Textual content by Tom Appel
2025 Audi S5 Status quattro
Specs
Class: Premium Compact Automobile
Nation of Manufacture: Germany
Shade: Ascari Blue Metallic
Miles pushed: 237
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Consolation | B- |
| Energy and Efficiency | B+ |
| Match and End | A- |
| Gasoline Financial system | C |
| Worth | B |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus different autos in the identical class. Worth grade is for particular trim stage evaluated, and will not replicate Client Information’s impressions of your entire mannequin lineup. | |
| Large & Tall Consolation | |
| Large Man | B- |
| Tall Man | B |
| Large & Tall consolation scores are for entrance seats solely. “Large” score based mostly on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” score based mostly on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 362-horsepower 3.0-liter |
| Engine Kind | Turbocharged V6 |
| Transmission | 7-speed automated |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Noticed gas economic system: 18.9 mpg
Driving combine: 65% metropolis, 35% freeway
EPA-estimated gas economic system: 19/28/22 (mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed)
Gasoline sort: Premium gasoline
Base worth: $80,135 (not together with $1945 vacation spot cost)
Choices on take a look at car: Head-up show ($600), Adaptive Variable Suspension ($1045), energy working boards ($1005), entrance skid plate ($385), sprint cam ($499), linked companies (2 years) ($325), roof cross bars ($365)
Worth as examined: $86,304
Audio-System Model
Bang & Olufsen
Audio-System High quality
Poor Truthful Good Very-Good Wonderful
Professionals and Cons
The nice: Sporty, comfy, luxurious
The nice: Hatchback comfort, respectable rear-seat legroom
The not so good: Somber cabin lacks pleasure
Assessment
When you have grown hooked up in any technique to Audi’s conventional A4/A6/A8 lineup of premium sedans, now we have very dangerous information for you. The German maker of sporty luxurious autos is juggling its lineup—and naming scheme—in such a method that even model loyalist can be left scratching their heads.
Rebranding
The tip plan is that this: Audi gasoline-powered autos can be named utilizing odd numbers, whereas electric-vehicle monikers will make use of even numbers. The end result? A transitional interval of confusion for positive, however finally a line-wide branding scheme that may make discussing—and purchasing for—an Audi simpler for everybody. Finger’s crossed.
As for the standard A4/A6/A8 lineup–the upheaval has begun.
Changing the A4
Blame crossovers for this, however the A4 compact sedan has been a gradual vendor of late, and has thus been discontinued. As soon as a quantity participant within the Audi lineup, the good-looking little 4-door accounted for simply over 7000 U.S. gross sales in 2024, this together with the sporty S4 variant.
In the meantime, the rakish and pricier A5 lured nearly 25,000 prospects into the Audi fold in 2024, although that quantity contains all A5/S5 fashions and variants.
Coupe and Convertible Dropped
For 2024, the A5 (and sportier S5) was provided as a coupe, convertible, and sedan (dubbed Sportback). Utterly redesigned on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) structure for 2025, the A5/S5 combo return solely in 4-door sedan kind. Although, somewhat surprisingly, the brand new A5 retains the previous automotive’s hatchback design. (We contemplate this factor.)
Tariffs
Audi has instructed that killing the A4 was additionally a matter of cash, as the entire German maker’s U.S. fashions are imported. Most of Audi’s lineup comes from Europe, although the favored Q5 compact crossover is imported from Mexico. As such, the entire marque’s fashions are uncovered to doubtlessly pricey tariffs. And, because the A5 has historically price greater than the A4, the transfer successfully shifts the model’s compact sedan consumers upmarket, doubtlessly bringing in income.
Costs
For 2025, the A4’s final 12 months, the small sedan began at $45,395. The redesigned A5, now solely provided as a 4-door hatchback, began at $47,595. Nonetheless, the A5 jumps to $52,290 for 2026, largely unchanged.
Confusion
However the true disgrace right here is that the launch of an all-new Audi has been buried in branding and repositioning intrigue, in addition to tariff-related insanity. A disgrace, as a result of the brand new A5—not less than in S5 trim—is mostly a good automotive.
Legacy Fashions
(Notice that, as a result of Audi enjoys complicated prospects, the brand new A5/S5 is being bought alongside the previous A5 and S5 for 2025. The old-design automotive remains to be dubbed Sportback, whereas the brand new automotive is dubbed Sedan. Notice, too, that the coupe and convertible variations of the “previous” A5 had been dropped after 2024.)
Costs and Trim Ranges
For 2025, the S5 Sedan (simply the redesigned model) is obtainable in three trim ranges:
- S5 Sedan Premium ($63,995)
- S5 Sedan Premium Plus ($67,795)
- S5 Sedan Status ($71,545)
Take a look at Automobile
Client Information just lately spent every week behind the wheel of the 2025 Audi S5. Our Status take a look at automotive got here in Ascari Blue Metallic and was geared up with the Version One bundle. All instructed, together with vacation spot cost, the automotive got here to $73,940.
A5 versus S5
Once more for 2025, the S5 represents a substantial bump-up in sportiness over the extra mainstream A5. Not solely does the improve embrace distinctive S5 exterior and inside trim, however suspension and brake upgrades, and extra energy.
Engines
By way of energy, the 2025 S5 is powered by a 362-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. This instead of the A5’s 268-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4 which is augmented by a 48-volt “delicate hybrid” system. Each the A5 and S5 are fitted with a 7-speed dual-clutch-style automated transmission and Audi’s quattro-brand AWD.
Design
We’re kind of bummed that the A5/S5 has misplaced its particular place as a model design halo automotive of types. The A5 was as soon as meant to attracted buyers trying to stand out in visitors and within the health-club parking zone. And whereas nonetheless very enticing, it appears as Audi has to some extent “normalized” the A5/S5 design, this, we presume to achieve a broader viewers.
Cabin Appointments
Entering into the S5 reminds us that Audi as soon as led the business by way of cabin design and basic—if restrained–opulence. That function appears to have been usurped by Genesis, although the S5 inside is actually upscale. We discovered the black-on-black motif just a little somber, although certainly not lower than luxurious. Supplies high quality is high notch, and meeting match and end in line with our expectation of a German luxurious sedan.
Three Screens
In case you like numbers, you’ll take pleasure in the next: There are three screens mounted on the S5 dashboard, an 11.9-inch drive show, a 14.5-inch heart console touchscreen, and a ten.9-inch passenger-side touchscreen.
Controls
The passenger display permits front-seat co-pilots to entry quite a few car features, together with navigation and media. We discovered the entire screens vivid and straightforward to learn beneath most circumstances, and fast to reply to inputs. We typically want that local weather management not be included within the touchscreen-operated suite of features, however the S5 system is comprised of mounted controls which run alongside the underside of the display, and are straightforward sufficient to shortly manipulate.
Room and Consolation
Total, the S5 cabin is barely bigger than that of the outgoing A5/S5 Sportback, which implies this huge editor discovered loads of room as soon as seated, although getting into and exiting concerned some minor contortion work. Rear-space can also be improved, with legroom rising by about an inch. Taller back-seat passengers will need to sit behind the shortest front-row occupant, although for probably the most half the Audi will mange 4 adults in cheap consolation.
Trip and Dealing with
On the highway the S5 shines, with a sporty character that’s each playful and refined. Whereas we want the steering had just a little extra really feel, we loved driving the compact Audi aggressively. Cornering lean is effectively managed, and the robust brakes add to the driving force’s basic sense of management. The turbocharged V6 is usually hushed, however emits an aesthetic snarl when pushed, as does the exhaust. Certainly, we’d have appreciated just a little extra exhaust noise, not less than throughout acceleration.
And, talking of noise, there may be little or no of it at freeway pace. The S5 cabin is impressively hushed at occasions the engine isn’t being exercised. Trip high quality, too, is noteworthy. The S5’s typically buttoned-down suspension tuning serves up a agency however compliant trip, although with none harshness and little or no highway noise. Name the trip elegant, with a aspect of athleticism.
Cargo Area
As we famous earlier, the A5/S5 enjoys a rear hatch as an alternative of a trunk, which opens up cargo hauling to bigger gadgets, and extra stuff usually. A middle pass-through within the rear seat decomplicates the hauling of lengthy gadgets, together with skis.
Worth
Whereas the we lament the value improve, and can miss the tidy and accessible A4/S4, the redesigned S5 is a formidable alternative, boasting just a little extra passenger area and a sexier profile. For a lot of luxurious sedan buyers, we suspect the “normal” A5 will match the invoice, however for fans in search of additional commuting pleasure, we recommend placing the S5 in your test-drive brief checklist.
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2025 Audi S5 Photos
Click on beneath for enlarged photographs
