Audi A5 & S5 Sportback First Impression

We got our hands very briefly on the new Audi A5 Sportback and the new Audi S5 Sportback. Though we drove the cars barely for a few kilometres on a turf that was not the right one, we must admit that both the models exude panache and character. The latter, however, blew our mind with its sheer intensity and aggressiveness.

The moment I got off at the Jaipur Airport and saw the Audi A5 Sportback, I was mesmerised by the elegantly designed looks of the five-door family coupe. The new A5 Sportback has a very sporty profile. The singleframe grille looks impressive and gives a bold stance to the front end. The side air intakes have bold edges.

The new Audi S5 Sportback that I drove later is basically the sporty version of the A5 Sportback and the only thing that distinguishes the two is the powertrain, apart from some subtle design elements. As the word “Sportback” goes, the A5 and S5 have a very sporty back, not to say the rest is not.

From the flowing bonnet, to the A-pillar, then to the roof extending over the athletic body with its frameless doors, the car has very neat design to boast. The front and rear side windows are given emphasis by a trim strip in aluminum silver. The stretched luggage compartment lid in aluminum has a smart spoiler edge. The LED headlights with DRLS and fog lamps do justice in front while at the rar are slim, three-dimensionally shaped LED lights. The brake light on the upper edge of the rear window glows along the entire width of the glass frame. 

The S5 Sportback comes with a beefier engine. The rear too is distinct with the A5 Sportback having two exhaust pipes on the left side while the S5 Sportback comes with four tailpipes (two on either side). Rather than a lot of chrome and aluminium, the S5 Sportback has a lot of matt finish.

Both the cars boast of super rich interiors with ample seating space, both in the front and in the rear. A continuous air vent strip and the plunging centre console give the impression of a floating instrument panel. Just a few buttons and dials are sufficient for convenient control. When a finger approaches one of the rocker switches, the function is shown enlarged on the dark LCD display and selected at the push of a button.

The three spoke steering wheel makes the car a lot sporty from inside. Not to miss is the dashboard with a dull black charcoal kind of wood finish at the bottom. The S5, on the other hand, is a bit more brighter with its brushed aluminium finish.

 The rear seat back splits 40:20:40. Luggage space is around 480 litres and with the rear seats folded the space increases to 1,300 litres. Audi also offers the option of sensor control for opening and closing the standard-fit electrically powered luggage compartment lid on the five-door coupé. A proximity sensor in the rear bumper responds to a kick movement if the optional convenience key is detected.

The new Audi A5 Sportback has a large, easy-to-read analog speedometer and tachometer as standard. Between them is the display of the driver information system (DIS).

While it was a treat to drive the 1,968 cc four-cylinder TDI diesel engine powered new Audi A5 Sportback , it was a lot more fun to step on the S5 Sportback powered by a 3 litre V6 TFSI quattro titronic engine.  The difference was obvious. While the former develops 190 hp and a peak torque of 400 Nm, the S5 Sportback develops a whopping 354 hp and a peak torque of 500Nm. Driving the latter on the Dynamic mode was like flying your jet too low on the ground. All in all, the limited experience we had with the two cars left us wanting for more. After all, your tryst with something beautiful does not have to end on your first date. We look forward to a much longer drive where we can get to know the cars a lot better.