Audi A5 - MPG, emissions & running costs

The Audi A5 engine line-up differs from the BMW 3 Series in that Audi has retained a sole diesel option, which is by far the most efficient model, thanks to its official figure of up to 58.9mpg, depending on things like wheel size and specification. That does drop back to 55.3mpg if you want the quattro four-wheel drive car, but compares with a best of 42.2mpg for both the 148bhp and 201bhp petrol engines. 

That’s broadly in line with rivals such as the 3 Series and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, with the admittedly slightly less powerful 184bhp petrol cars around 1mpg above the Audi on the official test, while the 1.5-litre 204bhp petrol engine in the Mercedes C 200 saloon is about another mile per gallon better on top. That’s despite the A5 diesel getting new mild-hybrid tech that can run the car for short distances on electric power and otherwise gives an efficiency boost. 

You can’t even buy a 3 Series diesel any more, but on the flip side, the 200bhp Mercedes diesel is more efficient than Audi’s. Both BMW and Mercedes already have plug-in hybrids on sale, which Audi won’t be able to say until the first half of 2025.  

The PHEV will definitely be the best option for company car drivers, but the car’s emissions see the diesel sit five Benefit-in-Kind tax bands below the 148bhp petrol, with the more powerful petrol another one higher. 

Tax

Predictably, no versions of the A5 duck under the £40,000 threshold for luxury car tax, so all suffer from higher annual Vehicle Excise Duty from the second time the vehicle is taxed until it is six years old. Given that there isn’t an electric A5, there isn’t a version that offers a route to cheaper company car tax, or is positioned to evade charges in low-emission zones that benefit electric cars. 

Insurance groups

The A5 is likely to be one of the more affordable mid-size company cars around, with the least powerful petrol starting in group 24, which is four-places lower than the equivalent 3-series and nine below the C-Class. 

For the time being, it should also be less costly to insure than electric alternatives such as the BMW i4 starting in group 35, and the Tesla Model 3 beginning in group 36. Ratings for the upcoming plug-in hybrid have yet to be announced, and these versions might be more costly to insure due to having a more complicated drivetrain of both an engine and an electric motor, plus a battery pack.

Depreciation

The A5 holds its value well, with all models in the high 40 per cent area for depreciation, according to experts. The BMW 3 Series is slightly ahead, just breaching the 50 per cent barrier, while Mercedes is further back in the low 40 per cent area. The BMW is also the cheapest of the three, and is predicted to be worth the same as the Audi after three years and 36,000 miles, despite the Audi starting several thousand pounds more expensive. 

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