Audi S5 Review & Prices

The new Audi S5 is a little confusing if you’re familiar with the last model to carry this name - Audi’s rejigged its lineup, so the new S5 is basically the successor to the old S4. That means what you’re getting here is a high-performance family saloon car, rather than a sleek coupe.

As ever with Audi’s S cars, it’s like the regular A5 but with the volume turned up to about a 9 or a 10 - turning the dial all the way to 11 is reserved for the brand’s ‘RS’ models.

This puts the S5 in direct competition with great fast saloon cars such as the BMW M340i or Mercedes-AMG C43. You might also look to more left-field alternatives, such as the Skoda Octavia vRS, fast SUVs such as the Audi SQ5, or even electric cars such as the Tesla Model 3 or BMW i4.

The new S5 has a suitably sporty look. Flared wheelarches give it a cool stance, and round the back there are quad exhaust outlets which are actually real. A full-width lightbar at the rear and sophisticated LED headlights up front can display customisable symbols and patterns, while the alloy wheels are 20 inches in diameter, filling the arches nicely.

Interior changes are more subtle. All S5s will come initially in high-specification Edition 1 trim, which means you get an additional display for the front passenger giving you a massive three-screen dashboard. A panoramic sunroof is standard, as is a Bang & Olufsen sound system, diamond-stitched Nappa leather sports seats with a massaging function, and a whole suite of driver assist features.

As a saloon car, family practicality is a little limited - but there will be an S5 Avant, which gives you the additional space and versatility of an estate but with all the same performance upgrades as the regular S5 saloon.

The main changes come under the bonnet. While all other A5 models use a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine (whether petrol or diesel) the S5 gets a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6. It produces 367hp, thanks to a 48-volt mild hybrid system which gives a useful power boost, helps to smooth over gaps in the engine’s power delivery, and reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

That power’s put to the road through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel drive system, which should give plenty of traction in wet conditions.

Performance is ample - 0-62mph takes just 4.5 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. That does however make the S5 ever so slightly slower than its main alternatives - the BMW M340i manages 0-62 in 4.4 seconds, and the Mercedes-AMG C43 does it in 4.3. But that’s really splitting hairs.

If this high-performance saloon tickles your fancy, check out our best Audi S5 deals right here on Carwow. You can also take a look at other new Audi models for sale, or find a used Audi for sale. And remember that when the time comes, Carwow can even help you sell your old car.

The S5 comes in at just under £69,000, which is close to the Mercedes-AMG C43 in price - though the Audi comes as standard in fully loaded Edition 1 specification, so you’d have to spend a good few thousand more to have an equivalent C43.

The BMW M340i seems like a relative bargain in this company, priced at less than £60,000 - though again, add equipment equivalent to the Audi and it’s much closer in price.