The RS5 Sportback is one of Audi’s most iconic cars. It’s fast, it’s stylish and in addition to this, it offers practicality unlike most performance ‘sedans’. Technically, it’s not a sedan, rather, it fits in a category known as Sport backs or Fast backs if you will. Very few cars compete with the Audi RS5 Sportback toe to toe.
Some of the cars in this category include the KIA Stinger GT, the Volkswagen Arteon and may be it’s bigger brother, the Audi RS7. Whilst some of these cars satisfy in certain areas, none of them offer the full package like the RS5 Sportback does.
Take for instance the RS7 Sportback. Sure, it’s more powerful and spacious but it’s a bit too big and also quite expensive for people looking for a relatively compact Sportback. In addition to this, most people prefer the RS6 Avant to the RS7. If we compare the Volkswagen Arteon to the RS5 Sportback, it checks almost every box apart from one, Performance. It’s stylish, it’s spacious but a 4-cylinder engine just won’t cut it. You get where I’m going with this, right? The Audi RS5 Sportback is just in a class of it’s own. Without further a do, let’s dive deep into this review and determine if this is the right car for you.
Features.
- Engine – 2.9 liter V6
- Turbocharged – Yes (with a twin turbo configuration)
- Power – 450Hp and 443lb.ft of torque
- Transmission – ZF-8 Speed automatic gearbox
- Quattro AWD – Comes as standard
- Frame-less windows – Yes
- Tailgate design – Sportback
- Exhaust – Valved dual exhausts as standard
- Massage front seats – Yes
- Heated front and rear seats – Yes
- Cooled seats – No
- Digital Gauge Cluster – Comes as standard
- Drive modes – Comfort, Individual and Dynamic
Design language.
There is no doubt that the Audi RS5 Sportback is one of the best looking Audi’s out there. From it’s beautifully designed humongous grill to the frame-less windows, this car suits those people with a sense of taste as well as deep pockets because this car does not come cheap.( more on this later)
The RS5 Sportback comes with LED tail lights and headlights which have a fancy dancing animation when you unlock the car, providing the owner with a sense of luxury unlike any other car. The clamshell bonnet with the three hood scoop design puts more emphasis on the fire breathing V6 underneath it.
This car also comes with a couple of sensors such as the RADAR sensor which are well integrated where the fog lights are in most cars. With the placement of these sensors, it does not seem intrusive in any way unlike the centrally placed ones in high end Mercedes vehicles or in the wind shield like in most Subaru(s). The seamless blending is what the Audi RS5 Sportback is all about.
As you would expect in any RS Audi, the RS5 Sportback comes with the massive dual oval exhausts which sound and look amazing. Another important thing to note about the exhaust system in this vehicle, is that it is valved. This means that you can vary the tone of the exhaust depending on the mode chosen.
The trunk in this car is spacious enough to accommodate multiple suitcases as well as multiple crates of soda in case you are having a party. Moreover, you can fold down the rear seats for even more space. It’s just absolute madness the level of practicality this car offers. Unlike sedans, the tailgate is designed to open with the rear window which adds extra space as well as a more stylish design.
With the Audi RS5 Sportback, you can get it with a carbon fibre roof which lowers the weight of the car, a standard body colored roof or a sunroof. It’s such a bummer they don’t offer it with a panoramic roof or even a moon roof, but this is just but a minor setback.
Engine and Performance.
The Audi RS5 Sportback comes with a 2.9 liter Twin Turbo charged V6. It pushes out 450 Horsepower and 443 pound feet of torque. The RS5 Sportback comes with Audi’s signature Quattro system which simply means that it drives all four wheels. As a matter of fact, Audi’s Quattro system is one of the best All Wheel Drive Systems in the industry.
The All wheel drive system in this car, like in most Audi(s) is so good, that it can handle almost any terrain be it snow, mud, slippery surfaces etc. The power is distributed to all four wheels via an 8-speed ZF Gearbox. No DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) in this one.
0-60 mph is well below 4 seconds, with some drivers getting impressive numbers such as 3.2 seconds in the right conditions. Performance-wise, there are no complains here and some people may consider this an overkill as a daily driver.
The Audi RS5 Sportback comes with four performance modes ( Comfort, Auto, individual and dynamic). Dynamic mode is the ‘sportiest’ of the three modes while comfort mode slackens the suspension, steering wheel as well as the dampers. It is also worth noting that this car comes with adaptive dampers for a steadier and more comfortable drive.
The individual mode is basically the ‘drivers’ mode meaning you get to choose different drive selections such as the suspension, steering wheel feel etc. You can mix and match to your own liking.
Interior and infotainment system.
The interior of this car looks amazing with a perfect blend of both physical buttons and screens. At the heart of it all, we a 12.9 -inch infotainment screen. Here, you can control almost any aspect of the car as well as the multimedia system. Wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto come as standard as it should. Some manufacturers actually charge you for this but not Audi. (……..cough cough BMW).
As for operating the infotainment system, you still have the good old swivel wheel as well as a touchscreen display. Overall, the infotainment is easy and intuitive to use.
As for the seats, you can comfortably fit five adults comfortably in the car. The front seats are heated but not ventilated which is a bummer at this price point. But as a bonus feature, you get massage seats for the front passengers which has proven to be very relaxing for those long drives. The rear seats are also heated but unlike the front seats, they don’t get the massage feature. It’s also worth noting that the RS5 Sportback comes with a three zone A/C unit as standard.
For newer versions of this car, basically since they introduced the V6 engine, you get a digital gauge cluster as standard. One of the perks of a digital gauge cluster is customization and Audi definitely went all out. Here, you get the option of a wide array of digital clusters with unique designs and colors. It’s definitely not Mercedes good but it’s sure as hell better than what BMW is doing.
In addition to this, you get to check various stats such as the power and torque being used, you get access to the G-meter, music information, maps etc. This being an RS vehicle, it comes with a more sporty steering wheel with a flat bottom and you even get the option of an alcantara material which is synonymous with race car drivers. After all, RS stands for racing sport.
The steering wheel comes with multiple controls such as the music control buttons, a scroll wheel which operates the Digital Gauge cluster and as a bonus, you get RS buttons which is similar to the M1 and M2 buttons if you are more familiar with BMW M cars. These buttons are basically performance pre-configured to your liking for faster changing of modes when driving instead of scrolling through the infotainment.
Final Thoughts.
The Audi RS5 Sportback checks most boxes for an enjoyable daily commute. If you feel the power is a bit overkill, you can get it’s younger siblings; the Audi S5 Sportback or the Audi A5 Sportback. The S5 Sportback comes with the same engine but instead of Two Turbos, you get one which brings the power figure to 350 Horsepower which is still good enough. However, you can get the more economical A5 Sportback which comes with 4-cylinders with a choice of either petrol or diesel power trains.
As for pricing, the Audi RS5 Sportback starts from $75,000 and rises pretty quickly if you add all the fancy options such as carbon fibre pack, larger wheels etc. The Audi RS5 Sportback is a great car all things considered and if you have a sense of style and deep pockets, I’d say go for it. Leave a comment below if you have any inquiry or suggestion. Cheers!!
Nice design
Superb
I couldn’t agree more with the article’s title. The Audi RS5 Sportback truly strikes the ideal balance between thrilling performance and the functionality of a four-door sport sedan. Audi has nailed it!
It’s truly a work of art 🎨
Definitely amazing
Great insight.
good design
Amazing design.