Audi A5 Coupe 2.0 TFSI quattro S line 2dr Pre-Model Car Review - January 2012

The A5 is Audi’s ticket in its quest to rule the mid-size coupe market. It was designed to specifically compete with the German brands of Mercedes Benz and BMW. The 4-cylinder 16-valve 6-gear manual transmission coupe packs enough wallop to be competitive with its rivals. It has an mpg of 41.5 accelerating in 6.4 seconds to hit 62mph. With a top speed of 153 mph, the 1984 cc engine revs at 213 bhp at 4300 -6000 rpm and has a torque of 258 ft-lb at 1500-4200.

The A5 is power-packed and can be depended to give out the necessary punch when pushed. The A5 is relatively a good drive and is reliable on bends due to its grip. The lower end models tend to glide over crests and dips so the S line suspension was added to supposedly correct that. Apparently the “cure” led to a rigid and quite bumpy ride. The engine is smooth but noise creeps into the cabin once the speedometer hits motorway speed. Expect some clunks coming from the suspension. Rear visibility is restricted.

The A5 Coupe 2.0 TFSI Quattro S line is a 2-door 4x4 4-seater elegantly designed and fitted with quality materials. Craftmanship is superior giving this model a great reputation visual-wise and performance-wise. The cabin’s layout is logical and attractive. The car’s multi-media interface makes access to the car’s system easy. The driver’s seat is comfortable, offers great support and perfectly positioned. The pedals are not centred and the clutch pedal needs to be poked for it to be fully pushed down.

Standards are 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control, MP3 and CD stereo system, electric front windows and heated adjustable door windows, speed-sensitive power steering, three-spoke leather steering wheel, split folding rear seat and more. The S line is fitted with black headlining, body kit and xenon lights and upgraded 19-inch alloy.

Coupes are usually a 2-seater affair but the A5 S line is a legitimate 4-seater albeit with rear seats that are slightly hampered to access. For average -height passengers, the headroom and legroom at the rear are sufficient. Boot space has a minimum capacity of 455 litres maximized at 829 litres which is plenty enough for sets of luggage.

The A5 coupe has 6 airbags in complete synch with the seats. The vehicle is fitted with a string of safety alarm system to ward off thieves. The car itself has a combination of strong brakes, ABS and ESP systems to avert accidents. The intelligent key is capable of storing vital information such as mileage and warning reminders.

An Audi’s reputation for reliability is one of its strong points.

The A5 is a high-quality vehicle. It is an Audi and that is indication enough that this car should hold its value well. Service and repairs could be a bit expensive but there are other options for you in this concern. The A5 is above a notch over the BMW 3 Series but a 4x4 coupe will definitely cost more in terms of fuel consumption. The mpg is 41.5 with a CO2 emission of 159g/km.

As of this writing, this car has not undergone series of testing for the Euro NCAP. It falls under the insurance group 33 and Road Tax under G. You can expect at least £1000 on insurance and taxes. Pegged at £35,035, this car is not cheap. Family car? Well, there is space but it might be a tad hard for small children to access the rear seats. The 1.8 is more fuel efficient.