Audi RS5 review
The Audi RS5 is an incredibly fast and comfortable coupe, but it’s not as fun as some rivals
The Audi RS5 is incredibly fast in a straight line, sticks like little else in the corners and yet it’s a refined, comfortable and easy car to live with at the same time. Since the introduction of the diesel-powered S5, there’s a little more to help the RS model to stand alone at the top of the family; however, buyers can get 90% of that feeling from the slightly less powerful car in the A5 range.
The RS 5 still lacks the outright sharpness and excitement of high-performance rivals from BMW and Mercedes. It’s also missing a crucial ingredient that made previous models fun – a great engine. While the twin turbo V6 certainly packs a punch, it doesn’t have the character – both in terms of sound and delivery – to make an impact.
Audi has established the RS badge as the name of its performance models, and the RS 5 is a mainstay of the range. RS cars benefit from input from Audi Sport, the company's motorsport division, and the RS badge carries as much weight with performance car fans as the M badge from BMW and Mercedes' AMG brand.
The RS 5 is the fastest version of the A5 on sale, available in two-door Coupe and five-door Sportback body styles. It slots in above the S5 models and features the same running gear as the high-performance RS 4 Avant estate. That means it gets a 2.9 TFSI 444bhp twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet, quattro four-wheel drive and an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox as standard. This gives a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds, while the top speed is 174mph.
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Cash £15,197The main rival for the RS 5 is the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S, which is available in saloon, coupe, estate and convertible body styles.
Another model created in a similar vein to the Audi RS 5 is the Lexus RC F, while the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a four-door saloon that offers performance in the same ballpark. What all these cars have in common – and marks them out from the quattro RS 5 – is rear-wheel drive. Unfortunately for the Audi, that means most rivals are more engaging to drive, although the RS 5 does make up for this with the ability to cover ground at remarkable speed, even in inclement weather.
Compared to the standard Audi A5 Coupe and A5 Sportback, the RS 5 gets an aggressive makeover, with wider wheelarches evoking the look of the original Audi Quattro, 19-inch forged alloy wheels, LED headlights and satin silver trim. If you want to turn things up a notch, Audi offers the Carbon Black version with a black carbon roof, wing mirrors and extra detailing, along with the Vorsprung model which adds unique 20-inch alloys, a gloss-black styling pack and RS Sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC).
Prices for the RS 5 Coupe are identical and start at around £69,000 – a figure that puts it squarely against its BMW and Mercedes rivals.
Engines, performance and drive
As you’d expect, the RS5 is mighty in a straight line, especially as that four-wheel drive system means the wheels stick to the road - and it’s the same story in the corners. It’s easy to throw into bends and power out of them, relying on the clever torque control system to send power where it can help pivot the car around the bend.
There’s loads of grip, but the RS5 is still behind the BMW M4 and Mercedes C63 S for fun in the corners. Even though the Quattro system can send as much as 85% of drive to the rear wheels, there’s not much adjustability in the chassis. The neutral, balance means that rivals feel more playful and more rewarding to drive quickly. It’s great if you simply want to go really fast down a great road, but we’d still like it to be more involving.
The RS5’s quick steering and grippy chassis are complemented by a stiff suspension set-up when you select Dynamic mode. This reduces roll and makes the car feel sharper - and the steering is weighted well and has a decent amount of feel. It’s still a little way behind an Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio in that regard, though.
Flip the adaptive dampers into comfort mode and the RS5 settles down very well. It’s much more refined than a BMW M4 when you’re driving normally, and felt pretty comfortable on our French test route. While the RS5 has a dual character with its driving modes, it’s clearly focused on comfort over ultimate sharpness, as the Dynamic mode doesn’t make it feel like a totally different car, just a slightly stiffer one.
On the motorway the RS5 is quiet, composed and comfy - it’s what this car was built to do. The seats, driving position and high-quality interior all contribute to the RS5’s ‘fast cruiser’ feel. Of course the torquey engine means overtaking is a cinch.
However if you’re thinking of buying an RS5 on that basis, an S5 – or even the 249bhp high-power four-cylinder petrol – is a lot cheaper to buy, and you still get all of those things that make it a top motorway cruiser.
The RS5’s eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox is pretty good, changing gear quickly and smoothly. A parp from the exhaust on each upshift will please some (and annoy others), but the gearbox’s only real issue is the set of plastic, clicky paddles on the back of the wheel that seem cheap in a car of this price.
Engines
The RS 5's 2.9-litre V6 is a disappointment, as it feels – and sounds – flat. It’s nowhere near as exciting as the old V8, nor the V8 in the Mercedes C63 AMG.
Thanks to a pair of turbos, the V6 offers up 444bhp. This means the RS 5 can do 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, and it does feel extremely quick when you pin the throttle. But the dull engine note and torquey power delivery mean it’s more like a big diesel than a frantic, exciting petrol in character.
The torque figure of 600Nm is eye-catching on the spec sheet, and you can certainly feel that on the road. From 1,900rpm to 5,000rpm it surges, though that does sacrifice the top-end somewhat, so short-shifting is the way to go here.
The UK cars are equipped with a Sport Edition trim. Among other upgrades, this lifts the typical 155mph speed limiter found on many fast Audis up to 174mph.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
As the Audi RS 5 is the flagship of the Audi A5 range, it carries a hefty premium over the rest of the line-up. Prices start from around £69,000, but you do get unique bodywork, a bespoke interior, enhanced handling and a huge whack of performance. The five-door RS5 Sportback carries an identical price to the two-door version.
Following on from updates to the range in 2019, which included WLTP-based emissions certification, the RS 5 range and the options available were slimmed down significantly. Beyond a few colour choices and a couple of infotainment upgrades – an uprated sound system and wireless smartphone charging, for example – the scope for going mad with the options list isn’t quite as extensive as with Audis of old.
With emissions of 211g/km, buyers will pay £1,295 for the first year of VED – this is usually rolled into the on-the-road price. According to the WLTP testing procedure, the RS 5 achieves 30.4mpg, but you’ll be lucky to get that if you try to extract any reasonable amount of the engines huge reserves of power. The diesel-powered S4 costs significantly less to buy outright, and thanks to a fuel consumption figure in the high thirties, will be much cheaper to run, too.
Insurance groups
With 444bhp on tap, the RS 5 Coupe is a powerful sports car, so it's no surprise that it falls into insurance Group 44. If you go for the Carbon Edition, those expensive parts bump the RS 5 up into Group 45. These ratings are similar to rivals such as the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C 63.
Depreciation
The RS 5 is a desirable sports car, as proved by its 54-57% residual value ratings after three years and 36,000 miles. That's competitive with the RS 4 Avant's score, and better than the Mercedes-AMG C 63 manages.
To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...
Interior, design and technology
Audi Sport has given the RS 5 Coupe a suitably aggressive makeover when compared to the standard A5 Coupe. It's been lowered, wider wheelarches that are vaguely reminiscent of the Audi Quattro have been shaped into the bodywork, while satin silver trim is added to the front and rear bumpers and the wing mirrors. There are also red RS badges on the nose, bootlid and fake air vents on the front wings. LED lights are standard front and rear, too.
The overall effect is subtle, and only performance car fans are going to recognise the RS 5 for what it is in comparison to the standard A5 - although this will be popular with some buyers not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
Audi also offers exclusive colours for the RS 5, including an intriguing Sonoma Green. These optional metallic and pearl-finish hues cost an extra £675, with solid Nardo Grey paint as standard.
Inside, the RS 5 has been given sports seats with RS badging, and there are plenty of RS badges elsewhere in the cabin. The dashboard features Audi's Virtual Cockpit display as standard, while the MMI controller is straightforward to use – the gear selector doubles as a wrist rest when using it, making it more convenient to use than a touchscreen.
Audi has a strong reputation for building high-quality interiors, and the RS 5 upholds that tradition, with first-class materials and rock-solid build quality. Upgrading to the Carbon Pack could spell disaster for this kind of quality, but the carbon fibre trim is integrated beautifully.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
As already mentioned, Audi's MMI controller takes pride of place on the dashboard, and is far more intuitive to use as an infotainment control system than a touchscreen is. The system features shortcut buttons to instantly jump from media to nav to phone to vehicle settings, and everything is easily programmable and to set up.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included as standard, and the MMI system makes it easier to navigate through your phone apps than using a touchscreen. The RS 5's 10.1-inch display has clear graphics, and the sat-nav features local traffic info and is offered with free software updates over the car's life.
Also included is a 10GB music hard drive, a DVD player and voice control, while a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo is available at extra cost.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
The Audi RS 5 Coupe uses a two-door bodyshell, but as it's based on the same MLB platform as the Audi A4 saloon, there's space inside for a 2+2 seating layout. The doors have frameless windows, which helps with access to the cabin, while the front seats tilt forward to provide access to the two back seats.
Of course, the RS 5 Sportback has the benefit of extra doors, so access is easier, while both cars have the same roof line as the standard A5 models, so access is reasonable - the only minor downside is a slightly lower ride height, so you have to duck a little lower to get inside.
Dimensions and size
The Audi RS 5 Coupe measures 4,723mm long and 1,861mm wide, which is 31mm longer and 15mm wider than the standard A5, although include the car's wing mirrors, and an overall width of 2,029mm is the same as the standard A5. The RS 5 Sportback is slightly longer and taller than the Coupe, but not enough to be significantly different.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
There’s enough space in the rear seats for adults, but legroom and headroom aren’t good enough for long trips spent there, and there's less space in the back of the RS 5 thanks to the large sports seats fitted up front. Passengers in the back will find that they’re feeling very cramped, but that’s true of every car in this segment, including the BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C 63.
Boot space
There’s 465 litres of space in the boot, which is the same amount of space as the standard A5 Coupe, and is more than you get in a BMW M4 or Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe. The load area is wide and opens up easily, so there won’t be an issue with big suitcases or heavy bags. The back seats also fold 40:20:40 for extra versatility.
The Sportback version fills a gap between the RS 5 Coupe and RS 4 Avant. It has a hatchback tailgate, which opens to reveal 480 litres of space, which rises to 980 litres of space with the back seats folded.
Reliability and safety
In our 2020 Driver Power survey, Audi scored a 21st-place finish out of 30 manufacturers - finishing ahead of Mercedes (28th) and BMW (27th) in our poll. Customers praised the brand's interior quality, but were critical of reliability, with one in five reporting an issue with their car
The RS5 itself did not feature in the poll, but the A5 model in general finished in a lowly 70th place. Performance, practicality and infotainment were rated well, but running costs and servicing bills really hurt the Audi's score.
At least the RS 5 will be a safe car. The standard A5 earned a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with an 89% score for adult protection. Isofix child seat mounts are included, as is autonomous braking and a multi-stage electronic stability control system, while standard-fit quattro four-wheel-drive will give extra reassurance in slippery conditions.
Warranty
Every Audi comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty. That’s the industry standard, but rivals Mercedes and BMW both offer an unlimited mileage for their three-year warranty period. Audi offers warranty extensions of either five years/90,000 miles or four years/75,000 miles. These are transferable between owners, so could be useful once it comes time to sell the car on.
Servicing
Audi offers two types of servicing, Fixed or Flexible intervals, with the two types offered depending on what kind of driving you do. The former sees an oil change at 9,000 miles and an inspection service every two years or 19,000 miles, and is designed for those that drive short distances, mainly in town and less than 10,000 miles a year. Flexible servicing is for long-distance drivers who do more than 10,000 miles a year, and sees the oil change conducted at the same time as the inspection, every 2 years or 19,000 miles.
In addition to this, Audi's Digital Service Schedule means all of your car's main dealer service records are held on a central database, ensuring that the car has an accessible service history even if you lose the information yourself.
