Quick drive: Audi S5
Hardcore performance is great for track days. Audi has a more everyday option
Audi’s S line of cars don’t get the recognition they deserve. Sitting in between the standard models and the totally performance-oriented RS cars, they sit as the middle child, often overlooked. We have, on occasion, driven the RS5, RS7, even the R8 and come away impressed by the raw power they pack into seemingly standard body styles. But let’s face it: a wolf in sheep’s clothing isn’t likely to make you a nice wool coat.
It’d rather eat the coat with you in it. Not so much the car on this page: the S5, which is what Audi calls a “sportback”, basically a sedan with a hatchback rear and more rakish roofline. In terms of size, it sits somewhere between an A4 and an A6 but ends up feeling surprisingly compact.
Even in terms of performance potential, you could consider the S5 the middle child. There are sportscars in the lineup that make less power. Why then did Audi feel the need to paint the media car in this lurid yellow, we have no idea. It’s a unique shade for sure, akin to pure printer’s ink than anything else and it drew attention wherever it went. Though, we suspect, it would pass under the radar in a more sedate paint job. Few, if any external features stand out. You have a typical Audi front grille, headlamps and design language tweaked slightly to accommodate the curvaceous rear hatch. The red ‘S’ badges are also discreet on the front and the back.
Step inside and the treatment is typical Audi. If you’ve been in a recent A-type sedan, everything is familiar. There’s the MMI screen, central console and ergonomics as expected, but with a small, fiddly jog dial. The steering wheel also doesn’t have explicitly labelled phone controls, which is something that will confuse those coming from other car brands. Upholstery is in black and dark brown and there is much leather on display. There are some lacquered carbon fibre trim pieces along the door and other surfaces as well, though we’re not sure if it’s the real thing. The seats are comfortable and supportive one-piece units for the front, lending a sporty look without being uncompromisingly hardcore like the near-race seats you’d find in a sports car.
Rear legroom is good for a person of my size (5’9”) but then, few grown men are actually my size, so we’d suggest a seating capacity of four for maximum comfort. At least one passenger we rode with commented on how his i20 felt more spacious in the back. Again, apart from the “sport” theatre, there is little else to talk about. Open the hatch and it’s another world. Literally! Audi claims 480 litres of cargo space, and we believe them. It’s a vast expanse of nice, flat luggage area and very easy to access thanks to the hatch opening. It’s a bit like the Skoda Octavias of old — looking like sedans with hatches hiding huge boots.
On the go, the S5 is a refined experience. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is quick and smooth, and shifts gears with digital efficiency. Press the throttle with aggression and the gearbox quickly shifts down, releasing a nice V6 roar from the quad pipes out back. It’s a chatty car in that it likes to make nice growly noises when provoked, but never overpowers. The sound is enough for feedback and kicks, but does not cause discomfort. High-rev gearshifts release a nice crackle from the exhaust. Paddle shifters are present for those times when you think you know better than the car’s electronics. Driving modes can be chosen between comfort, dynamic, efficiency or tailored to your individual tastes. Ride quality is where the generally luxurious experience breaks, with the large wheels and relatively low profile tyres transmitting road imperfections to the passenger. Setting the car in ‘Comfort’ mode didn’t do much in this regard.
On our favourite, winding hill road, the S5 shone with its Quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. There’s always more grip than you need, and it works well with the performance of the motor. The specifications will surprise you if you drive the car before looking at the brochure: 329hp and 440Nm from the supercharged V6! We’ve driven much angrier-feeling cars with less power. The S5 delivers this capability with little drama. Despite being 4.7 metres long, the S5 feels compact with a small footprint width-wise. Visibility is good and the flat-bottomed steering feels nice to till around good surfaces. The ORVMs could have done a better job showing the sides and rear of the vehicle, but that could be down to personal preference.
The Audi S5 has plenty of performance potential, but keeps everything feeling comfortable and luxurious. It is an odd, middle child and we imagine it will have less takers than more overt sportscars or luxury sedans because of the niche it occupies. That’s an opportunity for the buyer who wants something different. Certainly no other car we’ve seen comes in this shade. At just north of Rs 69 lac ex-showroom, the price will give you pause. You can buy more spacious luxury cars for less, or more overt sports cars for as much. Stuck in the middle again.
Originally published at thrillofdriving.com on August 1, 2016.
