Road Test: 2009 Audi A5 S-Line
Last summer, Audi tossed us the keys to its sexy new high-performance coupe for a week. No, it wasn’t the R8 sports coupe (although stay tuned for our review of the 2009 Audi R8 next month), but instead it was the all-new Audi S5 – the performance version of the A5 coupe. As much as we loved being noticed in the S5, which was a common occurrence, the Audi A5 decked out in S-Line trim provided just as much style with an engine likely to save many drivers in insurance payments and speeding tickets. This time around, we get to see what the car feels like with 89 fewer horsepower and a savings on the starting MSRP of almost $11,000. With a base MSRP of $40,700, the 2009 A5 we tested came with handful of styling and technology packages which bumped the car’s as-tested price to a hefty $50,715. One price advantage the A5 has over the S5 is the lack of a required $1,300 gas-guzzler tax.
2009 Audi A5 Exterior & Styling
Like the S5, the base A5 we tested was a beautifully sculpted example of Audi’s designs which include the Q7 and TT. In base form, the A5’s long hood, short decklid and swept C-pillar make Audi’s coupe one of the most stylish cars on the road looking both sleek and aggressive from just about any angle. Decked out with the S-Line Sport package and Misano Red Pearl Effect paint, this A5 looked every bit as mean as its V-8-powered S5 counterpart. The optional ($2,900) S-Line package adds more aggressive front and rear fascias as well as exclusive 19-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels with a stylish Y-design and fitted with Dunlop summer performance tires. Like the S5, S-Line badges grace the side fenders and steering wheel. Audi also fitted the A5 with the LED daytime running lamps integrated into the headlights like the R8 for a more aggressive look.
2009 Audi A5 Interior
Inside, the A5 blends a performance-oriented cabin with rich, luxurious materials. Besides the S5’s embroidered seats and unique instrument cluster, the interiors of both models are practically identical with soft, dark leather contrasted by piano black inserts and bright aluminum accents on the instrument panel and center console. The S-Line package adds stylish brushed aluminum door sill inserts as well as sport seats with improved side bolstering to compliment the car’s sport-tuned suspension. This A5 also included the ($1,850) Premium package and ($2,390) Navigation Plus package. The navigation system uses a large color display screen and the driver can easily control Audi’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) system through the knob and buttons mounted just behind the shift lever. As we’ve come to expect from Audi vehicles, all of the surfaces are optimized for style and comfort and all of the buttons and controls have a nice feel and are easy to use. One area the A5 definitely lacks compared to the BMW 3 Series coupe is rear seat comfort. After cramming a test passenger in the back seat, we tried to find Audi’s specs for rear seat legroom. The rear area must be so confining that Audi doesn’t think anyone will sit back there since we could find no details on any rear seat specs.
2009 Audi A5 Performance & Handling
The main difference between the S5 and the A5 is what’s under the hood. While the S5 has a high-revving 4.2-liter V-8 under the hood, the A5 gets a more modest 3.2-liter direct injected V-6. The A5’s 265 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque are noticeably lower than the S5 upon acceleration, but peak horsepower still comes close to the car’s 6,800 rpm redline. While both cars each come with differing engines, they come standard with Audi’s quattro® permanent all-wheel drive system and offer the choice between six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. When we test drove the S5, it used the manual option, so we were happy to test out the upgraded six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission gearbox on the A5. There are some that may scoff at a sports coupe with an automatic transmission, but Audi’s Tiptronic gearbox should only be avoided if you’re looking to save $1,300 on the total MSRP or if you believe a car isn’t a true sports car without a manual transmission. Although it gives up a tenth of a second in 0-60 mph acceleration, the Tiptronic is amazingly fun especially in sport mode. Besides the savings in the gas-guzzler tax, the A5 with the Tiptronic transmission also saves money at the pump with improved fuel economy estimates of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway (compared to the S5’s 14 city/ 21 highway).
In addition to more aggressive looks, the S-Line Package adds a sport-tuned suspension which made the A5 feel just as nimble as the S5, but coming out of the corners, the decrease in horsepower was noticeable. Audi claims that the A5 with the automatic can run from 0-60 mph in just 5.9 seconds, which should be somewhere in between what the BMW 328i and 335i car run.