Audi RS5 review - 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.

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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.