Audi A5 Review (2007-2015)

What is the Audi A5?

The Audi A5 was inevitable, really. Audi had long been without a smart two-door with which to challenge the hegemony of the BMW 3 Series Coupe, so it was only a matter of time before it came up with such a thing. The A5 was the result.

It was based heavily on the popular A4 saloon, and shared with it a range of engines and its dashboard layout. That was, of course, no bad thing, given the A4 was famed for its economical diesels and smooth petrols, not to mention a beautifully made and well laid-out interior.

How practical is it?

Beneath the surface, Audi pushed the engine further back in the chassis than the A5’s, the aim being to improve weight distribution and make the A5 feel sporty to drive. The downside to this move is that it means the interior isn’t quite as spacious as you might hope. The driving position is slightly offset, which might cause some people a little discomfort, while neither head nor leg room is enormously generous in the back.

At least the boot’s a decent size at 455 litres, and if practicality is a concern, you can always opt for the Sportback version (480 litres), which adds two extra doors and a hatchback to the tail end while retaining the A5 Coupe’s low roofline. There’s a convertible version, too, if you’re feeling in the mood for a spot of sun worship, and because it gets four seats, three of which have Isofix, you can bring the kids along with you too.

What's it like to drive?

So, that clever idea of pushing the engine backwards to improve the A5’s handling: did it work? Well, not wholly; the A5 feels less nose-heavy than the A4, but the steering is similarly remote and overly light, while the slightly inert suspension setup means the A5 feels safe and predictable rather than agile and playful, such as a BMW 3 Series (or its successor, the 4 Series) would.

Choose one of the popular S-Line models, with their large wheels and lowered suspension, and you might find it to be unacceptably stiff; for that reason, we prefer the more pliant SE and Sport versions. They might not look quite as aggressive, but you’ll be glad of their greater comfort on your daily commute.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

You can take your pick from a wide range of engines; the A5 was made available with everything from a 1.8-litre four-cylinder to a 4.2-litre V8, with three diesels in between. Of these, the 1.8-litre petrol turbo suits the car best, though don’t underestimate the diesels; the 2.0-litre is impressively economical, while the V6s offer huge waves of torque that make them feel effortless.

When the A5 was launched it was pretty well equipped; you got leather upholstery, three-zone climate control, electric windows, Xenon headlights, and even a powered boot lid as standard. A facelift in 2012 brought a more aggressive snout and LED rear lights, along with a few extra bits of kit; several of the engine options were upgraded, too, with better fuel efficiency and more power.

Audi A5 running costs

The most economical version of the A5 is the rare 2.0 TDI Ultra. Buy one, and you should see around 55mpg on average, which is a very respectable figure from a relatively big car with sporting overtones. However, keep in mind that the Ultra features a detuned engine that makes the A5 feel decidedly ordinary to drive.

Better, then, to stick with the standard 2.0 TDI, from which you should still see around 45-50mpg in real-world driving; or if you’d rather a petrol, the 1.8-litre version should manage 35-40mpg on average. Opt for a petrol V6, and that figure will dip below 30mpg, while an S5 or RS5 probably won’t get much beyond 20mpg even with careful driving.

Of course, if you choose one of the performance models, you’ll also need to be prepared for the fact that servicing and repair costs will be higher than with the standard A5; the larger wheels will need bigger, pricier tyres, for example, and beefier brakes will be more costly to replace.

Happily, the standard A5 shouldn’t be too expensive to service. Audi’s servicing costs are generally more reasonable than those of BMW or Mercedes-Benz, and because the A5 shares so much of its technology with lesser Audis and other cars from the wider Volkswagen Group, an independent garage should be able to look after it perfectly well.

Only the 2.0 TDI models are fitted with timing belts, and these will need changing every five years or 140,000 miles, whichever comes first. All other models are fitted with timing chains, and in theory, these shouldn’t need changing for the duration of the car’s life. However, some A5 engines have gained a reputation for snapping timing chains, and there’s more on this below.

Audi A5 reliability

The 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines have been known to suffer from stretched timing chains. This can either be an expensive job to fix, if the problem is caught before it results in major engine damage, or if not, a very expensive one, as it’ll require a whole new engine – or at least a rebuild. Listen out for rattles around start-up and make sure you buy a car that’s been serviced regularly.

The above problem can be compounded by another issue peculiar to the 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines, which is that they can sometimes consume more oil than usual. The problem seems to exist mainly on cars registered in early 2011 and before, so it’s best to seek out a car made after this date.

The A5 has frameless doors, which rely on the seals being in tip-top condition so that they don’t let in water. However, the seals can wear or go hard with age, causing water to seep in in heavy rain. Look out for water marks on the interior of the door and check the carpets in the foot wells aren’t damp.

Diesel engines with manual gearboxes have also been known to suffer with dual-mass flywheel failure, which can result in a very costly bill. Unfortunately this problem can occur with no warning, but it pays to check the clutch operates as it should, with no odd noises.