Audi A5 Quattro
3.0 V6 TDI
Road test report - February 2008

There is no denying the fact that the Audi A5 is a stylish, good looking car. It pioneered the new larger floorpan, that is now used by the new A4 saloon and estate (Avant). On that basis, one could expect it to be superbly roomy and spacious inside. As far as the front seating area goes, there is plenty of space to stretch out and relax in comfort. It provides two comfortable seats in the rear passenger space, but due to its low and sleek roofline, headroom is severely restricted for rear seat passengers of even average height (5ft 9ins - 1.75 M). In view of the length of its wheelbase, I would have expected more kneeroom for rear seat passengers. Looking at just two rivals, the Peugeot 407 Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz CLK, the Audi has the longest wheelbase and the lowest roofline, which perhaps helps to explain its less than generous rear seat accommodation.
Coupes are not generally known for their ease of entry to and exit from the rear seats. In the A5 the two front seat backrests tilt forwards to provide access space. If this is insufficient, a switch adjacent to the release mechanism, allows the seat cushion to slide forwards, electrically, on its runners, to provide even more space. You still have the problem of that low roofline to contend with, so it helps if those rear seat passengers are young and agile. The other disadvantage, and this applies to all coupes, is that the longer front doors require far more space on either side of the car, to allow them to open fully. This can be very annoying in our normal, far too narrow, marked parking spaces, especially when cars on either side park too close.

The A5 does have marginally more luggage space, than either the Mercedes-Benz, or the Peugeot and this is surprising, as it has the shortest overall length of the three ! Audi were determined to produce a sporty, well handling car, so they have tried to reduce the length of the overhangs front and rear and by lengthening the wheelbase, putting a wheel closer to each corner. They appear to have succeeded, as the car does handle and drive well. Their 3.0 litre V6 diesel comes in two levels of tune (2.7 and 3.0). The test car was fitted with the more powerful engine, linked to their excellent Quattro all wheel drive system, so you would naturally expect it to perform like a thoroughbred, which it does with distinction.

Above : Normal luggage space ------------------------------- Below : Extended luggage space

Under the bonnet, the V6 diesel sits longitudinally, in the Audi tradition and in the test car drove a six speed manual gearbox. Being a diesel it naturally produces a lot of torque, while with the aid of turbocharging, intercooling and direct fuel injection, it also manages a respectable power output. It is not, however, tuned to the limit as its specific output is a very respectable 59.319 kW/lt. By the same token its power/weight ratio is a very sporty 11.988 kg/kW, so a scintillating performance can be expected.
This level of power allows it to romp up to a top speed governed to 250 kph (155 mph), while its 0-100 kph time, is a smile inducing 5.9 seconds. Being a diesel it is satisfactorily frugal in its thirst for fuel, with an urban cycle fuel consumption of 28 mpg (9.9 lt/100 km), which improves to 49 mpg (5.7 lt/100 km), on the extra urban cycle. Together, these give a recording of 39 mpg (7.2 lt/100 km) on the combined cycle.
Circumstances can alter cases, is a well known fact of daily life. The circumstances during my test period were not conductive to achieving the best levels of fuel consumption. During the test we were subjected to a lot of morning fog, so it was not uncommon to sit for long periods with very little movement. This does nothing for fuel consumption. Indeed, during one particular spell, I noticed that the fuel consumption recorder in the car, indicated that my average had crept up to 14.8 lt/100 km (19 mpg) ! Then due to the conditions most of my driving was confined to short trips around the local area, which again does not favour a frugal fuel consumption. Indeed by the time I returned the car, I was lucky to have the average fuel recorder down to around 10 lt/100 km (28 mpg). What a car like this really needs is a long open road and somewhere to go.

In the modern manner, the instrument panel provides a combination of analogue and digital information. If it makes you feel good, there are two large dials, with white lettering on black faces, highlighted by red needles, for the tachometer (left) and speedometer (right). There are also two small gauges for engine temperature (left) and fuel level (right). Between the two large dials, there is a digital information panel. In the top centre of the facia there is a large rectangular screen that displays information from the satellite navigation system, as well as settings for other items like the heating/ventilating, audio etc. The radio/CD player is below the two vents in the centre console, with the heating ventilating controls below that. It is a dual range system so driver and front passenger can each set their own levels of heat and distribution. There is a further brace of controls on the horizontal section of the console around the gearlever, for a variety of other things. Then just to add more complexity there are additional controls on the steering wheel.
The difficulty with all this is that, either you need an Honours degree in computer science, to understand it all, let alone know how it works, or you need a long career break to take the time to read the owners instruction book, in order to be able to understand it all. Hopefully once you have done that, you will be so familiar with the workings of the whole system, that you will not be distracted from the road and traffic, in order to operate the various functions, whilst driving. The other danger is that by the time you understand it all, it is time to trade-in the car for a new one !

When I first drove off in the car, I was in absolutely no doubt that it had a Vee design engine, as it emitted that throaty burble I came to associate with a V8 in my early childhood. However, I wasn’t sure whether it was petrol or diesel. To be honest, it sounded rather too audible for either a modern petrol or indeed a diesel engine. However, as the test progressed I got accustomed to it and came to the conclusion that it was all part of the sports personality of the car.
I know that automatics are not currently in favour, as usually they have a slightly higher fuel consumption, which in turn leads to higher CO₂ exhaust emissions. Personally I feel that this whole GREEN THING is been taken to extreme and ridiculous ends. Having to pump a car through a series of gearchanges can be quite tedious, especially in traffic. It also destroys the absolutely effortless progress of a fine touring car out on the open road. It is all the more annoying, when you know that the car in question has the power to do it all automatically, without immediately destroying the whole planet in the process.
The gearchange itself was smooth and precise enough, but in my view, a car like this needs something like Audi’s splendid Multitronic constantly variable automatic. You can of course get the Multitronic in an A5, but it comes with the lower powered version of the engine, which naturally delivers a lower performance - Top speed 232 kph (144 mph) and 0-100 kph in 7.6 seconds. It also has a lower fuel consumption and lower exhaust emissions. It doesn’t have the Quattro all wheel drive, which is a pity.

Above left : Cover on - neat and tidy looking -------------------- Below right : Cover off !!!

The test car was very well equipped, of that there can be no doubt. However, it had 17,085 Euro worth of optional extras. Looking down through the list I began to have my doubts. You could buy a very respectable new car for that amount of money ! For example, the standard specification includes - Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, yet the list of optional extras included - Exterior mirrors ; electrically adjustable, folding and heated - Euro 341. So for the convenience of folding the mirrors from inside the car before you get out, you have to pay an additional 341 Euro ! That seems to be a lot of money, as usually you forget to do it and once you are out, you realise and simply fold them in by hand. Then there were Electrically adjustable front seats (driver and passenger) Euro 1,729. As you do not adjust the seats every time you get into the car, surely it is no hardship to do it by hand on the few occasions it needs to be done ? Then there was the anti-theft alarm at Euro 767. Surely with all today’s sophisticated modern electronics, it should be impossible for a thief to start and drive the car away. It will not stop the person breaking the window, or what ever to gain entry, but neither will the alarm. It will only go off and cause annoyance to everyone in the vicinity, after the damage has been done. The satellite navigation is an expensive item at Euro 4,630, which is about ten times what you would pay if you bought one separately, which you could then carry around with you.

Technical data