Audi A5 Coupe (2016-2024) Review

The Audi A5 Coupe has always occupied an interesting niche. It looks like the sort of car that should be bought with the heart, but in reality it appeals just as much to the head. It's based closely on the A4, which means it brings across much of that car’s refinement, quality and everyday usability, but wraps it in a sleeker and more desirable two-door body.

That's what makes it such an effective all-rounder. The A5 Coupe has the style buyers want from a premium coupe, but it never feels as compromised as more overtly sporting alternatives can. There's enough cabin space to use it every day, the boot is genuinely useful and the whole car has the sort of polished, expensive feel that Audi tends to do very well.

It also comes from a time when this kind of car made more obvious sense in the market. Premium brands still treated the two-door coupe as a meaningful part of the range rather than a niche indulgence, and the A5 Coupe was Audi’s take on that idea: handsome, high-quality and just practical enough to justify itself beyond pure image.

Since then, Audi’s range has shifted quite dramatically. The current Audi A5 is now part of the brand’s new naming structure and sits closer to where the A4 once did, with Saloon and Avant body styles rather than a like-for-like continuation of this two-door coupe. In other words, the newer A5 shares the name, but not quite the same role.

That means the Audi A5 Coupe now stands a little more apart in the used market. It's not simply yesterday’s version of today’s car. Instead, it represents a type of Audi the brand no longer offers in quite the same way: a sleek, premium two-door GT with genuine everyday manners.

The key to the A5 Coupe’s appeal is that it gives you almost all of the style of a coupe without demanding the usual sacrifices. It may not stir the soul in the way a BMW 4 Series can, but it's hard to fault as a classy, refined and easy-to-live-with used premium car.

For most used buyers, the sweet spot is the 40 TFSI in Sport trim. It has the performance the A5 Coupe really wants, feels smooth and refined, and avoids the running-cost and complexity step that comes with the quicker quattro models.

If you cover a lot of motorway miles, the 35 TDI is also very easy to recommend. It suits the A5’s long-legged GT character well and gives the car a strong, relaxed feel in everyday driving.

Sport trim is the one most buyers should start with. It already gives you a strong equipment level and usually rides more sweetly than the sharper-looking S line, Edition 1 and Vorsprung versions.

Used Audi A5 Coupe prices now start from around £15,000 for earlier, higher-mileage examples, while later facelifted cars, richer trims and the more powerful S5 versions can still sit much higher.

That leaves a lot of room for choice in the used market, which is helpful because the A5 Coupe was offered with a wide spread of engines and trims over its life. It also means it's worth being picky, because the right specification makes a real difference to how convincing the car feels.

Facelifted cars from late 2019 onwards are often worth stretching to if your budget allows, because the updated infotainment and tidier trim structure make them feel that bit fresher.

The BMW 4 Series Coupe is the obvious alternative if driving enjoyment matters most, while the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe makes a stronger case on comfort and visual glamour.

The Lexus RC is another left-field option if you want something different, while more focused cars such as the Ford Mustang offer a much brasher, more overtly sporty take on the same broad idea.

The A5 Coupe’s advantage is that it sits neatly between those extremes. It's more practical and polished than many sports coupes, but still looks special enough to justify choosing a two-door car in the first place.

For a coupe, the A5 is impressively usable. Up front there's plenty of room for taller adults, the driving position is excellent and there are enough storage spaces to make it feel like a car you could happily live with every day.

The rear seats are inevitably less generous, but they are more usable than in many coupes of this size. A couple of adults can fit in the back for shorter trips without too much complaint, and the Audi does a decent job of balancing that sleeker roofline with just enough headroom to stop the rear from feeling like a token gesture.

The boot is another strength. At 450 litres, it's generously sized for a coupe, and the shape is usefully square rather than awkward or shallow. The split-folding rear backrests add more flexibility too, which means the A5 Coupe can cope with longer or bulkier items more easily than you might expect.

It's still a coupe, of course, so rear access is never going to be as straightforward as in the A5 Sportback or A4 saloon. But judged within its type, the A5 Coupe is one of the more practical cars of its kind.

The Audi A5 Coupe measures 4,697mm long, 2,029mm wide and 1,371mm high. That gives it the presence you want from a premium coupe without making it feel too cumbersome on UK roads.

It's also a little shorter than the A4 saloon on which it's based, which helps it feel slightly neater visually without sacrificing too much substance.

The Audi A5 Coupe’s tech is one of its highlights. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit remains one of the best digital instrument systems around, and even now it helps the cabin feel modern and more special than many rivals.

Infotainment changed over the car’s life. Earlier cars used a rotary controller setup that was arguably easier to use on the move, while facelifted cars switched to a larger touchscreen system with more features and cleaner graphics.

The newer setup looks more current, but it's not necessarily more intuitive. That means there's a genuine case for either depending on what you value more: extra functionality or easier operation.

Material quality is where the Audi A5 Coupe really justifies its premium billing. The upper dashboard, switchgear, steering wheel and trim all feel beautifully judged, and even lower down the cabin feels solid and expensive.

There are rival interiors with more overt drama, but few feel as crisply put together. That solidity is a big part of the A5 Coupe’s appeal, because it still feels properly premium several years on.

Used buyers will mainly be choosing between 35 TFSI, 40 TFSI and 45 TFSI petrols, plus 35 TDI and 40 TDI diesels. Earlier cars broaden that picture further with older naming and some six-cylinder options, while the S5 sits separately as the faster halo model.

The 40 TFSI is the pick for many buyers because it feels strong enough to suit the car without tipping into excess. It gives the A5 Coupe the brisk, effortless performance you want from something that looks this sleek.

The 35 TDI is the sensible long-distance choice, with enough mid-range shove to make overtaking easy and motorway driving particularly relaxed. The 45 TFSI and S5 are undeniably quick, but they make less sense unless outright pace is high on your list.

The Audi A5 Coupe feels safe, secure and mature on the road. Around town it's easy enough to place, the steering is light enough and the standard reversing camera and sensors make manoeuvring straightforward.

On a motorway or fast A-road, the Audi really comes into its own. It feels hushed, stable and impressively composed, which is why it makes such a convincing long-distance car.

Sport trim cars on smaller wheels are the ones to seek out if comfort matters most. S line and especially Edition 1 and Vorsprung versions with larger wheels can chip away at the car’s natural suppleness.

Handling is tidy and composed rather than thrilling. The A5 grips hard and resists roll well enough, but it never really eggs you on in the way a BMW 4 Series can. That's not necessarily a criticism, because the Audi is better understood as a classy GT than a true sports coupe.

The Audi A5 Coupe was not separately tested by independent safety organisation Euro NCAP, but Audi’s closely related A4 scored the maximum five stars and the two cars share the same basic safety architecture.

Safety equipment is strong for the era, with autonomous emergency braking, six airbags and a broad spread of driver-assistance features depending on trim and options. As ever, it's worth checking the exact specification of any used example you are considering.

Fuel economy is respectable across the mainstream range. The diesels remain the best long-distance choices, delivering as much as 58mpg according to official figures, while the smaller and mid-range petrols are more affordable to run than the A5’s looks might suggest, delivering up to 45mpg.

As always, real-world use will depend heavily on engine, wheel size and drivetrain, but none of the standard four-cylinder cars feels ruinous.

Any remaining manufacturer warranty will depend on the age of the car, but Audi Approved Used examples remain the most reassuring place to start.

Audi Approved Used currently includes a minimum of one-year Audi Warranty, one-year roadside assistance and a 30-day exchange plan, which adds welcome reassurance on a used premium coupe.

Audi servicing is generally straightforward, but on used examples it's still worth checking the history carefully, especially on cars with the S tronic gearbox. Servicing is due annually.

Insurance varies quite a bit by engine and trim, but the Audi A5 Coupe sits where you would expect for a premium two-door car rather than delivering any surprises. The lower-end cars sit in group 25 of 50, but higher-end models can reach all the way to group 48.

The mainstream four-cylinder cars are manageable enough, while the S5 and other higher-powered versions climb quickly. As always, it's worth checking quotes before you buy.

For Audi A5 Coupes first registered from 1 April 2017, the standard annual VED rate is £200, which works out at £17.50 a month by Direct Debit.

If the car’s original list price was more than £40,000, it will also be liable for the Expensive Car Supplement for five years from the second tax year. That lifts the annual bill to £640 - that's worth bearing in mind with the A5 Coupe, because plenty of cars ended up above that threshold once options were added.