Audi A5 3.0 TDI Sportback 2010 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $89,100
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Metallic paint $1695, sports front seats $850, Valcona leather $1200, MMI Navigation Plus $4550, six-disc CD changer $970.
Crash rating: five-star (Euro NCAP, pre-2009)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 6.6
CO2 emissions (g/km): 174
Also consider: BMW 330d Coupe, Mercedes-Benz E 250 CDi Coupe, Volkswagen Passat CC TDI

About our ratings

How would Audi feel about the A5 Sportback being compared with Saabs, we wonder? Because there's nothing else in recent memory that can match the Audi's combination of four side doors and a 'liftback' tailgate. That's why, under 'Also consider' above, we've listed two coupes and a low-roof sedan.

The Audi is a handy and stylish combination, providing adequate roominess in both the cabin and the luggage compartment, without looking at all frumpy. In fact the A5 Sportback is one of the more attractive cars in the Audi range, we would argue. Style and packaging aside however, the A4-based model is not without its compromises.

Two Carsales contributors have mourned the lack of ride comfort in the A5 Sportback -- both here and abroad. Sad to say, this writer won't buck the trend. The ride was firm in our seven-day tester, an A5 Sportback with the 3.0-litre TDI V6 and S Tronic (Audi's name for DSG) transmission. This is a car that really could do with the Audi Drive Select option ticked during the buying process.

As it stands the test vehicle was fun to drive, but over poorer quality roads it felt noticeably sharp. The flipside was the car's physics-defying grip and flat handling; the A5 Sportback is a car with roadholding that confounds the driver. On just one occasion did the car slip a little, from the rear.

Turn-in at higher speeds is fast enough, but the car conveys a sense of weight in the nose at lower speeds or in tighter corners -- through its slower response. The weight of the steering through the wheel varies considerably, from light at lower speeds to fairly heavy once the speedo's reading higher numbers.

But not only does the level of assistance vary at different speeds, as one would expect; the assistance can change abruptly as the car is turning into a corner, for instance. It's initially disconcerting and feels contrived. Here's another argument in favour of opting for Audi Drive Select, which allows the driver to stick with one or another type of steering calibration and ride comfort, although it's a further impost of $7600 on top of the car's purchase price.

However, all that's offset by the V8 levels of straightline performance this variant of A5 Sportback has to offer -- with the further blessing of four-cylinder-like fuel consumption. During the week the car averaged 9.0L/100km -- with a fair whack of open-road driving, but some around-town motoring as well.

It's pretty quick in a straight line, as mentioned, but it comes with the usual lag we've come to associate with both twin-clutch transmissions and turbodiesel engines. Things improve significantly by selecting the transmission's sport mode. This mode will also hold the transmission in gear as the engine reaches 4500rpm, whereas in the normal mode it will shift up around 4000rpm.

Once the engine is on the boil and powering beyond 3500rpm it emits a note that's muted but powerful and the acceleration delivered matches that. It's neither as lusty nor refined as the inline six in BMW's 330d, but it's rollicking good fun in its own way.

The number of gears in the transmission leaves plenty of latitude for ratios that are ideally matched to a diesel as potent as this one -- ratios that are neither too close nor too far apart.

In Sport mode the transmission is highly responsive to manual shifts using the paddles. As a matter of fact, the S Tronic box and this particular diesel work better in combination for sporty driving than any other diesel/sequential-shifting auto coupling in recent memory. It's only on launch that the two are lackadaisical.

The two are also just a little raw at times. Even cruising at freeway speeds the V6 emits a low rumble that's more vibration than noise (the principal noise source at touring speeds is actually wind) and it's very distinctively a diesel V6 at other times.

If you turn the radio down you'll also note some NVH from one or both of the clutches on downshifts -- and the transmission doesn't compare with the very best epicyclic automatics for ultimate smoothness. On hard lock, the quattro (all-wheel) drivetrain binds noticeably too.

As a packaging exercise, the A5 Sportback is a neat encapsulation of style and practicality. There are compromises though. Entering and leaving the car is a squeeze and rear-seat headroom is inadequate for adults of average height or better. The vehicle on test didn't come fitted with a sunroof, so headroom in the front was quite good, but we'd be wary of ordering an A5 Sportback with a sunroof lest it reduce the clearance between headlining and the noggin.

Legroom in the rear was okay but not outstanding with the seat in front set back far enough for the driver's comfort. The seats themselves are very comfortable and supportive. With Audi's usual flair they were trimmed in two-tone leather, comprising camel colour inserts and contrasting stitch for the charcoal bolsters.

The luggage compartment is shallow, but long and reasonably wide. It would accommodate bedding, clothing and toys for a couple of kids on a night away -- with only 60 per cent of the available space consumed.

As standard, the A5 Sportback comes with reverse-parking sensors and acoustic guidance. That's definitely a boon, because the Audi is not especially easy to park. The field of vision to the rear is limited and the turning circle, at 11.5m, is as large as some SUVs.

Unlike A4s (and particularly manual variants in that range), the A5's pedals seemed well located and the footrest was broad and properly angled for comfort. The driving position was spot on overall and the controls were easy to operate, but the 'geometric' calibration of the speedo dial increments can confuse. The 100km/h increment is in a smaller font and it's closer to 80km/h than 80 is from 60km/h.

With the car's performance potential it could quickly step up from 80 to 110km/h or beyond before the driver's completely aware -- possibly earning the driver a traffic camera conviction as a consequence.

While the A5 Sportback comes with mode and volume controls on the steering wheel spokes, the main volume control knob is located on the centre console near the driver's left thigh and is just as easy to use, as is the single-point controller (MMI) that changes radio stations.

Bluetooth pairing doesn't seem to be as sophisticated or as labour-saving as in competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. This reviewer, who is happy to connect phone to car on each new trip, gave up by day two in the Audi.

Headlights were powerful and cast a soft but bright light, even on low beam.

Asked what we thought of the car by an acquaintance, we admitted to liking it -- a lot. It's flawed in some ways, but the right sort of buyers will celebrate those flaws for what they say about the car, which is: Don't be fooled by its Executive Tourer looks or the diesel powerplant, this is a very sporty car. Just make sure you opt for the Audi Drive Select.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi