Audi S5 Avant Review & Prices

This is the new Audi S5 Avant, and the first thing to know is that it’s not really related to the old S5. Where that car was a slinky coupe, the new S5 range is basically the replacement and renaming of the old S4 - and so it’s available as a traditional four-door saloon or this ‘Avant’ estate body style.

With its powerful engine, high-tech interior and practical boot, the S5 sort of aims to please everybody, whether you’re after something for the school run or something that’ll be good fun to drive on a twisty road. Like a trusty pair of Converse, just as much at home in the gym as they are when lounging around.

Alternatives to the S5 Avant mainly come from its homeland of Germany - the Mercedes-AMG C43 Estate and the BMW M340i Touring. But if you’re considering a fast estate, chances are you’re also thinking of a fast SUV - so the Audi SQ5 might be on your list too.

The S5 Avant gets a bold design shared mainly with the regular S5 saloon. That means you get slightly flared wheelarches for a stronger stance, and clever LEDs front and rear which can display custom daytime running light patterns or even flash up warning symbols to following vehicles.

Otherwise, the styling is quite low-key, so it’s good if you’d like a performance car but you don’t want anything too eye-catching or flashy.

Inside, the S5 Avant comes loaded with equipment as all models initially come in high-specification Edition 1 trim. That means heated and massaging Nappa leather sports seats, a full-length panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone charging and connectivity and a flash triple-screen dashboard setup that includes a separate 10.9-inch display for the front passenger’s benefit.

The key benefit of choosing the S5 Avant over the saloon is the boot space. You get a useful 476 litres of loading volume, though that’s a little lower than the 490-litre Mercedes-AMG C43 Estate or BMW M340i Touring thanks to the Avant’s dramatically sloping rear window. Nevertheless, it promises to be a practical space, with seats that fold nice and flat to allow for easy loading of longer items.

What marks the S5 Avant out from the regular A5 Avant is the engine. While all A5 models have either a petrol or diesel 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, the S5 gets a 3.0-litre V6 petrol with a whopping 367hp, with a mild-hybrid system helping to bring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions down to slightly more palatable levels - though a plug-in hybrid or electric alternative will still make a much more tempting company car prospect, such as the BMW 330e Touring.

Power is put to the road through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and Audi’s quattro four-wheel drive system. The benchmark 0-62mph sprint takes 4.5 seconds, on paper identical to the S5 saloon - which makes it slightly quicker than the BMW M340i Touring, at 4.6s, and just 0.1s slower than the Mercedes-AMG C43 Estate. It’s no surprise that these comparable cars have been benchmarked against each other here.

If this sounds like the right car for you, you can get a great Audi S5 Avant deal right here on Carwow. You could also check out our other best Audi deals, or get a great price on a used Audi for sale. And remember that Carwow can even help you sell your old car through our network of trusted dealers.

Prices start at a little over £70,000, which is just a touch pricier than the £69,000 Mercedes-AMG C43 and a whole lot more than the £61,000 BMW M340i Touring. However, some of that price difference can be explained by the Audi’s high specification - all models come, at least initially, in fully-loaded Edition 1 spec.

Add on the equivalent level of kit to the BMW and the price is almost the same, whereas a fully loaded C43 comes in much closer to £80,000. So the S5 Avant isn’t the poor value it might appear to be on the surface.