Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today

The Audi A5 accommodates pragmatists and style connoisseurs with few compromises to practicality and eye-catching design cues.

The 1966 Audi A80 is one of the more prestigious members of the Audi family, the only proper 2+2 coupe in the lineup until the Audi A5 arrived in 2007. Although it owes the attractive design and practicality to the A4, the A5 has been a significant microcosm for the expansion of the Four Rings brand, allowing Audi to delve into the competitive coupe segment.

Related: 10 Things To Know Before Buying The 2022 Audi A6

The success of the A5 Coupe has since allowed Audi to expand the model range to include different body styles, a formula notably retained in the current second-generation A5. The 2022 Audi A5 accommodates pragmatists with few compromises to overall practicality, while style connoisseurs will appreciate the eye-catching design cues. Read on to discover why gearheads should check out the 2022 Audi A5.

For owners who desire a sophisticated and sporty aesthetic without the flashiness of a premium brand, there are few better options on the market than the Audi A5. As one of the most well-rounded choices in the luxury small car segment, much of its appeal lies in the wealth of body styles, since automakers are gradually opting out of this multi-pronged approach.

The current A5 lineup offers three body styles: a sleek coupe, a convertible with a power-folding top, and a versatile four-door hatchback. Audi prefers to call the four-door A5 variant a Sportback, a unique model without direct competition, since it blends the styling of a coupe and the practicality of a sedan with a contemporary approach to the Gran Turismo philosophy.

For 2022, Audi offers each of the three A5 body styles in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels. The Sportback offers the cheapest way into an Audi A5, starting at $43,900 in Premium trim, $48,800 in Premium Plus, and $54,500 in Prestige trim.

Related: 14 "Cheap" Sports Cars That'll Make The Average Person Look Rich

The A5 Coupe starts at $46,000 in Premium trim, $50,900 in Premium Plus, and $55,450 in Prestige trim. As expected, the A5 Cabriolet is the most expensive option, starting at $52,200 in Premium, $57,100 in Premium Plus, and $62,950 in Prestige trim.

Audi offers an optional Black Optic Package in the A5 Sportback and A5 Coupe to create an intense and mysterious aesthetic. Exterior styling changes from the standard design include a matte black grille, black badging, black Audi rings, black door mirror housings, and an optional black roof.

The package also features 19-inch five-arm cutter design wheels with contrasting red brake calipers. Selecting the S line interior option for the Audi A5 Coupe adds detailed elements such as brushed aluminum inlays, leather/Dinamica upholstery, and stainless steel pedals.

The Audi A5 boasts interior luxuries such as a deluxe three-zone electronic climate support, three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated front sport seats with four-way electric lumbar support, and a front center armrest. A 30-color interior lighting package comes standard in every A5, a focused contour lighting that traces and highlights the A5's impeccable interior lines.

The split-folding rear seat bench boasts a rear center armrest and a three-stage 40/20/40 configuration for additional storage space in the trunk. Audi offers a Convenience Package that adds an alarm system with motion sensors, a heated steering wheel, driver's seat memory, Audi advanced key, power-adjustable auto-dimming exterior mirrors, parking system plus, and side assist with the pre-sense rear.

Audi's Virtual Cockpit comprises an innovative 12.3-inch full-color digital instrument cluster with three display modes for a 3D navigation map, vehicle/engine speed, driver assistance systems, radio/media information, and MMI functionalities. A high-resolution 10.1-inch color MMI touch infotainment characterizes the center stack, equipped with Audi Connect and MMI Navigation Plus with MMI touch.

Related: The Interior Of The 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom Is Truly Breathtaking

The touch-sensitive infotainment with voice control provides access to system icons for integrated navigation with a 3D map display, personal route assistance, Audi smartphone interface, Bluetooth interface, and DAB digital radio. Other features include Sirius XM, USB ports, and an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound.

Audi Connect Safety and Services offers fully integrated tools such as intelligent navigation, car finder, remote vehicle services, and roadside assistance. The Audi A5 boasts safety and security features such as a pop-up hood for pedestrian protection, light and rain sensors, anti-theft alarm, anti-theft wheel bolts, seat-belt monitoring, and a rear-view camera.

Notable driver-assistance features include Pre-Sense City for vehicle and pedestrian detection, Multi-Collision Brake Assist, Hill-Hold Assist, Parking System Plus, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Active Lane Assist. The Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) comes with Anti-locking Braking System (ABS), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), and Electronic Differential Lock (EDL).

Unfortunately, the NHTSA is yet to test the Audi A5 Coupe and Cabriolet. On the other hand, the 2022 A5 Sportback received a five-star NHTSA rating, scoring solid five-star ratings in side crash and rollover tests and a four-star rating in frontal crash tests.

The NHTSA issued one recall request for the 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, citing image display issues with the rear-view camera, which reduces the driver's awareness and increases the risk of a crash. The 2022 Audi A5 Sportback is a Top Safety IIHS Pick for 2022, receiving a Good rating for crashworthiness and a Superior rating for crash avoidance and mitigation.

Audi optimized the A5's performance through comfortable dynamic suspension, electromechanical power steering, and an automatic Start-Stop with coasting functionality. The A5 also comes standard with Audi Drive Select, allowing the driver to toggle through five modes to alter gear-shift characteristics, throttle response, and steering feel.

Related: 10 European Performance Cars That Can Be Modified To Annihilate Most Supercars

Efficiency mode allows the A5 to extract the most range from the hybrid setup, Comfort mode softens the suspension and reduces steering effort, Auto mode functions to achieve the perfect balance between sportiness and comfort, and Dynamic mode stiffens the suspension, quickens transmission shifts, and sharpens steering feel. The Individual mode allows the driver to tweak the various Audi Drive Select presets to suit personal preferences.

All Audi A5 models come standard with a 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged four-cylinder TFSI engine and a mild 12V hybrid system. The engine is mated to a seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission to deliver 261hp and 273lb-ft of torque.

Besides the standard 45 TFSI, the Audi A5 also has a 40 TFSI powertrain that lowers the performance bar to 201hp. With the desirable high-performance 45 TFSI hybrid setup, the A5 Sportback offers an EPA-estimated 29 MPG combined, the Coupe returns an estimated 27 MPG combined rating, and the Cabriolet offers the poorest fuel economy with 26 MPG combined.

Audi equipped the A5 with a permanent all-wheel-drive system, which relies on a mechanical self-locking center differential. The system also incorporates torque vectoring, a sophisticated software solution that facilitates more precise handling through minor, targeted braking intervention.

During normal driving conditions, the Quattro AWD system distributes power through a 60/40 split with a bias to the rear wheels, giving the impression of a rear-wheel-drive car. However, should the rear wheels lose traction, the AWD system instantaneously redistributes the engine power more evenly.

Simon Kim has always been passionate about machines since childhood, and this has grown into an obsession well into adulthood. As an avid reader and creative content writer, he finds joy and fulfillment in sharing his love for cars and bikes with other machine heads. Currently, Kim seeks to deliver exciting and informative articles on HotCars. He enjoys music and art and dabbles in active sports and virtual gaming in his spare time.