Audi S5 2024 review: Audi smells blood in battle with BMW
It replaces the S4, just to confuse things
Back in 2007, Audi launched a two-door spin-off of the A4 saloon and called it the A5. That car grew in stature, importance and popularity over the intervening years, so much so that its A4-badged father has now been killed off by the car it spawned. So the new A5 is also what we might think of as the new A4, taking over executive saloon duties. There’s also a big-booted A5 Avant to replace the old A4 estate.
The A4 badge, meanwhile, isn’t going to disappear… it’s being held back for a forthcoming pure-electric model. Confusing, right?
Be that as it may, Audi has pressed ahead, and the new A5 has launched with a futuristic new look and — for the time being, at least — no two-door variants. Instead, there’s a hatchback that’s essentially a direct replacement for the outgoing five-door A5 Sportback fastback, although it wears the “Saloon” name for reasons unknown, and there’s a five-door estate dubbed the A5 Avant.
Of course, you can have both in go-faster S5 forms, as reviewed here, complete with 3-litre engines and all-wheel drive.
Whatever form the new model takes, the new A5 has its work cut out. Like the A4, it has to fend off the formidable challenges laid down by the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, both of which are still impressive products.
However, Audi’s bullishness about the new A5 suggests it has observed BMW and Mercedes’ drop-off in material quality and focus on electric models, and decided now is the time to strike with a new combustion-powered executive model. There’s a sense of quiet confidence about the company’s executives that gives them the air of a hunter tracking wounded prey.
But there’s a risk that confidence will turn to hubris in some areas. In industry circles, Audi has spent a long time banging on about the technology involved in its matrix headlights, which can be configured by the driver to create a “signature” of their choice, as well as providing a long range of vision and being able to dip around other road users, without dazzling them, while still keeping the rest of the scenery in full beam.
All of which is very clever, and the lighting engineers are rightly chuffed with their invention, but of course BMW was also working on similar tech and caught up. More importantly, it’ll take more than that to prise BMW die-hards from the sporty seats of their M340i Tourings. Those kinds of customers tend to be more or less welded to the brand they adore.
Yet with the new S5 in particular, Audi has a real shot at dislodging drivers from the faster BMW and Mercedes products. Yes, the S5 feels like a bit of a halfway house between the conventional A5s and the full-fat RS 5 model we expect to follow it (and, in doing so, provide proper competition to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C 63), but there’s something understated and subtle about the S5 that’s missing from Audi’s RS models and might give it a bit of appeal.
Take the exterior design, for example. Audi has been evolving its big grilles for a while and this is one of the more attractive front-end designs it has produced of late. Yes, the grille is large and wide, but it’s broken up by the badge and the number plate, and it isn’t too deep, so it kind of works. Flanked by big air intakes, the narrow lights and a surprisingly clean bonnet, it looks really smart.
And the rear-end design is equally attractive, albeit a little voluminous in places. The bumper seems to stick out a bit too much and we aren’t convinced by the light bar across the rear, which seems to act like some weird belt, sucking the car’s waistline inwards. The boot lip sits on top like some weird metal muffin-top, but the spoiler is subtle and the four exhaust pipes are understated, too.
And it’s just as smart inside, even if Audi’s futuristic style is still heavily evident. There’s a massive panel combining the touchscreen and digital instrument display, and there’s a sporty cut-off steering wheel, while buttons have largely been eschewed in favour of infotainment screens; a touchscreen passenger display essentially means screens stretch the entire width of the cabin.
As usual, we’re a bit hacked off about the lack of any physical heater control buttons, but Audi has learnt from BMW on this one and the virtual controls are at least always visible. In fact, the system might be slightly better than BMW’s in this regard. But the touchscreen uses new software that’s less intuitive than that of the old A4/ A5 models, and that’s a bit of a frustration.
Worse still is the damage done to the “Virtual Cockpit” digital instrument display, which was once one of the key reasons for buying an Audi. Now, though, the system has far less customisation and functionality, and it looks a bit sad alongside the old A4’s.
It isn’t all bad, though. The A5’s head-up display is incredibly good indeed, with lots of information and sharp graphics, and though the steering wheel controls are a bit too fiddly for those with sausages for fingers, they do allow drivers to do most things without taking their hands off the wheel. And often, thanks to the head-up display, without taking their eyes off the road.
Ergonomically, then, the A5 may not be perfect, but it’s no worse than any of its rivals, and it’s largely better built. The C-Class and 3 Series are now among some of the best-built models in their respective manufacturers’ ranges, but the A5 is still better. The materials are good (a few plastics let the side down slightly, but they are few and far between) and the way they are screwed together is impeccable. It’s a lovely place to be.
And it’s roomy, too. Rear space is a little limited in the “Saloon” model thanks to the fastback shape, but the Avant is properly roomy for a car in this class. Six-foot-plus passengers will be perfectly comfortable back there, no matter how long the journey is.
Boot space is a bit less impressive, with fractionally less room than the old A4 and indeed the BMW 3 Series, although the big liftgate at the back means it’s easier to get things in and out, which should make up for the slight shortfall in outright volume. Or you could just go for the Avant, which doesn’t offer much more space on paper but has a more practical loading hatch and cargo area in reality.
Most customers will be perfectly happy with the fastback, though, and they’ll also be fairly happy with the 2-litre petrol engine Audi is offering as standard. It produces up to 148bhp, which is adequate, and it sends that to the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. But we’d be more tempted by the 2-litre diesel options, which give you a bit more performance and a lot more economy, as well as offering the choice of all-wheel-drive traction, which might appeal to those worried about snowy weather in winter.
Or you could just go for the S5 we tested, which also gets all-wheel drive, as well as a trick rear differential for better power delivery. And, naturally, it gets a lot more power. A grand total of 362bhp is produced by its 3-litre, turbocharged V6 petrol engine, and that gives it pretty startling performance. Getting from 0-62mph takes four-and-a-half seconds, which is fast enough to worry a few “proper” sports cars in a drag race.
Moreover, the S5’s engine is smoother than the 2-litre, four-cylinder options, and it sounds better when you put your foot down, with a playful snarl from the exhausts. It isn’t quite as smooth as the straight-six petrol engine in the BMW M340i, it’s true, but it’s similarly characterful and it arguably sounds a little better. Considering the power and performance, the Audi V6 is remarkably efficient, too, thanks to mild-hybrid technology that reduces fuel consumption. Admittedly, economy in the mid-thirties doesn’t sound spectacular on the official test, but it’s a fractional improvement on the M340i.
But even with the hybrid system, the old Audi S4 couldn’t have held a candle to the M340i on the road, and with a list price of less than £60,000 (the new S5 costs £68,700), the BMW was easy to recommend ahead of its compatriot. Now, though, Audi has really upped its game with the S5’s chassis, and the gap is considerably narrower.
Clever adaptive suspension gives the Audi greater bandwidth than before, and whereas drivers of previous sporty Audis felt as though their pelvises were being pulverised by potholes, the new one is a little smoother and more settled in Comfort mode. There’s the odd thump as a bump batters the low-profile tyres and the enormous alloys, but the springs do a reasonable job of absorbing the impact and, crucially, the car settles quickly after impact. Admittedly, Dynamic mode is only really for smooth surfaces or when you really want to push on, but the more everyday settings are perfectly acceptable.
But when you do want to let your hair down, the suspension also does a decent job of keeping the S5’s body in check. There’s a bit of roll in Comfort mode but things tighten up in the Dynamic setting and the all-wheel-drive system really shows its worth. Audi claims it has tried to dial out the understeer (the sense that the car is pushing towards the outside of a corner when you turn the wheel) so characteristic of older Audi performance models, and improve the steering feel, and it has succeeded on both counts. The S5 isn’t as engaging or as agile as an M340i, but it’s a lot closer to the BMW than it was before.
Grip is tenacious, the car’s nose feels responsive, and there’s more feel than you got from older A4 and S4 models, which improved massively in this regards with the last generation. And because of the differential on the rear axle, the car has a bit more traction and punch on the exit of corners. So, while it isn’t exactly exciting — it’s too stable and safe for that — more people will be able to enjoy it more of the time.
And that means that once upon a time, we would more likely have recommended the BMW 3 Series or the Mercedes C-Class ahead of the Audi A4. The Audi had great tech and was well built, but it didn’t ride as well as the Merc or handle as well as the Beemer. Now, with the new A5 platform, the game has been changed completely, and nowhere more so than with the S5 version. It’s a much closer battle between the Audi and the M340i, and we’re no longer convinced the BMW is the better choice. The hunter may well have just become the hunted.
Related articles
- If you found this review of the new Audi S5 interesting, you may want to read our review of a prototype of the updated Audi S3
- You might also like to read our review of the BMW M3 Touring
- Have you seen the all-electric Audi A6 e-tron?
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