Audi A5 Sportback

It’s not hard to see why the Sportback is now the most popular version of the A5. It has all the style of the coupé, but is much more practical, with a big boot and plenty of rear legroom. Even with the smallest engine in the range, performance is strong, and the car is more efficient than ever, too. The ride is still a little on the firm side, but otherwise, this is a very impressive all-rounder.

It's full steam ahead at Audi – and as well as a new flagship S model, there’s a round of updates for the A5 range.

All three bodystyles – coupé, cabrio and the Sportback driven here – get the same visual tweaks, with new grilles and bumpers, plus the angular headlights from the new A6. Sporty S line models also get fresh LED clusters front and rear to further modernise the looks, and bring them into line with the latest family styling.

The interior – which wasn’t exactly dated – has a similar spruce-up. There’s a new wheel, higher-quality climate control and stereo switchgear, and a simplified MMI multimedia system which is easier to use on the move. In all, it’s a thorough set of improvements to cement the A5’s best-in-class status.

Under the bonnet sits a heavily reworked version of the 1.8-litre TFSI petrol turbo. This is 3.5kg lighter than before, and gets a host of efficiency tweaks including better fuel injection, a reworked exhaust manifold and stop-start as standard.

All these changes mean that, despite a 10bhp power boost to 168bhp, the Sportback’s combined economy is up to 48.7mpg and emissions have fallen 20 per cent to 136g/km.

Despite being the entry-level model, the 1.8-litre rarely feels underpowered or slow. It’s quiet and refined at low speed, but revs smoothly when required. And although the tall gearing occasionally forces you to drop down a ratio to overtake, this is a genuine alternative to the pricier diesel variants.

We’ve previously criticised the A5’s firm ride, particularly on big wheels, yet the suspension has now been retuned with new spring, damper and bearing settings. Unfortunately, it’s still not as compliant as it should be, and some bumps in the road filter through to the cabin.

The rest of the dynamics are good, with precise steering and strong grip, and although the Audi can’t quite challenge the BMW 3 Series for driving fun, this round of updates makes it a hugely desirable package.