Skip advert
Advertisement

Audi RS5 Cabriolet

Is the Audi RS5 Cabrio worthy of the esteemed RS badge? We headed to Southern France to find out

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Find your Audi RS5
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The RS5 Cabriolet looks great, is seriously rapid and handles well. Unfortunately, an extra 205kg means it’s not as agile as the £10,000 cheaper RS5 Coupe. And if you really must have a fast four-seater Audi convertible, save £23,000 and get the S5, as it’s almost as quick. Plus, while the RS5 Cabriolet may be a good car, it’s not a great RS car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Over the next year, Audi will release four new RS models. The first to arrive is the RS5 Cabriolet, and Audi claims the drop-top is the most emotive way to experience its high-revving 4.2-litre V8 engine. But is it really? To find out, we took one for a test drive up the demanding Col de Vence pass in the south of France.

As with the normal A5 Cabriolet, the RS5’s roof can be retracted at up to 31mph in under 20 seconds. And like the humbler models, when stowed the roof only takes up 60 litres of the 380-litres boot. But the range-topper is distinguished by its 19-inch 10-spoke alloys, RS bodykit and oval tail pipes.

Under the more muscular skin lies Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system. It can send 70 per cent of the engine’s power to the front wheels, or 85 per cent to the rear. It also gets a rear sport differential to vary the torque sent to each back wheel. The result is excellent traction out of corners, allowing you to make the most of the smooth, potent V8.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Niro

2022 Kia

Niro

31,293 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £16,599
View Niro
Q5

2020 Audi

Q5

55,101 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £21,150
View Q5
Sportage

2021 Kia

Sportage

53,135 milesAutomaticDiesel1.6L

Cash £16,300
View Sportage
3008

2022 Peugeot

3008

16,702 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £17,550
View 3008

The RS5 Cabriolet also features Audi’s Drive Select. This lets the driver shuffle throttle response, steering weight and shift speeds of the dual-clutch gearbox between three different modes: Comfort, Automatic and Dynamic.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Go for the optional sports suspension with Dynamic Ride Control fitted to our test car, and you can also change the stiffness of the dampers. In Comfort, the ride is just compliant enough to take the sting out of bumps, but it’s too floaty over undulations at high speeds. So if it’s serious driving you’ve in mind, the jarring Dynamic mode must be endured.

The adjustable suspension is part of a Sport option pack. It’s good value by Audi standards, because for £2,250 it includes 20-inch alloys, a sports exhaust and variable-ratio steering, which complements the impressive electrically assisted set-up. The only issue with the steering is that the whole column shakes a bit in your hands over bumps.

Audi has tried to minimise the effects of body flex by fitting extra chassis bracing, but that brings extra weight. The RS5 Cabriolet tips the scales at 1,920kg, making it 205kg heavier than the Coupe. And, boy, do you feel the extra bulk on the tight twisty roads of the Col de Vence, because under heavy braking and rapid changes of direction the extra inertia means the RS5 Cabriolet is less planted than the lighter Coupe.

Admittedly, being able to drive with the wind in your hair is some compensation. But oddly enough, although the V8 is a little louder with the roof down, you can actually hear it better with the top up, because the acoustic hood filters out other road noise. So is the RS5 Cabriolet the most emotive way to experience Audi’s 4.2 V8? No, that’s still the R8.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £2,205 off RRP*
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,297 off RRP*
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,690Avg. savings £4,536 off RRP*Used from £16,298
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,445 off RRP*Used from £15,800
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New electric Ford pick-up to cost an astonishing £22k
Ford Ranger - front cornering

New electric Ford pick-up to cost an astonishing £22k

Looking for its new Model T moment, Ford USA announces new affordable EV platform, starting with new pick-up truck
News
11 Aug 2025
Best car tyres to buy now 2025: top tyres tested and reviewed
Auto Express Summer Tyre Test 2025 - header image showing a Volkswagen Golf undergoing wet weather cornering

Best car tyres to buy now 2025: top tyres tested and reviewed

Nine brands go head to head in our annual test, but which one should you put on your car?
Product group tests
13 Aug 2025
Kia XCeed to keep pace with new engines for 2026
Updated Kia XCeed - dynamic front 3/4

Kia XCeed to keep pace with new engines for 2026

The XCeed joins the Picanto in receiving some trim changes and extra equipment
News
12 Aug 2025