Textual content by Tom Appel
2025 Audi S5 Status quattro
Specs
Class: Premium Compact Automobile
Nation of Manufacture: Germany
Coloration: Ascari Blue Metallic
Miles pushed: 237
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Consolation | B- |
| Energy and Efficiency | B+ |
| Match and End | A- |
| Gasoline Economic 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 Shopper Information’s impressions of your complete mannequin lineup. | |
| Huge & Tall Consolation | |
| Huge Man | B- |
| Tall Man | B |
| Huge & Tall consolation scores are for entrance seats solely. “Huge” ranking based mostly on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” ranking based mostly on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 362-horsepower 3.0-liter |
| Engine Kind | Turbocharged V6 |
| Transmission | 7-speed computerized |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Noticed gas financial system: 18.9 mpg
Driving combine: 65% metropolis, 35% freeway
EPA-estimated gas financial system: 19/28/22 (mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed)
Gasoline sort: Premium fuel
Base worth: $80,135 (not together with $1945 vacation spot cost)
Choices on take a look at automobile: Head-up show ($600), Adaptive Variable Suspension ($1045), energy operating 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 Honest Good Very-Good Wonderful
Execs and Cons
The nice: Sporty, snug, luxurious
The great: Hatchback comfort, first rate rear-seat legroom
The not so good: Somber cabin lacks pleasure
Evaluate
When you’ve got grown hooked up in any approach to Audi’s conventional A4/A6/A8 lineup of premium sedans, we now have very unhealthy 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 shall be left scratching their heads.
Rebranding
The tip plan is that this: Audi gasoline-powered autos shall be named utilizing odd numbers, whereas electric-vehicle monikers will make use of even numbers. The end result? A transitional interval of confusion for certain, however finally a line-wide branding scheme that can make discussing—and looking for—an Audi simpler for everybody. Finger’s crossed.
As for the normal A4/A6/A8 lineup–the upheaval has begun.
Changing the A4
Blame crossovers for this, however the A4 compact sedan has been a sluggish 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 clients into the Audi fold in 2024, although that quantity consists of all A5/S5 fashions and variants.
Coupe and Convertible Dropped
For 2024, the A5 (and sportier S5) was supplied as a coupe, convertible, and sedan (dubbed Sportback). Fully redesigned on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) structure for 2025, the A5/S5 combo return solely in 4-door sedan type. Although, slightly surprisingly, the brand new A5 retains the outdated automobile’s hatchback design. (We take into account this an excellent factor.)
Tariffs
Audi has steered that killing the A4 was additionally a matter of cash, as all the 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, all the marque’s fashions are uncovered to probably pricey tariffs. And, because the A5 has historically price greater than the A4, the transfer successfully shifts the model’s compact sedan patrons upmarket, probably bringing in income.
Costs
For 2025, the A4’s final 12 months, the small sedan began at $45,395. The redesigned A5, now solely supplied as a 4-door hatchback, began at $47,595. Nevertheless, 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—at the least in S5 trim—can be a good automobile.
Legacy Fashions
(Observe that, as a result of Audi enjoys complicated clients, the brand new A5/S5 is being bought alongside the outdated A5 and S5 for 2025. The old-design automobile remains to be dubbed Sportback, whereas the brand new automobile is dubbed Sedan. Observe, too, that the coupe and convertible variations of the “outdated” A5 have 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
Shopper Information lately spent every week behind the wheel of the 2025 Audi S5. Our Status take a look at automobile got here in Ascari Blue Metallic and was outfitted with the Version One package deal. All advised, together with vacation spot cost, the automobile 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 embody distinctive S5 exterior and inside trim, however suspension and brake upgrades, and extra energy.
Engines
When it comes to energy, the 2025 S5 is powered by a 362-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. This rather than the A5’s 268-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4 which is augmented by a 48-volt “gentle hybrid” system. Each the A5 and S5 are fitted with a 7-speed dual-clutch-style computerized transmission and Audi’s quattro-brand AWD.
Design
We’re type of bummed that the A5/S5 has misplaced its particular place as a model design halo automobile of types. The A5 was as soon as meant to attracted buyers seeking to stand out in site 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
Getting into the S5 reminds us that Audi as soon as led the business when it comes to cabin design and normal—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 somewhat somber, although certainly not lower than luxurious. Supplies high quality is prime notch, and meeting match and end consistent with our expectation of a German luxurious sedan.
Three Screens
If you happen to like numbers, you’ll get pleasure from the next: There are three screens mounted on the S5 dashboard, an 11.9-inch drive show, a 14.5-inch middle console touchscreen, and a ten.9-inch passenger-side touchscreen.
Controls
The passenger display permits front-seat co-pilots to entry plenty of automobile capabilities, together with navigation and media. We discovered all the screens vivid and straightforward to learn beneath most circumstances, and fast to answer inputs. We typically favor that local weather management not be included within the touchscreen-operated suite of capabilities, however the S5 system is comprised of fastened controls which run alongside the underside of the display, and are straightforward sufficient to rapidly manipulate.
Room and Consolation
Total, the S5 cabin is barely bigger than that of the outgoing A5/S5 Sportback, which implies this large editor discovered loads of room as soon as seated, although coming 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 wish to sit behind the shortest front-row occupant, although for essentially the most half the Audi will mange 4 adults in affordable consolation.
Journey and Dealing with
On the street the S5 shines, with a sporty character that’s each playful and refined. Whereas we want the steering had somewhat extra really feel, we loved driving the compact Audi aggressively. Cornering lean is properly managed, and the sturdy brakes add to the motive force’s normal sense of management. The turbocharged V6 is usually hushed, however emits a cultured snarl when pushed, as does the exhaust. Certainly, we might have appreciated somewhat extra exhaust noise, at the least throughout acceleration.
And, talking of noise, there may be little or no of it at freeway pace. The S5 cabin is impressively hushed at instances the engine isn’t being exercised. Journey high quality, too, is noteworthy. The S5’s typically buttoned-down suspension tuning serves up a agency however compliant journey, although with none harshness and little or no street noise. Name the journey elegant, with a facet of athleticism.
Cargo House
As we famous earlier, the A5/S5 enjoys a rear hatch as a substitute of a trunk, which opens up cargo hauling to bigger objects, and extra stuff generally. A middle pass-through within the rear seat decomplicates the hauling of lengthy objects, together with skis.
Worth
Whereas the we lament the value enhance, and can miss the tidy and accessible A4/S4, the redesigned S5 is a powerful substitute, boasting somewhat 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 lovers on the lookout for further commuting pleasure, we propose placing the S5 in your test-drive quick record.
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2025 Audi S5 Footage
Click on beneath for enlarged photos
