Audi A5 review

Overview

The second-generation A5 Coupé makes most sense as an alternative way to enjoy an executive car, rather than as a small sports car. This review covers a UK 2017 Sport with the 190 PS 2.0 TDI ultra engine, front-wheel drive and seven-speed S tronic. It is not the earlier A5, the five-door Sportback or today's unrelated A5 saloon. The attraction is a four-seat body, well-equipped cabin and diesel touring ability in one relatively restrained package. Its disadvantages follow directly from choosing two doors: rear access takes planning and the boot is not a hatch. RoadMatch has not driven this example; our recommendation is original documentary and ownership analysis.

Exterior and interior

The F5 body retains the A5's long bonnet and sloping roof without relying on conspicuous performance decoration. Sport is a useful choice because its standard 17-inch wheels and comfort-oriented suspension avoid making appearance the only priority. Inside, the period UK guide identifies leather sports seats with electric adjustment and lumbar support, plus three-zone climate control. Those are meaningful comforts only when all motors, controls and heating operate. Inspect the frameless door glass as it drops and rises, the seals after washing and the seat bolsters on both sides. A carefully presented dashboard should not distract from worn switchgear or water marks. Try the low seating position before assuming it suits your knees.

Practicality

Audi's pre-facelift UK dimensions give a 465-litre rear-seat-up boot measured by VDA blocks. That is useful luggage capacity, but the separate lid creates a different loading problem from the Sportback's large hatch. Bring your actual suitcase, golf bag or folded pushchair and check the aperture rather than relying on litres alone. The coupé has two individual rear seating positions and split-folding backrests, not a three-person bench. Access requires the front seats to move, so routine child-seat use deserves a realistic demonstration in a confined parking space. A couple travelling with luggage may find it entirely workable. A household regularly carrying adults behind a tall driver should compare the four-door alternatives first.

Driving experience

Independent period assessments describe a composed car whose cabin appeal exceeds its appetite for playful driving. That is a sensible starting point for a diesel Sport buyer: evaluate relaxation, visibility and consistency rather than assuming every coupé must feel like a dedicated performance car. The standard wheel size is relevant when comparing ride comments about S line cars with larger rims. On a viewing, include broken surfaces, motorway speed and slow manoeuvres. Check for tyre roar, suspension rattles and uneven tracking, and allow the automatic to warm fully. Front-wheel drive is the selected specification; quattro reviews are not evidence of this car's traction. Good matching tyres matter more than a drive-mode label.

Performance

The period UK technical table specifies 190 PS, approximately 187 bhp, 400 Nm and 7.7 seconds from zero to 62 mph for this front-driven TDI ultra S tronic. These are manufacturer claims, not our measurements. They support an effortless commuting and touring brief without turning the car into an S5. The gearbox should engage promptly and move through low-speed traffic without pronounced judder, slipping or repeated hesitation. Test a normal hill start and a measured overtaking response where lawful. Engine and transmission modifications complicate both inspection and insurance, so an unmodified example is the straightforward recommendation. Do not substitute the quicker quattro time or a later numbered-engine badge when comparing adverts.

Fuel economy

A diesel A5 can suit repeated longer journeys, but the suitability comes from usage rather than simply chasing a laboratory number. The original guide separates economy by transmission, ultra specification and wheel size. We have left the optional numeric MPG field unset to avoid promising an unspecified car's tyre-dependent result. Our annual budget uses an assumed 48 mpg, not a measured average or a borrowed owner database. Short cold journeys may undermine savings and are an awkward match for diesel emissions equipment. Check the exact registration against any local charging-zone rules that affect your route. After purchase, record brim-to-brim use and revise the budget if traffic, winter temperatures or a heavy right foot change consumption.

Reliability

At this age, a premium badge does not replace a detailed maintenance file. Seek invoices covering the correct engine oil, diesel emissions system and S tronic servicing as required for the actual gearbox and VIN. Ask a specialist to investigate warning history, coolant loss, oil leakage and any hesitant transmission behaviour before agreeing a price. The original UK brochure confirms an AdBlue-equipped diesel; persistent system warnings are not a harmless annoyance to postpone. Our limited-confidence reliability score is an editorial assessment of complexity and age, not a calculated failure rate. Avoid treating issues from every older TFSI or unrelated Audi gearbox as inevitable here, but keep a reserve for repairs beyond routine servicing.

Safety

The authority's November 2016 A5 notice identifies this generation as a partner to the Audi A4's 2015 assessment. It is historical scope, not a fresh 2017 test or a present-day guarantee, and no commercial reproduction of scores or artwork is supplied. The UK guide confirms Pre-sense City, stability control and airbags, while more elaborate assistance packages remain optional. Verify warning lamps, windscreen-camera condition and any repairs that could require calibration. Check that the rear restraints work with your chosen child seats rather than assuming two-door access is only an inconvenience. Use GOV.UK's registration recall check and ask Audi for VIN-specific completion history; neither a model reference nor an MOT is an all-clear.

Technology and features

Sport adds factory navigation to the underlying equipment, while Audi Smartphone Interface supplies wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto subject to handset compatibility. Heated front seats, conventional cruise control and front/rear parking sensors are also supported by the period UK guide. A reversing camera, adaptive cruise and Virtual Cockpit are conditional extras, not Sport guarantees. Try the actual phone connection, both USB sockets, microphone and steering controls before purchase. The original trial subscription for online services should not be presented as still included in a used car. A simpler analogue-instrument example can remain entirely usable, especially if smartphone navigation works reliably. Judge the installed equipment rather than the capabilities shown in an option-rich press photograph.

Running costs

Our £11,000–£16,000 purchase allowance is a 3 October 2026 editorial planning estimate, not a live valuation or verified market range. At 8,000 miles annually, assumed 48 mpg and hypothetical diesel at £1.55 per litre, fuel is about £1,175. Adding £200 as a rounded tax provision and £700–£1,300 for routine servicing, MOT and tyres gives approximately £2,100–£2,700. Exact registration date matters for tax, and the current bill must be checked separately. Insurance, depreciation, finance and major repairs are excluded; commercial insurance groups are deliberately omitted. Prefer documented transmission maintenance and usable tyres over attractive cosmetic extras that consume the money needed to keep the car dependable.

Advantages and disadvantages