupé, which is not that surprising since the two vehicles are so similar.

Audi A5 Sportback highlights

Wide powertrain choice
Sharper to look at than an A4 saloon
Practical with a big boot
Comfortable to travel in
Quality interior with luxury trim

Audi A5 Sportback lowlights

Rear seats a bit cramped
Not as fun to drive as some
Quite pricey for what it is

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door liftbackEngines: petrol, diesel
Price: From £39,060 on-road

Launched: Winter 2016/17Last updated: Autumn 2019
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

audi, autos, cars, audi a5 sportback, audi a5 sportback

Audi A5 Sportback (2019 facelift)

Audi A5 Sportback (2016 – 2019)

Audi S5 Sportback (2016 – 2019)

Media reviews

Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert

Score: 8.2 / 10“Five-door hatchback practicality with the visual appeal of the two-door A5 Coupe, improved engines and plenty of technology make the A5 Sportback an attractive choice.”
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Auto Express

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8 / 10“If you’re in the market for a premium-badged coupe but still need a degree of practicality, then the Audi A5 Sportback is well worth a look. It’s better than ever.”
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Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic S5Score: 8 / 10“Styling changes and tech upgrades are integrated well with a huge change for the Audi S5 Sportback’s powertrain. It’s a fast, relaxed and well-equipped premium model with quality at its heart, but also balances performance from its engine with rationality in terms of its efficiency.”
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback is a fine all-rounder: relaxed as a long-distance cruiser, but still capable of putting a smile on your face away from the main road.”
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Autocar

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 7 / 10“The Audi A5 is genuinely evocative of the silken executive options that forged Germany’s reputation for superior car making some 40 years ago. But for this car, for our money, that’s still not quite cutting the mustard.”
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Business Car

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic 40 TFSI S lineScore: 7 / 10“There’s no question the Audi A5 Sportback offers a lot to drivers who want to stand out in the office car park. This is especially true of S Line spec, where those big wheels, along with a bodykit package including more aggressive bumpers and side skirts.”
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Car

Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic S5 SportbackScore: 6 / 10“The Audi S5 Sportback is sufficiently quick enough to out-accelerate what’s arguably its main rival – the BMW 440i Gran Coupe – while being impressively refined. However, the refined but unexciting driving experience means the S5 can’t help but feel a little underwhelming.”
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Car Keys

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automaticScore: 7 / 10“Although Audi models may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they still perform to a high standard. The A5 Sportback is no exception and although its rivals may have a lower starting price, it competes thanks to its excellent equipment, more-than-liveable driving feel and rather economic diesel units.”
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Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automaticScore: 8 / 10“If you are concerned about the A5 Coupe’s limited rear practicality, then the Sportback’s extra doors are handy but the space at the back may not be quite as much as you’d hoped.”
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Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic S5 SportbackScore: 9 / 10“If you want a gentle and reasonably practical premium coupe but also a feisty speed machine at the same time, then the Audi S5 Sportback can play either role in a convincing manner. It’s luxurious, the drive is sharp and the V6 is a lot of fun.”
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8.4 / 10“Contemporary looks, the latest technology and great practicality make the Audi A5 Sportback an interesting alternative to top executive saloons.”
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Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 8 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback combines coupe curves with a dose of practicality. It won’t accommodate five adults in comfort, though, and there’s more fun to be had driving alternatives.”
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Heycar

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 7 / 10“The A5 Sportback is perfect for people looking for a stylish family car with an upmarket interior, low running costs and space for four adults on board. With its frameless windows, a sleek design that tapers towards the rear end and exclusive image, it feels even more premium than the excellent A4 saloon on which it’s based.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback combines the stylish looks of the A5 Coupe with extra practicality, thanks to its rear doors and more practical hatchback tailgate. The engine range is strong, with punchy performance and good economy, plus build quality is impeccable.”
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Motoring Research

Model reviewed: Range overview (coupé, cabriolet, Sportback)Score: 8 / 10“If you’re prepared to sacrifice a little practicality in return for improved styling – and a higher price – the Audi A5 is one of the best looking cars in its class.”
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Motors.co.uk

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 9 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback is a car to appeal to those who want something more stylish than an A4, but not without compromising on practicality or luxury. If comfort and refinement are your key priorities behind the wheel, the A5 would make an excellent choice.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8 / 10“It might be no more fun to drive than its coupe equivalent, but the Audi A5 Sportback brings a lot of extra space without compromising on the sleek styling. Its engines are brilliant, the interior classy and it is a fine car in which to cover long distances.”
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overviewScore: 7 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback is beautifully built and beautiful to look at. But the A4 is 98 per cent as good, cheaper and less pretentious.”
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What Car?

Model reviewed: Sportback rangeScore: 8 / 10“The Audi A5 Sportback blends coupé-like styling with decent practicality. If you want something that’s efficient to run, comfortable and very refined, it’s one of the best of the four- or five-door coupé breed.”
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Which?

Model reviewed: Range overview“The Audi A5 Sportback is a comfortable four-seater that takes everything in its stride. It’s very composed and relaxing to drive, and immaculately constructed, but the rakish coupé styling does bring about some practicality penalties, and it won’t excite a driver in the way its design suggests.”
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Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic S5 Sportback“The Audi S5 Sportback manages to combine many admirable qualities: it’s very rapid, safe and entertaining to drive, and it has a surprisingly good ride quality for such a sporty variant. The sloping roofline doesn’t make it the most practical choice, though – and it’s very expensive.”
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Safety rating

Overall rating: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2016

89%

ADULT OCCUPANT

87%

CHILD OCCUPANT

75%

VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

75%

SAFETY ASSIST

Read full Euro NCAP review

The Audi A5 Coupé and A5 Sportback share their safety rating with the Audi A4 range. The A5 Cabriolet does not have a safety rating as a result of the significant differences in its structure.

The car earned praise for its standard-fit autonomous emergency braking but during a pole impact test of the A5 Coupe the driver’s door opened and testers penalised the adult occupant protection score as a result.

Eco rating

No eco rating

The Audi A5 Sportback has not yet been lab tested by Green NCAP. This is a new initiative, launched in 2018 as a sister organisation to Euro NCAP. As yet, very few new cars have been tested for environmental impact by Green NCAP, and the testing programme was halted in early 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic.

If the A5 Sportback is put through the Green NCAP lab testing programme, we will publish the results here.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Audi A5 Sportback , you might also be interested in these alternatives

The junior executive premium liftback market is a bit of a niche, even by Audi and BMW standards, for those who want the practicality and brand cachet of a premium German badge but wanting something just a bit sleeker than the regular Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series. The Kia Stinger offers a good-value option that is also distinctive.

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