Driven: The Audi A5 Sportback

Image credit: Naresh Maharaj

A new exterior look

Elements of the new design language from the full-size class characterise the sporty aesthetics of the updated Audi A5. The first generation fascinated with its sporty and harmonious body line. The second generation added new, sharper accents. Now Audi has significantly revised the exterior, with the front end, in particular, exuding an even more powerful resolve.

The Singleframe with the honeycomb grille is flatter and somewhat wider. A bold blade forms the lower edge of the bumper, which features larger air inlets. All body and engine variants in the range come standard with LED signature headlights, rear LED rear lights featuring dynamic turn signals

Image credit: Naresh Maharaj

The exterior design is available in two options, a standard variant in the entry level model and the S line trim line across the range. The standard model offers:

• 17-inch cast aluminium wheels
• Door sills with aluminium inserts in the front
• Black matte radiator grille with a chrome frame
• Black matte grained side air intakes and rear diffuser
• Tailpipe trims in aluminium silver matte and a bar tailgate in chrome

The S line models will offer a differentiated exterior design which includes:

• 18-inch cast aluminium wheels
• Front sills with aluminium inserts, illuminated and with S lettering
• S line emblem on the front fenders
• Widened side skirts in body colour finish
• Sports suspension
• S line specific radiator grille in titanium black and chrome framed
• Side air inlets in matt black grained with matt aluminium silver
• S line specific rear diffuser in titanium black matt
• Rear trim in aluminium silver matt and bar tailgate in chrome

New interior

On the interior, standard seats are available with leather/leatherette upholstery in five different shades. The exterior lines are now freely combinable with the S line interior package which adds sports seats with fine Nappa leather and S embossing at an additional cost. Customers can also choose from 12 exterior paint finishes, including the new shade district green, metallic.

Connectivity is the Word

Horizontal lines dominate the interior of the A5. That large MMI touch display, the control centre of the new operating system, is the focal point of the instrument panel and angled slightly toward the driver. With its new MMI touch system, the highly connected Audi A5 and S5 range offer a user experience similar to a contemporary smartphone.

A 10.1-inch touch display with acoustic feedback replaces the rotary pushbutton used in previous models. The graphics are clean and reduced and the menu structure reflects the expectations of the user. The MMI search is based on free text input and returns relevant hits very rapidly. Natural-language voice control understands many formulations from everyday speech and is another convenient function available.

Image credit: Naresh Maharaj

Audi connect also offers real-time information for navigation and infotainment as part of the Technology Package. This includes live and integrated Google Earth navigation allowing the driver to easily plan trips through the myAudi app and send destinations and routes directly to the vehicle. Live information around points of interest (trading hours, parking availability), traffic information and weather updates are also included.

The Audi A5 comes standard with an Audi smartphone interface which enables Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The driver controls the full-HD, 12.3-inch display of the Audi virtual cockpit plus via the multifunction steering wheel and can choose between three views. This is complemented by the optional head-up display that projects important information into the driver’s direct field of view. Other optional extras like the Audi phone box and the Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound round are included throughout the range.

The Audi A5 Sportback 40 TFSI is priced at R751,000