2018 Audi A5 Review
Type:
Pros & Cons
- Interior that's understated and classy
- Strong overall performance
- Loads of tech features and options
- Interior storage is limited
Other years
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Which A5 does Edmunds recommend?
Since all A5 models are mechanically identical and most features are available on all trim levels, we recommend starting with the base Premium model and adding essential features as you see fit. If you desire advanced safety features, however, the top-of-the-line Prestige trim is your only choice.
Edmunds' Expert Review
Driving
If the mechanically similar A4 sedan is any indication, the A5 will rise to the top when it comes to performance. It will also score slightly above average for everyday drivability. We do suspect there will be a slight hesitation from the four-cylinder engine upon initial acceleration, though.
Comfort
The A5's seats are firm and well shaped for hours of comfortable driving. The cabin should be as quiet and isolating as those of the A4 and S5 that we've evaluated, and the available adaptive suspension should smooth out the ride further.
Interior
The A5 gets high marks for its modern and elegantly simple interior. Materials quality is excellent for the class, and the controls are just where you'd want them as a driver. The rear seats are rather small and best suited for smaller passengers.
Utility
The A5's 11.6-cubic-foot trunk isn't the biggest in the class, but it should be enough for most cargo, and the flat load floor and handy hooks score it additional points. Interior storage is merely adequate to hold your personal items.
Technology
Audi's MMI is one of the easier infotainment systems to operate, and the screen placement further reduces distraction. The available virtual instrument panel is as appealing to the eyes as it is useful and effective. It makes cutting-edge tech as accessible as it can be.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Audi A5.
Most helpful consumer reviews
1sebringnow,08/20/2018
Prestige quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
We were replacing my wife's 2010 Lexus IS250 C. A hardtop convertible which still was plenty plush, had about 90,000 miles on it and was kept in pristine condition. She didn't want to let it go because everything she test drove was not as plush. We test drove a Porche Boxter, BMW 430i and 440i, and Mercedes C 300 Cabriolet. We almost purchased the BMW 440i Hardtop, because the 430i with its 4 cylinder had turbo lag. The 440i had plenty of power, but the interior was a bit cheap for the amount of money they wanted for the car. Finally, I convinced my wife to take a test drive in the Audi A5 cabriolet. All I can say is after the first test drive, she didn't say much to me for about 24 hours. The next day, she told me that the car was the best thing she had ever driven but didn't want to get to excited about it. Sure it was way way more plush and had more power than the 6 Cylinder that was in the Lexus, but she had some reservations about the color combinations offered by Audi. The combinations between exterior and interior are limited. BMW actually has more choices and the fabric in the 4 series is heat sensitive. Meaning the BMW seat material will not heat up to more than 80 degrees with the top down (it is the only series which has this feature). So you can have black seats and not burn your legs if you are wearing shorts. But the allure of the Audi interior and the way the car drove was what ultimately sealed the deal. The Audi interior is plush, plusher than the Mercedes and way way more quiet. The 4 cylinder turbo has 252 horses which explode, as the car just eats up bumps in the road and feels like it glides over them. The car exudes fun and has a plush ride. Car and driver as one, what a concept. The car we purchased has the 19" summer wheels with sport suspension and taking a curve with them is sheer joy. The car feels like it will not come off the pavement. It is as if it is part of the road. The Prestige model is the only trim level which allows for the latest self driving safety options/features to be installed as additional accessories. The Driver Assist Package compliments the other safety systems which come standard in the car. The Driver Assist Package also allows for the car to basically drive by itself so long as their are lines painted on the road or Hi-way. I suggest taking the A5 out on the highway so you can see for yourself how the car stays within the lines and also accelerates around corners. I can say, the driving assist features work really well. On the way home from the dealership a vehicle cut us off (we were traveling 55 MPH). Before my wife could put on the brakes, the car actually braked by itself, allowing us to easily avoid what could have been a very bad accident. The car is also loaded with other safety features which when engaged actually make the driving experience that much better. My wife commented on how the acceleration in the car was amazing. No hesitation, but the car jumps forward smoothly. The lines are fantastic and the seats are comfortable. The car also is the poster child for Technology. There is so much stuff packed into it I cannot fuuly describe it here, but I suggest again, looking on line about all the features and options, then go take one for a test drive. The technology in the Audi A5 is highly intuitive, when you first get it, you can train it to listen for your voice. Once trained (takes less than 5 minutes) you are going to have the most fun you have had in a long long time. A Just remember warning, if you to depress the gas petal, your head will snap back.
Tireguy,12/14/2017
Prestige quattro 2dr Coupe AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
So I'm pretty frugal. And when my 2000 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8 T finally died 17 years after I bought it brand new, I figured it was time for an upgrade. I skipped VW and went straight to the Audi dealership. The S8 was lovely, but a bit out of my price range. The A3, with that high roof, looked too much like my old Jetta. It would make a nice Pope-mobile. And then there sat the A5. The four door is nice but I wasn't going to be hauling my family around in this car. We have a Yukon XL for that. This one is just to move my butt up and down the George Washington Parkway, alone, in comfort--it had to be a Coupe. If you compare the coupe to the sportback, well there is no contest from a styling perspective. I guess if you have three kids, you may be compelled to buy the sportback, which gives you an extra seat in the middle. I have more than three kids, so I might as well have been buying a Ducati. I was a little apprehensive about the 2.0T, which powers quite a few smaller VWs in lesser forms, but this car flies: 0-60 in 5 sec. Good enough for me, who has no plans to take it to the drag strip. It's a great car.
**Update after one year**
I’ve had my A5 coupe for 14 months now and have had no issues. As I said above, the Audi replaced my 2000 Jetta 1.8T 5-speed manual, which I purchased new and basically traded for the scrap metal value, lol. I have driven manuals since age 16, and still prefer rowing through the gears. Living in northern VA, and working inside the beltway, however, constantly pumping a clutch in traffic is not practical. The DSG transmission offers a good compromise, but certainly takes some getting used to. In manual mode, it shifts faster than humanly possible due to one of two concentric clutches being engaged at all times. In normal mode, the automatic shifting is a little spongy, and in sport mide it tends to be a little jerky when you let off the accelerator. I typically get off the line in sport mode, then toggle to normal mode once underway (with a 1/2” flick of the shifter). I only typically use the manual mode when doing a hole-shot on I-95. Just flick the left paddle twice, and hold onto your hat (or sunglasses which often fly from the center console into the back seat). I really enjoy driving this car. It’s a little tight, but I don’t know why people are complaining about storage in a coupe. This would not suit most people as a sole vehicle. You won’t be taking trips to Home Depot or going on vacation in the A5 unless you get a roof rack and a huge cargo box (which is a possibility). I should note that you CAN fit a mountainbike in the trunk with the seats flipped down (front wheel removed, obviously). This isn’t the family truckster; it’s the car that gets daddy to and from work, takes mommy out on dates, or runs 1-3 of the kids to baseball practice. With a family of six, a minivan or SUV is a necessity. This is the other car. I’m glad I went with the coupe (sacrificing the rear center seat), which is sexy as hell. I only have two complaints: 1) The nav system is not as user-friendly as Google maps, and not as interactive as WAZE (I need to know where 5-0 is the way I drive this car). So despite that glorious nav display which allows for the ideal setup of a zoomed-in 3d map in the cluster and a zoomed-out overview in the center, I usually navigate by the iPhone in my cupholder; 2) The trunk lid, when covered with water will pop vertical upon opening and dump about 8 oz of water onto the glass, then right into the trunk, due to the insufficient channel around the opening. I can live with that.
Roger Baim,06/29/2017
Prestige quattro 2dr Convertible AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
This is my second consecutive Audi A5 Cabriolet and I'm an enthusiastic supporter of this car. I traded out of my low mileage 2014 model entirely based on the migration of virtually all of the latest technology & safety features from the higher end Audi models to the current A4 & A5 platforms. Especially important to me was inclusion of Audi's version of cross traffic (rear) monitoring; although my 2014 had "Blind Spot Monitoring", this back-up feature was not previously available in the A5. IMO, this is an almost essential safety feature where I live because of the number of large cars & pick-up trucks which make backing out of parking spaces a nightmare. I also enjoy the convenience of the Heads Up Display and the Virtual Cockpit rendering of the main display. The optional adaptive cruise control provides semi-autonomous driving and has been of great assistance while driving in the stop and go traffic conditions which I encounter on a daily basis. The 2018 model has a more powerful engine and there has been further improvement of the suspension system. My Prestige trim level's insulated cloth top now provides better sound insulation than in the 2014 model and there has been an improvement in the way in which the top stores in the trunk (relative to storage capacity). I preferred the more classic body style of the 2014 A5, as the newly sharpened/enhanced sheet metal lines seem only to have been changed to compete with BMW & M-B. I truly dislike what has been done to the interior of the car. Compared to the "quiet" and integrated European appearance of the 2014 A5. To me, the straight across dashboard of the 2018 looks like a mid-80s GM product. Optional wood veneers shriek "plastic" and the standard shiny metal trim doesn't match the other metallic components in the cockpit. I'm not a fan of the new non-retractable separate (top center dash mounted) display screen which has become favored by European makers; note that this display is NOT a touch screen, but is controlled by a large ("MMI") knob in the center console. It is convenient, however, to be able to show different displays on this screen and the virtual cockpit, giving the driver exceptional control of information. The 2018 A5 accepts Android Auto and Apple Car Play and there is seamless integration of these programs with regards to navigation and media; unfortunately, Audi does not currently permit "Waze" or other non-media applications in Android Auto (compared with other manufacturers). My biggest disappointment is with the lack of interior space in the cabin. The glove box is now essentially useless, as Audi has moved the bulky CD & SD card player to that location from the center stack; there isn't even enough room to put the owner's manual case there (I've NEVER owned a car with that limitation). The center console storage space is VERY shallow and not completely covered by the adjustable center arm rest; a small covered cubbyhole is provided in the lower dash to the left of the driver in a location which is not easy to safely access while driving. Please note that Audi does not provide ANY ability to equip the A5 with an ash tray & lighter/receptacle, not even as a build option when ordering the car to specifications from Germany (this option is available in Europe). It seems that there was little (if any) input from actual drivers regarding these convenience features. Setting aside my complaints about the shortcomings of the interior space, I absolutely LOVE the 2018 A5. Its combination of all precise wheel drive handling in any weather/road condition, more powerful engine and outstanding/state-of-the-art technology made it a no-brainer for me to upgrade from an already superb 2014 A5 Cabriolet.
Steve T,11/12/2017
Prestige quattro 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
This car is a great followup to the prior generation A5. I bought the Sportback after owning the prior generation Coupe. Feels like the same car. The fit, finish and performance are excellent. The dealership Sewell in Houston is phenomenal. I love the MMI navigation and controls. My only complaint is the subscription based services for the Infotainment system should be monthly not paid in 3 year blocks. Also, the entire online and app integration isn't what you'd expect at this price point. The traditional auto makers need to take a lesson from Tesla on on-line/offline access. I was charged twice for the Infotainment subscription, Audi USA was useless to resolve and ultimately AT&T issued a refund. Pretty disappointed how Audi responded to that issue. Even the dealership couldn't get them to respond.
Safety
Our experts like the A5 models:
- Audi Pre Sense City
- Warns of an impending front collision and automatically applies the brakes if you don't.
- Audi Side Assist
- Notifies you if there's a car in your blind spot and alerts you if you activate the turn signal.
- Audi Pre Sense Basic
- If an impending collision is detected, the seat belts will tighten, brakes are primed and windows/sunroof are closed.
