Used Audi A5 (Mk1, 2007-2016) review - How much will it cost?

Buying a coupe means you’re prepared to pay more for less space. This is especially true of the Audi A5, which is more expensive than the A4 saloon, even when you’re buying used.

Prices

The Audi A5 has always been good at holding its value, so you’ll need to find at least £5,000 to put one in your garage. That’s for a 2007 model with between 100,000 and 150,000 miles on the clock. Add another £3000 to the budget for a post-facelift A5.

It’s worth noting that a 2007 Audi A4 could cost as little as £2,000, so you really are paying a premium for the coupe styling. If you’re after the build quality, badge and driving experience, an A4 could make more sense.

You can check out the latest used prices for the Audi A5 our sister site BuyaCar.

Economy and CO2 emissions

Go for Audi’s eco champion, the Ultra model, for the best mix of power and efficiency – it will cover 0-62mph in 8.3 seconds, but manages 67.3mpg on the combined cycle and 109g/km, which is significantly lower than the cleanest BMW 4 Series. With a 65 litre fuel tank – shared across the A5 line-up – that means you’re looking at a potential range of 950 miles on a tank, at least on the official figures. Even in real-world driving, you won’t be stopping often at the pumps.

The 2.0 TDI with two-wheel-drive and manual gearbox will return 61.4mpg and 120g/km of CO2, so it just scrapes a C rating for £30 annual road tax. The BMW 420d is group E and costs £130 a year to tax – as does the Audi 2.0 TDI if you opt for the less efficient quattro automatic version, when economy also drops to 53.3mpg. The 293bhp 3.0 TDI quattro offers economy of 49.6mpg and moves up to tax bracket F.

On the petrol side, the entry-level 1.8-litre TFSI can only match the 3.0 diesel for economy, but it is a little cheaper to tax in bracket D. The 2.0 TFSI quattro can manage 42.2mpg but rises to tax bracket G, while the 3.0 TFSI S5 manages 36mpg and earns an I rating for tax.

You won’t be buying an RS5 for its economy, but just for the sake of comparison it can eke out 27mpg on the combined cycle and with 246g/km of CO2 you’ll be paying the big bucks each year in road tax.

Running costs

Most A5s have variable servicing, allowing up to two years or 19,000 miles between pit stops. However, a fixed-schedule regime is offered too, under which the car requires a service every 9,000 miles or 12 months.

Service costs for four-cylinder models are pegged at £170 and £338 (minor and major); for V6 models these prices rise to £203 and £409. All 2.0 TDI models have a cam belt, which costs £495 to replace, or £599 with a fresh water pump; this is due every five years.

Brake fluid is needed after three years, then every two years (£65), and the coolant topped up as needed.

The A5 is a powerful performance coupe, so the insurance is a significant cost of ownership. The range starts at group 27 for the entry-level 1.8 diesel and rises to group 35 for the 3.0 TDI quattro.

The BMW 4 Series ranges from group 23 to group 40 for the 435d which offers even greater performance than the 3.0 TDI Audi. If you want to insure an RS5, you’ll be looking at group 45.