Audi A5 Sportback (2017-2025) Review

The A5 Sportback always sat in a very clever part of the market. It was not really a conventional saloon, not really a hatchback in the ordinary sense, and not simply a coupe with extra doors either. Instead, it took the polished mechanical base of the A4 and wrapped it in something that looked sleeker, felt more design-led and offered a more useful boot layout at the same time.

That mix is what made it so easy to justify. Plenty of stylish cars ask you to sacrifice practicality, while plenty of practical cars never feel especially special. The A5 Sportback managed to sit neatly between those two extremes. It looked more expensive and more distinctive than a normal executive saloon, but still had the sort of rear hatch, folding seats and everyday usability that made it easy to live with.

It also appealed to a slightly different sort of buyer from the A5 Coupe. Where the Coupe was the more traditional two-door style statement, the Sportback was the grown-up, do-it-all option for people who still wanted some glamour in the mix. In that sense it was arguably one of the most rounded cars Audi made at the time.

What has changed is Audi’s wider range structure. The newer A5 now sits in a different place in the line-up, closer to where the A4 once did, and it does not really replicate the role this Sportback played. That means a used A5 Sportback should be treated as its own thing in the pre-owned market rather than as a simple previous version of the current car.

In effect, it represents a type of Audi the brand no longer offers in quite the same way: a sleek, premium five-door GT that blends executive-car polish with hatchback practicality. That's a big part of why it still feels so appealing as a used buy.

If high fuel efficiency and low carbon-dioxide emissions are your top priorities, then the 35 TDI Sport is your first choice. However, we think most buyers are better off with the punchier 40 TDI engine and quattro four-wheel drive.

It's still capable of returning mid-forties economy and has a much longer cruising range thanks to its larger 58-litre fuel tank. The extra power and grunt give it an effortless feel on the motorway, and while it's not essential, the added grip and all-weather stability of the four-wheel drive system is certainly nice to have.

This is an expensive car, so for us the entry-level Sport trim represents the best value. It has almost all the equipment you could want, and essentials like sat-nav, cruise and climate control and parking sensors.

For high-performance buyers, the diesel-powered Audi S5 Sportback is a tempting option, with its tremendous pulling power and aggressive styling, thanks to a silky smooth 3.0-litre V6 engine that can return almost 40mpg. 

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

There's a lot of choice in the market, which is helpful because the A5 Sportback was popular with both private buyers and fleets. It also means specification matters, so it's worth taking the time to find the right combination of engine, trim and options rather than just the cheapest example.

Facelifted cars from late 2019 onwards are often worth stretching to if your budget allows, because the updated infotainment and broader standard equipment make them feel fresher and more complete.

The Audi A5 Sportback's natural rival is the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. They are closely matched on price and performance, with the Audi giving a more relaxing driving experience, and the BMW feeling a bit sportier.

For a little less cash, the Volkswagen Arteon features a striking design and the same excellent engines as the Audi but it's got better rear passenger space, a massive boot, and it'll cost you quite a lot less to insure.

Meanwhile, the left-field Kia Stinger GT S has even more standard kit than the Audi, and a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 with 370PS under its bonnet, but costs less than the 40 TFSI S line A5. However it'll cost a packet to run.

With a similarly rakish profile, impressive performance, and high-tech cabin the Tesla Model 3 will hold a big appeal for buyers wanting to cut their environmental impact and fuel bills, as long as an electric car fits your lifestyle.

The A5 Sportback is much easier to justify than the Coupe if you need your stylish car to do some real work. Up front there's plenty of room, an excellent driving position and enough useful storage to make everyday life straightforward.

The rear seats show both the strengths and compromises of the design. Legroom is generous enough, and the extra doors make access far easier than in the Coupe, but the lower roofline does nibble away at headroom. That means taller adults will feel more hemmed in than they would in an A4 saloon or a roomier alternative such as the Arteon.

The centre rear seat is also best treated as occasional-use space. The raised transmission tunnel and narrower cushion make it the weak point of the back seat, even though the outer chairs are perfectly usable.

The boot is where the Sportback really earns its keep. At 480 litres, it's not massively larger than the A4 saloon on paper, but the hatchback opening makes it far more useful in practice. It's easier to load bulky items, easier to pack to the roof and simply more convenient day to day than a normal saloon boot.

That's the real appeal of the A5 Sportback. It gives you the look of something lower and sleeker than an SUV, but with enough flexibility to cope with family life, weekend luggage and the sort of awkward cargo that would expose the limits of a conventional saloon. It's not the roomiest car of its type, but it's a genuinely useful one.

The Audi A5 Sportback measures 4,757mm long, 2,029mm wide and 1,386mm high. That makes it very close in size to the A4 saloon, but with a noticeably sleeker roofline.

It feels substantial without becoming unwieldy, and that balance is part of what makes it so easy to live with.

Audi's infotainment system is one of the best around, both in terms of its hardware and software. In the Audi A5 Sportback it manages to marry together a lot of different gadgets into a single, cohesive system that's very intuitive.

In older versions of this car, you got a fixed 7.0-inch display mounted above the dash (controlled with a dial next to the gear selector) and the option to upgrade to an 8.3-inch screen with a faster processor and slicker graphics. All models came with decent connectivity, DAB radio, and Apple and Android smartphone mirroring.

Another optional extra was to fit a second 12.3-inch screen in place of the conventional dials. In Audi-speak this is called the 'Virtual Cockpit' but despite the gimmicky name, it's a really impressive piece of kit. It looks ultra-modern, but is functional, too, allowing the driver to see a lot of information without getting distracted.

For the later versions, Audi went even more digital. These have a 10.1-inch touchscreen display with redesigned menus and icons to make it look and function like a giant iPad Pro. Those digital instruments are now fitted as standard on every trim, and the standard feature list leaves you wanting for absolutely nothing.

All newer Audi A5 Sportbacks have a slick sat-nav with 3D mapping, a wireless phone charging pad, and online services like live traffic info and local Google Earth satellite imagery via an integrated sim-card. There are four USB ports, so everyone can consume as much social media as their eyeballs can handle.

The 'touch' part of interacting with the newer screen is very responsive, but we're not sure why Audi removed the old rotary controller and shortcut keys. Being forced to rely on prodding the screen feels like a step backwards.

Material quality is exactly what you would hope for in an Audi of this type. The upper dashboard, switchgear, steering wheel and climate controls all feel beautifully finished, and the whole cabin has a sense of solidity that still stands out.

There are cars with more dramatic interiors, but few feel more crisply assembled. That's a big part of why the A5 Sportback still feels worth the premium.

The Audi A5 Sportback comes with two mainstream diesel options, the 35 TDI and 40 TDI, and the most popular petrol model is the 40 TFSI. Each is paired with a slick S tronic automatic gearbox.

Power is sent to the front wheels in the 40 TFSI and 35 TDI, while the 40 TDI comes equipped with Audi's familiar quattro four-wheel drive system as standard, although it was previously available with two-wheel drive.

Despite their 2.0-litre capacities they're all strong performers, with decent in-gear acceleration and smooth power delivery, but the extra mid-range grunt of the 40 TDI makes for relaxed progress and easier overtakes.

The entry-level diesel is impressively economical, but thanks to the smooth twin-clutch gearbox and clever mild-hybrid technology, all of these engines will outperform their BMW equivalents at the fuel pumps.

At the top of the range, the S5 TDI is a performance powerhouse. Its 3.0-litre V6 engine produces 347PS and a titanic 700Nm of torque, making it extremely rapid. Yet thanks to an electric turbo and its mild-hybrid system (which runs the car's systems and cuts the engine when coasting) it's also remarkably efficient.

If you're after a wider choice of powertrains, the pre-facelift Audi A5 Sportback has got you covered. A six-speed manual gearbox was offered on the 40 TDI and 40 TFSI, and there was a quicker petrol with 245PS and quattro.

While more expensive to run, the 3.0-litre V6 models are uniformly excellent, pushing you into the back of your seat with their brawny in-gear acceleration, but they're also silky smooth and quiet when you want to relax.

The A5 Sportback feels composed and reassuring on the road. Around town it's easy enough to place, the controls are light enough and the standard camera and parking sensors help make manoeuvring straightforward.

There's a slight difference in flavour compared with the Coupe. The Sportback feels a touch more like a sleek family GT than a traditional two-door cruiser, and that extra practicality seems to suit the way it drives. It's not trying to flatter you into thinking it's a sports saloon. Instead, it majors on calm, secure progress and the sort of easy competence that makes long journeys feel simple.

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

Sport trim cars on the softer setup are the ones to seek out if comfort matters most. S line and other firmer versions can look more enticing, but they tend to chip away at the A5 Sportback’s natural refinement over rougher roads.

Handling is tidy and secure rather than exciting. It grips hard, changes direction cleanly and always feels dependable, but it does not involve you in the way a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe can. That's not necessarily a criticism, because the Audi is better understood as a stylish GT than a sports saloon alternative.

The A5 Sportback shares its core safety architecture with the A4, which scored a maximum five stars from independent safety organisation Euro NCAP.

Safety equipment is strong, with autonomous emergency braking, parking sensors, a reversing camera and a broad spread of assistance systems depending on trim and options. As ever, it's worth checking the exact specification of the used example you are considering.

Fuel economy is one of the A5 Sportback’s strengths, especially in diesel form. The 35 TDI is the economy-led option, while the 40 TDI adds more punch without becoming ruinous to run.

The petrols are respectable enough too, and if your annual mileage is lower there's no reason to fear them. As always, wheel size, drivetrain and driving style all make a noticeable difference in the real world.

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 of roadside assistance and a 30-day exchange plan, which adds welcome reassurance on a used premium five-door.

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.

Insurance varies quite a bit by engine and trim, but the A5 Sportback sits where you would expect for a premium car of this type rather than delivering any nasty surprises.

The smaller engines are the easiest to justify, while the more powerful quattro and performance models climb quickly. As always, it's worth checking quotes before you buy.

For most Audi A5 Sportbacks registered on or after 1 April 2017, the standard annual VED rate is now £200, or £17.50 a month by Direct Debit.

If the car’s original list price was over £40,000, it also pays the Expensive Car Supplement for five years from the second licence. That takes the annual bill to £640, or £56 a month by Direct Debit. That's particularly relevant here because most A5 Sportbacks crossed that threshold when new.

Some earlier cars, registered before April 2017, can cost less – as low as £20 for the most efficient diesels.