Thinking of buying a used Audi S5?
The style of the car
The Audi S5 is a high-performance version of the A5 that’s available as a two-door coupe, five-door hatchback (called Sportback) and a two-door convertible (called Cabriolet). It looks sportier than other A5 models because of its larger alloy wheels, and different interior and exterior trim. All three versions have spacious interiors, while the convertible’s fabric roof can be raised and lowered in seconds for wind-in-the-hair thrills.
How it drives
The S5 is enjoyable to drive and inspires real confidence. The adjustable suspension means you can choose to make it feel sportier or more comfortable at the touch of a button. The powerful turbocharged engines deliver fast acceleration, with a 0-62mph time of just 4.7 seconds for the 349hp V6 petrol. The S tronic automatic gearbox is smooth, helping to make the S5 easy to park. Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system adds extra reassurance if weather or road conditions are poor.
The interior
The S5 is a reasonably big car, with a spacious interior. It’s a close match for rivals such as the BMW 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and Convertible in size. The five-door Sportback has space for five adults, while the two-door Coupe and Cabriolet seat four. There’s good headroom and legroom for all, while large doors make access easy for the two-door models. With a generous 460-litre capacity, the Sportback’s versatile hatchback boot can swallow three medium-sized suitcases, while the rear seats fold flat for larger items. The Coupe has a well-shaped 480-litre boot and the Cabriolet has 380 litres, although that drops to 320 litres when the roof is lowered. Both have more space than most rivals. The S5 comes in just one trim level, but it’s very well equipped; as standard, you get leather trim, heated seats, sat nav, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Running costs and reliability
The S5 is competitively priced against rivals such as the BMW 4 Series and its engines are as efficient as its rivals’, with the TDI diesel offering the best fuel economy in the range. Audi is famed for its quality and the S5 should be reliable if maintained correctly. The S5 is a variant of the Audi A5, which was awarded a full five stars by safety experts Euro NCAP.
How it compares with similar cars
Based on the A5, the S5 is a high-performance Audi model that sits just below the more powerful RS versions. It’s larger and faster than the Audi S3 and smaller than the Audi S7. It’s more practical than the BMW M340i and more cost-effective to run than the Mercedes C43 AMG.
