A5 Coupe shows there’s an Audi for every taste

The easy part of this driving impression is to categorise the Audi A5 Coupe. Sharing a platform with its sedan sibling, the A4, the A5 Coupe features two doors instead of four and a sportier exterior which includes a roofline that slants towards the rear.

The difficult part is to try and explain who this niche offering will appeal to. So let’s try and put the whole thing into context. Some people prefer their coffee black. Some white. Some take sugar and some don’t. Then you get a few extraordinary cases. Every now and again you see someone ordering a decaf cappuccino with specific instruction that only soy milk be used for the foam and the sweetener be gluten-free.

Now let’s say a finicky buyer is exploring the mid-tier of the Audi family. A mid-sized SUV in the Q5 could easily be considered too soccer mommish, the A4 sedan is probably too boring, the S5 Cabriolet too exposed to allergy-causing pollen while the A5 Sportback loses its sleekness through the addition of rear doors. It is for exactly these reasons that the designers over at Ingolstadt have crafted the A5 Coupe. A very niche product differentiated by its uniqueness.

What made the R826 000 40 TFSI S line we recently had on test as a house guest even more unique, was the brand-new metallic colour called District Green it was clad in. It certainly warrants a second look from by-passers, mostly in approval.

Were it not for the badging and S line exterior, the 40 TFSI could easily be confused for the S5.

Some modifications around the Singleframe at the front which include standard Matrix LED headlights gives the new A5 a commanding presence on the road. The look continues at the rear with a diffuser insert and trapezoidal tailpipes while the LED taillights feature dynamic turn signals.

Rounding off the exterior on our test unit was the optional 20-inch Sport Alloy wheels clad in extremely low profile 265/30 rubberware. This R35 500 upgrade over the standard 18-inch alloy wheels might seem a tad excessive, but it does wonders for the car’s appearance.

Inside, the A5 is both comfortable and a tech-feast. Making our tester even more desirable were a few optional extras such as the panoramic sunroof (R22 000), fine Nappa leather seats with embossed ‘S’ badging (R5 150) and the Bang & Olufsen Premium 3D Sound System.(R12 000).

The standard Audi virtual cockpit plus features a 12.3-inch screen with three display settings, while the 10.1-inch touch display with acoustic feedback offers a user experience similar to that of a smartphone. And speaking of smartphone, the Audi connect functionality can also be accessed through the myAudi app.

Interior is minimalistic but clean and typically Audi.

The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is no slouch in producing 140kW/320Nm via seven-speed S tronic transmission as the 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 7.3 sec would suggest. Selecting Dynamic drive mode also makes the throttle a lot more responsive, but quite ironically, a dynamic ride the A5 is by no means.

The understeer-heaviness in trying to manoeuvre a 2 764 mm wheelbase via front-wheel-drive ambitiously around bends make leaves you feeling rather underwhelmed. It almost leaves you feeling a tad short-changed after the overwhelming sporty sensation created by the aggressive styling of the exterior.

For those demanding that the grunt matches the good looks should consider the sportier powerplants and all-wheel-drive offered in the A5-family’s S models. As far as the A5’s fuel economy goes, we managed to get around 10L/100 km over the course of the 400-odd kilometres we covered, which is decent, but quite a long way off the claimed number of 6.4L/100 km.

Apart from the drive lacking personality, there are some other impracticalities which bothered us. Opening the large front doors pose a problem in tight parking spaces and the car is also very low to get in and out of.

S line badge on the front wing

Head and leg room in the rear is very limited, but if you opt for a two-door car you are obviously not going to use the back seats too often anyway. And less cabin volume equates to more boot space, which measures a very generous 450-litres.

Overall we think the A5 is a very stylish car, albeit a very niche one. If the mainstream is not your thing, then it should highly likely appeal to you. Or let’s put it this way … if you prefer a skinny latte over the granular instant variety, then you’re in business.