Audi RS5 2026 Review

German pricing will start at €106,200 for the 2026 Audi RS5 sedan and €107,850 Avant. That’s an increase of about 20 per cent in the European market, though the situation is complicated by the fact the old Euro-spec RS4 and RS5 weren’t as chock-full of equipment.

By contrast, the Australian versions of the RS4 and RS5 were essentially fully specified. While price increases aren’t out of the question for the new ‘B10’ models when they land locally, expect them to be more tempered and for starting prices to remain south of $A200,000 plus on-road costs.

The bandwidth of the range pits the RS5 squarely against the BMW M3, though Audi has dispensed with the coupe version of this model that previously competed against the M4.

Standard equipment is extensive for the new RS5, with inclusions taking in 20-inch wheels, RS sport suspension with adaptive twin-valved dampers, steel brakes (ceramics are optional), Matrix LED headlights, OLED rear lighting, sports seats with heating, ventilation and massage, an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.5-inch OLED touchscreen and a 10.9-inch passenger display.

Many buyers will select the Audi Sport package, which adds diamond-cut 21-inch alloys, a sports exhaust, higher 285km/h top speed, ‘Serpentine Green’ and ‘Brass’ interior detailing and ceramic brakes with bronze callipers, plus camouflage carbon detailing for the spoiler, mirrors and interior inlays.

Adaptive safety features include active cruise control, full lane-centring, driver attention monitoring, and a 360-degree parking camera. The rear lights can display warning signs for drivers following behind the RS5.

Under the skin is the headline act: a revised twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine producing 375kW/600Nm, paired to a 130kW/460Nm electric motor integrated into an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Total outputs are 470kW/825Nm. A Torsen-style Quattro AWD system can send up to 85 per cent of torque to the rear wheels.

A 25.9kWh battery (of which 22.0kWh is usable) sits beneath the boot floor, delivering up to 84km electric range when EV mode is selected. 

Only AC charging is possible (at up to 11kW), albeit in as little as 2.5 hours. Fuel consumption on a discharged battery is quoted at 9.5L-10.2L/100km in Europe.

Starting off with a full (48L) fuel tank and a charged battery on the flat outskirts of Marrakech, we consumed 23kWh/100km in EV mode, suggesting a real electric range north of 90km if driven gently.  

But then it was time to head for the hills and engage the RS drive modes that forcibly maintain 90 per cent battery charge, which resulted in consumption of 11.5L/100km.

We expect Audi’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty to remain in place locally.

The 2026 Audi RS5 had a relatively long gestation period which has allowed Audi Sport’s A-tier engineering talent to properly calibrate its complex powertrain while dialling in the ride and handling.

There’s a lot going on under the skin, but on the road, making rapid progress across poorly surfaced bitumen (Moroccan roads aren’t that much worse than Australian ones) is effortless.

Audi made the decision early in the development of the B10 RS5 to lock in a combination of V6 brawn and PHEV smarts to clear tightening emissions bars in Europe and abroad.

Old-school Audi engineers that love combustion sports cars worked on the development of this car, yet they came to genuinely embrace the plug-in hybrid system, which delivers not only substantial CO2 benefits on paper, but also the capacity to unlock some very cool dynamic tech.

The RS5 will bias electric power in its default drive mode, and owners can lock it in EV mode if they charge the battery. Alternatively, you can set up an RS Individual mode that will prefer to keep the combustion engine running all of the time, if you prefer.

Well-calibrated powertrain software has resulted in immediate power delivery that blends energy near-seamlessly from both combustion and electric sources. This is a staggeringly refined hybrid system and one that allows properly rapid acceleration with zero lag whatsoever.

The eight-speed automatic is not quite as crisp as the ZF unit found in the BMW M3, but it is easier to live with and noticeably less aggro than Mercedes-AMG’s dual-clutch unit.

Speaking of Mercedes-Benz, Audi’s steadfast decision to keep the V6 alive in the RS5 for another generation means it has avoided the ignominy suffered by the AMG C63, which also adopted PHEV power in 2024 but downsized to four cylinders.

Ingolstadt says the RS5 marks a world-first debut of an electrified dynamic torque vectoring (DTV) system on the rear axle, with an additional, dedicated 8kW/40Nm motor responsible for laterally directing torque to the appropriate wheel in five-millisecond increments.

The DTV system motor was only made possible by the 400-volt electrical architecture that was needed for PHEV models based on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) platform.

In practice, this has allowed Audi’s handling gurus to noticeably widen the bandwidth of the RS5’s cornering attitude. It starts with a remarkably quick 13:1 electric power steering ratio, zealous turn-in and willingness to pivot quickly around the centre.

In RS Sport mode it has a classically precise fast-Audi nature, but dialling up RS Individual and setting the Quattro system to Dynamic directs up to 700Nm of torque rearward. With those settings engaged, the RS5 feels as eager and rear-biased as an M3 Touring.

On closed roads and racetracks drivers can go a step further with RS Torque Rear mode, allowing for massive power oversteer that is initially hilarious but teeters into daunting territory as you realise how much mass (2355kg in Sedan form, 2370kg as an Avant) is moving sideways.

Ride quality is superb for a performance car riding on low-profile 20- or 21-inch rubber. New twin-valve dampers independently control compression and rebound, while the body is 10 per cent stiffer than a standard A5.

Across country roads quite reminiscent of scarcely maintained routes in Victoria or New South Wales, the adaptively damped RS5 breathed with the bitumen. With the suspension set to comfort mode, there’s a compelling balance of control and compliance, though ‘dynamic’ was far too stiff here.

A brake-by-wire system developed by Bosch and tuned by Audi capably blends the friction brakes with adaptive regeneration that can sense cars in front and gently slow progress.

Standard 420mm front and 400mm rear steel rotors are enlarged to 440mm/410mm ceramic monsters with the Audi Sport package; both haul up in a hurry, though the ceramic brakes are the pick for track use.

Inside, the RS5 is a well-executed luxury GT that gets key touchpoints right. The RS-specific seats that are finished in high-grade leather look attractive and are exceptionally comfortable.

The perforated leather steering wheel now incorporates RS mode shortcuts as well as physical scroll wheels, after the underlying A5 was criticised for moving to haptic controls.

We liked the driving position and ergonomics, with key controls falling to hand. The in-car technology is easy to use, powered mainly through the crisp OLED central screen.

Back seat space is acceptable for a mid-size car and the rear pews themselves are comfortable and well-equipped with air vents, cupholders and fast USB-C ports that can power up a laptop. The Avant has a little more headroom, but the Sedan – which is actually a lift back – is flexible enough.

We have to hand it to the engineers: they have hidden the 2026 Audi RS5’s weight well. It takes a concerted, ham-fisted effort to provoke this (admittedly porky) car into revealing it's mass.

The RS5 has astonishing dynamic range and capacity to smother a driver’s mistakes, but the weight can be identified if you massively overcommit to a corner, bringing out a breath of push understeer.

Perhaps the bigger issue is consumables – namely tyres – for drivers that plan to regularly tap into the DTV system’s capacity to make the RS5 feel rear-wheel drive. Using RS Torque Rear, we shredded a rear tyre in under a minute of drifting on a closed course. It was fun and looked cool, though.

The relatively small fuel tank means combined range is marginal at around 500km, though Audi says it is working on a larger optional touring tank.

Less easy to solve is limited boot space. The floor is relatively high to accommodate the PHEV battery, leaving the Avant with an A3-like 361 litres of space between the floor and the window line. The back seats do fold 40/20/40 to create more space.

Audi has already acknowledged that the cabin materials deployed for the current A5 are not up to the brand’s historical best, and there are strong hints future models will return to greater tactility and richer interior surfacing.

This isn’t as much of a problem in the RS5 because of the sumptuous leather used for its seats, but an overreliance on piano black about the cabin shows there is a task here for Audi. Plus, there was a minor rattle in one of our test vehicles.

Audi fans that were worried that a plug-in hybrid system would neuter the 2026 RS5 can breathe a sigh of relief. The new model isn’t perfect, but electrification has noticeably widened the bandwidth of this car, and not just for silent running in EV mode.

In Australia, Audi should be motivated to sell the RS5. Its 84km of electric range means it produces an between 86-102g/km of CO2 (WLTP), making it an NVES-friendly product.

Tellingly, engineers say they’d lobby to keep the hybrid system even if CO2 regulations suddenly disappeared. Internally, Audi’s handling specialists say they have become very used to the DTV system and that without PHEV tech, it would be harder to implement.

Then there’s the fact the sonorous twin-turbo V6 shared by Audi and Porsche has been retained. It sounds genuinely desirable both inside and outside the car, where onlookers will find it hard to ignore the massive twin exhaust outlets.

Speaking of looks, the proportions of the Audi are properly handsome in the metal. The RS5 is nine centimetres wider than the standard A5 and you clearly identify that width from behind.

Buyers who want a simple sports sedan will prefer something like the BMW M3, which is considerably lighter and remains available with a manual transmission.

Those who like the idea of the RS5, but who simply can’t stand the weight, could consider the more affordable mild hybrid S5, which is closer to 2000kg but uses a different Audi V6 engine.

However, for customers that are interested in the modernity and capability of the V6 PHEV combination, as well as the devastating cross-country pace and daily usability that the RS5 brings to the table, this new Audi makes a compelling case for itself.

2026 Audi RS5 at a glance: 
Price: from $175,000 (est.) 
Available: Late 2026 
Powertrain: turbocharged 2.9-litre six-cylinder PHEV
Output: 375kW/600Nm (electric motor: 130kW/460Nm) 
Combined output: 470kW/825Nm 
Transmission: 8-speed automatic 
Battery: 22kWh lithium-ion (usable) 
Range: 84km (WLTP) 
Energy consumption: 26.1kWh/100km (WLTP) 
Fuel: 10.2L/100km (WLTP) 
CO2: 102g/km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested

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