Car review: Audi A5 is a cushy executive express (2025)

SINGAPORE – German car brand Audi came up with a winner 16 years ago. Its A5 was positioned as a more desirable and upmarket version of the A4 saloon that was sold concurrently. Well, the A5 has been such a success that Audi not only launched a new one in 2025, but also discontinued the A4 to focus its efforts.

The A4 badge is dead, long live the A5. In reality, the car is basically the new A4 under a different name.

Call it what you like, but the new car is big. While previous generations of the A4 and A5 have always been a bit larger than their rivals from BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the new A5 is almost one size bigger than its contemporaries.

Compared with the BMW 3- and 4-series, the Audi is more than 100mm longer, which is significant.

It also has a more powerful engine than the rivals sold here, being just over 200hp, while the other German models are below 190hp.

The Edition 1 – the A5’s more premium version – has a more flamboyant bodykit, larger wheels, a three-spoke steering wheel and a higher-end sound system, among other differences, for an extra $15,000 over the regular model.

In line with how the current Audi models look, the A5 trades some elegance of its predecessors for muscles – with prominent haunches over the wheel arches and chunkier lines all around.

The hoop-style door handles have been replaced with flush-fitting ones that are electrically actuated.

I do miss the frameless window design of the previous A5, which was a design cue associated with the classic grand tourers that the model used to reference, and which the A4 never had.

There are all kinds of lighting effects on the outside. The daytime running headlights offer nine design settings, which is borderline excessive, especially as few will notice the difference.

But compared with what other German carmakers are doing – which includes illuminating the emblem (Volkswagen), the individual letters of their brands (Porsche) and the frame of the radiator grille (BMW) – Audi’s approach with the A5 is rather subdued.

When parked, an arrow-shaped icon is projected on the part of the road under the rear bumper to indicate where to swing your foot to open the boot hands-free. It is a useful feature, especially for those who find themselves swiping and texting on smartphones while trying to load their grocery shopping.

There is a sense of premium quality in the cabin, which is notable at a time when European carmakers seem to be slipping.

The cabin is flashier than ever – literally so with more LEDs than light sticks at a pop concert. At the bottom of the windscreen is a strip of LEDs that start dancing when the indicators are activated. This is quite useful since the arrows on the driver’s instrument display can sometimes be obstructed because of the squarish steering wheel.

That said, the placement of the locally fitted touchscreen for the on-board unit to show toll payments partially blocks the sweeping LEDs, compromising the presentation.

Speaking of theon-board unit, a loose connector in it was believed to be the cause of a persistent wheezing in the cabin during the test drive, said Audi’s spokesperson a day after the car was returned.

A glossy touch-sensitive panel on the driver’s door, near the power-window switches, houses 14 buttons and a direction pad. These are controls for the memory seat setting, side mirrors and rear door child lock, among others. It is easier to use than it sounds, although it smudges very easily.

The touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel spokes can be a bit over-sensitive. Notably, the likes of Ferrari and Volkswagen are going back to conventional buttons for their steering wheel controls. Hopefully, Audi can do so too.

The infotainment system is intuitive. Setting up the system to wirelessly connect to Apple CarPlay is a cinch, and most car functions can be accessed within two clicks. The icons, which are cleanly designed and predominantly white, are also very legible as they are set against a black background.

The graphics on the head-up display are similarly crisp.

At 4,892mm long, this is a bigger car than before, being 72mm longer than its immediate predecessor. The wheelbase has grown too, by 68mm to reach 2,892mm. This does mean that the A5 will jut out of some parking spaces, though not quite as much as something like the Mercedes-Benz E-class (4,949mm). The car is also taller than the older A5 by 58mm.

The generous dimensions translate to a rather spacious cabin, although like in earlier A5s, there is a chunky protrusion on the floor that bisects the rear cabin. This is meant to accommodate components for the all-wheel-drive versions of the A5, but is not relevant for the front-wheel-drive model in Singapore.

Against the prevailing norm, the A5 is not a hybrid but a traditional turbocharged 2-litre engine. Over the three-day test drive that covers 255km, the car posts an average fuel consumption of 10.6 litres per 100km, which is acceptable if not outstanding.

The engine’s stop-start feature is more intrusive than some cars, however, so it is a good thing that there is a conveniently placed switch to deactivate the feature.

The A5 feels direct and nimble enough around town and it is only when negotiating spiralling carpark ramps that its size becomes more apparent. The suspension on the Edition 1 version is lower than in the standard version, but the ride is still quite pliant.

The steering feels direct and quick too. But the car probably feels most at home on the expressway as a relaxing cruiser.

A5 Sedan Edition 1 TFSI 150 kW

Price: $331,999 with COE, before applicable discounts
Engine: 1,984cc 16-valve turbocharged inline-4
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch with paddle shift
Power: 204hp at 4,300-6,000rpm
Torque: 340Nm at 2,000-4,000rpm
0-100kmh: 7.8 seconds
Top speed: 248kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.9 litres/100km
Agent: Audi Singapore
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Comparable considerations

BMW 420i M Sport Pro ($336,888 with COE)

Audi may have abandoned the idea of pitching two models in the same segment, but BMW has not. The 4-series was recently refreshed with a minor styling update. The 2-litre engine makes less power than the Audi (184hp versus 204hp), but is only very slightly slower to get to 100kmh from rest (by 0.1 second). Dial down the power and design flair a notch, and you get the 318i with 156hp and an asking price of $281,888 with COE.

Mercedes-Benz C180 Avantgarde ($307,888 with COE)

The most appropriate version of the C-class to be pitted against the A5 should be the C200, but since that is no longer offered by the authorised distributor, the C180 will have to do. Besides the lower asking price, the Merc should have lower running costs, with its smaller 1.5-litre engine and frugal hybrid technology.

Lexus IS300h ($312,800 with COE)

The Lexus IS300h has a 2.5-litre hybrid engine. Much like the Audi, it has an attention-grabbing exterior design. The cabin looks more conventional, with far fewer screens and LED lights.

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