The A5 I had on test was powered by a 218PS 3.0 litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine which produces sharp responsiveness with the added bonus of 400Nm of torque and easily manages to complete the 0-62 mph sprint in just 6.2 seconds,
yet returned a combined 57.1 mpg – which you have to admit is pretty good for a V6. I am also going to be bold here and say that the 3.0 V6 is a brilliant engine and Audi have done a fantastic job of wringing out every last bit of horsepower.
On the Road
As you would expect the A5 handling is poised thanks to Audi’s engineers setting up the suspension with perfect precision, although the ride can be quite harsh, especially for those of you who wanted a softer approach. If you do decide to engage WARP drive and stick it into the corners – you will safely come out the other side still pointing in the same direction – mainly due to the fact that it has Audi’s brilliant Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system fitted which happens to have a self-locking center differential and Torque Vectoring – along with a whole host of safety features such as ABS, EBD and a dual circuit breaking system.
Equipment, Safety and Technology
As you would expect from Audi, the cabin materials are exceptional quality and this runs right though the veins of the A5. There is even more good news – because gone are the days of the normal dull plastics that you expect from the Audi designers. Overall then, the quality and feel inside are excellent, with all the dials and switches set out in such a way that the driver will always have finger tip control with minimal effort.
There’s also plenty of standard kit – like Air-con, cruise control, duel zone climate control, automatic wipers, Bluetooth handsfree, reversing sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and a leather steering wheel. Plus, Thanks to the all-new operating and display concept, including free-text search, the driver can control all functions effortlessly and intuitively. As an alternative to the standard-fit analog instrument dials, there is the Audi virtual cockpit (option), which you can customise just by pressing the ‘view’ button on the multi-function steering wheel. Choose the ‘classic’ view, with prominent speedometer and rev counter, or the ‘infotainment’ view, which brings functions such as the navigation map or media to the fore – with crisp 3D graphics and highly detailed effects.
There are also an abundance of driver assistance systems that cover a wide range of functions in the A5, all combining an intelligent combination of different technologies to enhance safety, comfort and efficiency.
To sum up:
I like the Audi A5 a lot – thanks mainly to how it makes you feel when you drive it. I am not sure it could get any better really. Once again Audi have proved why the A5 is a car that ticks all the boxes for the modern driver.
Price from: £40,690 By Anthony Yates
