Portadown Audi The Audi A5 Independent review

TARGET PRICE: £30,175 - £40,025

PRICE: £30,175 - £40,025

FOR: The A5's engines are terrific, and the car has the comfort, quality and class to maintain Audi's reputation.

AGAINST: It's claustrophobic in rear, and it's not as sporty as a BMW

Performance (5 out of 5 stars)
Initially, there's a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel and, for the exclusive use of the S5, a 4.2-litre petrol V8. It's remarkable how close they are for pull, the outcome being that on a straight, the two are pretty evenly matched. What's particularly impressive is how flexible they both are.

Ride & handling (4 out of 5 stars)
The A5 and S5 are more grand tourers rather than out-and-out sports coupes, although with a far higher level of competence than the current A4. They just lack that incisive edge that makes the rival BMW 3 Series so good to drive. They ride well, however - firm, but without the rock-hard feel that's often been a by-product of Audi's sportier cars.

Refinement (4 out of 5 stars)
By any standards, these are refined cars. The V6 diesel sounds more like a V6 petrol, while the S5's V8 has a cultured bark that's to be enjoyed rather than endured. Wind noise is apparent only at the motorway limit, and road noise is rarely an issue.

Budget & owning (3 out of 5 stars)
Audi hasn't been in this sector of the market for many years, so it's hard to tell how the A5 will fare for depreciation, but coupes generally lose value faster than saloons. The A5 is cheaper to buy than its other German rivals, but the weight of the four-wheel-drive hardware hampers economy on some models.

Quality & reliability (4 out of 5 stars)
Audi is a byword for interior trim quality and the A5 mostly keeps the reputation intact, although the untextured plastics in the middle of the dash are a bit of a surprise. Otherwise, the fit and finish are top class. Audi reliability isn't always as good as buyers have a right to expect, so here's hoping the company has now turned the corner.

Safety & security (4 out of 5 stars)
From both the passive (seatbelts and airbags) and active (anti-lock brakes and stability control) points of view, the A5 has everything buyers of an expensive, quick coupe would expect.

Behind the wheel (4 out of 5 stars)
If the devil is in the details, then Audi is hellishly good at car interiors. The dash is a case of 'a place for everything and everything in its place', the driving position is excellent and the instrument graphics are lovely. High sides, a tall dash and an angled back window hinder visibility, though, so it's a good thing that rear parking sensors are fitted.

Space & practicality (3 out of 5 stars)
Audi describes the A5 as a four-seater coupe. That depends who the four are, really. The rear seats are certainly far too cramped for tall adults, but the worst thing is the inelegant struggle to climb in and out of the back. It's claustrophobic in there, too - kids won't enjoy it. However, there is at least a big boot and folding rear seats.

Equipment (4 out of 5 stars)
You won't want for luxuries in the A5, but there's plenty more you can add to personalise the car, too. Leather, a concert sound system compatible with MP3 players, climate control, light and rain sensors and xenon headlights are standard. The S5 has sports seats, bigger wheels and some unique trim details.