2019 Audi A5 Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　

What's new

Minor additions and changes to feature contentLED headlights are now standardA wireless charger with signal booster is now availableThe manual transmission has been discontinuedPart of the second A5 generation introduced for 2018

　　If you're shopping for a luxury coupe, you're likely expecting refinement, comfort, cutting-edge tech and performance. Lucky for you, the 2019 Audi A5 has all of those. Coming off a full redesign last year, the A5 returns with some minor changes. This time around, the manual transmission has been discontinued, as have the adaptive suspension dampers. Also, some items have been moved from the options column to the list of standard features.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$169/mo  for A5 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro

　　A5 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro

　　2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $44,200 MSRP2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 2dr Coupe AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $44,200 MSRP2.0 TFSI Premium quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $51,200 MSRP2.0 TFSI Premium Plus quattro 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) (Most Popular) - $48,600 MSRP2.0 TFSI Premium Plus quattro 2dr Coupe AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $48,600 MSRP2.0 TFSI Premium Plus quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $55,600 MSRP2.0 TFSI Prestige quattro 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $52,300 MSRP2.0 TFSI Prestige quattro 2dr Coupe AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $52,300 MSRP2.0 TFSI Prestige quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $59,300 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Otherwise, the A5 remains unchanged, and that's a good thing. It occupies a narrow space between the sporty BMW 4 Series and the classically luxurious Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Like those German rivals, the A5 is available as a convertible, but the line also includes a four-door hatchback called the A5 Sportback.

　　Competition among these three luxury coupes is tight. The Audi is the newest, but with BMW's and Benz's frequent updates, there's really no clear winner or loser among them. Your choice will probably come down to personal preference, but we like the A5 for its balanced approach to luxury and performance.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

　　

Trim tested

　　zzdcar has not yet driven any version of the 2018 Audi A5. However, we've driven the related A4 and S5. Here's our take on what's significant about it and what you can expect.

　　

Driving

　　If the mechanically similar A4 sedan is any indication, the A5 will rise to the top when it comes to performance. It will also score slightly above average for everyday drivability. We do suspect there will be a slight hesitation from the four-cylinder engine upon initial acceleration, though.

　　

Comfort

　　The A5's seats are firm and well shaped for hours of comfortable driving. The cabin should be as quiet and isolating as those of the A4 and the S5 that we've evaluated, and the available adaptive suspension should smooth out the ride further.

　　

Interior

　　The A5 gets high marks for its modern and elegantly simple interior. The materials quality is excellent for the class, and the controls are just where you'd want them as a driver. The rear seats are rather small and best suited for smaller passengers.

　　

Utility

　　The A5 coupe's 11.6-cubic-foot trunk isn't the biggest in the class, but it should be enough for most cargo, and the flat load floor and handy hooks score it additional points. Interior storage for personal items is merely adequate.

　　

Technology

　　Audi's MMI is one of the easier infotainment systems to operate, and the screen placement further reduces distraction. The available virtual instrument panel is as appealing to the eye as it is useful and effective. It makes cutting-edge tech as accessible as it can be.

　　

Which A5 does zzdcar recommend?

　　The Premium Plus trim strikes a good balance of added features and price. In addition to some nice creature comforts, there are plenty of tech upgrades to justify the jump in price from the base Premium.

　　

2019 Audi A5 models

　　The 2019 Audi A5 is available in its typical two-door coupe and convertible (Cabriolet) body styles as well as a four-door hatchback (the Sportback). All A5s are available in Premium, Premium Plus or Prestige trims and are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (248 horsepower, 273 pound-feet of torque). All-wheel drive is included, as is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

　　Standard Premium trim features for the coupe (availability for the convertible and hatchback might vary slightly) include 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, a panoramic sunroof, selectable drive modes, tri-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a 7-inch infotainment display with Audi's MMI interface, a rearview camera, two USB ports and a 10-speaker sound system. Low-speed forward collision warning and mitigation is included.

　　Stepping up to the Premium Plus trim gets you auto-dimming and power-folding exterior mirrors, a hands-free trunklid, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and ignition, Audi's Connect Care (with 4G LTE connection and emergency communications), rear collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a digital instrument panel, a wireless charging pad with signal booster, an 8.3-inch infotainment display, a navigation system, heated front seats, driver-seat memory functions, a 10-speaker CD player and satellite radio.

　　The Prestige trim rounds out the lineup with adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane keeping assist, a head-up display, remote monitoring and vehicle function controls via a smartphone app, an automated parking system, a surround-view camera system and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system.

　　Most features on the upper trim levels are available on supporting trims as options. Other add-ons include 19-inch wheels, high-performance summer tires, sporty S line exterior embellishments, adaptive steering, a sport suspension, ventilated sport seats and a heated steering wheel.

　　

2019 A5 Highlights

Type: HatchbackCoupeConvertibleHatchback

　　Trim: 2.0 TFSI Premium quattro2.0 TFSI Premium Plus quattro2.0 TFSI Prestige quattro2.0 TFSI Premium quattro

　　

Base MSRP	$44,200
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$169/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	21.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles