The 2021 Audi A5 criminally undersells itself by sharing a name with a size for printer paper.
The A5 is a coupe, convertible, or five-door hatchback that looks great. It’s a blank canvas for personality and performance, which is the only thing the A5 has in common with plain paper.
This year, it gets a mild power upgrade for models equipped with a turbo-4, and the A5 Sportback (the hatchback, in Audi-speak) is more affordable with a lower-priced version.
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The A5 range gets a 7.0 TCC Rating that steers toward the A5 Sportback, which is more popular with buyers. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
Like last year, the A5 is available in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels. The A5 Sportback 40 TFSI is the most affordable and costs $ 42,795 to start, including destination. The 40 TFSI is a lower-power turbo-4, compared to the rest of the lineup. The punchier A5 45 TFSI is available in all three body styles; the coupe and hatchback cost the same, and the convertible costs $ 6,400 more. The S5 is hotter and quicker than the A5 and is offered in all three body styles for more than $ 53,000 to start. Scorching RS5s are on the way, but we haven’t yet heard about those.
The A5 is related to the A4 but drapes slinkier lines around the same mechanics. The A5 Sportback is the looker of the bunch, but there’s hardly a bad angle to be found.
The A5 Sportback 40 TFSI is powered by a 201-horsepower turbo-4 that is new this year. The A5 45 TFSI uses an uprated 261-hp turbo-4 with a little more power than last year’s version, and it adds mild-hybrid tech that could reduce fuel consumption at lower speeds.
At high speeds, the 349-hp S5 is a joy. OK, OK, we suppose normal speeds are fun, too.
The A5 Sportback fits up to five, with about 22 cubic feet of cargo space under the hatch, which rivals some SUVs. The coupe and convertible only have seatbelts for four, but you’ll want to take fewer than that: the space in the rear is tight and cargo space is even tighter.
The A5’s crash-test scores are good, and every model comes equipped with automatic emergency braking. Blind-spot monitors are equipped on more trim levels this year, and they’re needed, especially for the Sportback’s sloping roofline and the coupe’s chunky rear roof pilars. Audi also has added advanced driver-assist features that can help keep the car centered in its lane on long commutes on Premium Plus and Prestige models.
Every A5 gets leather upholstery, a 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility (Apple’s system can run wirelessly, too), 18-inch wheels, power-adjustable front seats, and a moonroof—unless it’s a convertible then, well, you know.
Spend up features include more power and handling hardware, bigger wheels, a digital instrument display, and exterior accents.
