FIRSTDRIVE AUDI A5 SPORTBACK:I'M CONFUSED. Audi's communications chap has just told me that the A5 Sportback boasts the style of a coupé, but the seating capacity of a saloon, and boot space not far short of an A4 Avant. That's quite an achievement, but I'm inclined to ask exactly what the point is, writes KYLE FORTUNE
Audi has embraced the model-for-every-need niche creation that’s been prevalent in the motor industry for the past decade or so, its range having expanded from a manageable 15 models in 1999 to a quite bewildering 33 today.
The A5 Sportback is the latest – and perhaps the most obvious – indicator of Audi’s rapid model proliferation. It’s undeniably a handsome car, but for once the commonplace statement from a manufacturer that its new car has no direct competitors could be true.
Really, I can think of no premium, five-door hatchbacks on the market right now. Reaching back into the history books reveals the Rover 800 fastback perhaps, a car – like the company that created it – heading up an evolutionary branch that met a dead end.
Perhaps Rover was right though; maybe the five-door machine was before its time. Typically, Audi is suggesting the A5 Sportback will appeal to those with a sporty, active lifestyle – oddly, the same people named as buyers of Audi’s A4 saloon, Avant, allroad and Q SUV models. There must be a lot of mountain-biking, skiing and kite-surfing thirty-somethings with families out there.
Where the A5 Sportback undoubtedly holds appeal is in its looks. The chiselled style of the A5 coupé works well in five-door form, and it is virtually indistinguishable from its coupé relative when looked at from the front or rear. It’s only in profile that the extra length is revealed, while its additional seating is actually useable by adults – even if headroom is slightly lacking for the tallest of passengers. That does give some credence to Audi’s GT claims, the German firm citing its A5 as a competent all-rounder.
Certainly refinement is impressive, the A5 Sportback devoid of noise even at high cruising speeds. The engines are well isolated from the cabin and the Sportback gets the widest range of powerplants in the A5 line-up, with three diesels and two petrol options. All are direct injected and turbocharged, to the benefit of economy and emissions.
The smaller engines are the most appealing – both economically and to drive. In Ireland the 2-litre TDI version will be king. The six-cylinder engines – both diesel and petrol – while delivering excellent performance, don’t offer such a significant step over the smaller choices to make them must-haves. The 2-litre TDI is the obvious choice, mated to a manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The quattro four-wheel drive and seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission add complexity without any increase in driver appeal.
With peak output of 168bhp the 2-litre TDI isn’t short of power either, taking just 8.7 seconds to reach 100km/h. More important is its ability to sip just 5.2l/100km and emit 137g/km, putting it in band B for road tax.
These figures are helped by the inclusion of a stop-start system that cuts the engine out when stationary. Mid-range is where the 2-litre TDI is most impressive, its 350Nm of torque giving it the sort of easy, progressive performance that makes it feel faster than official numbers suggest. The petrol 2-litre TFSI feels more strained in comparison, its hunger for revs not suiting the car’s dignified demeanour.
There’s some enjoyment to be had behind the big five-door’s wheel, thanks in part to its high level of grip and low rate of body roll. But there’s precious little feel through the steering wheel’s rim. The optional Drive Select adaptive dynamics package – which alters steering weighting, suspension response and gearshift points on the automatic transmissions – does nothing to increase the car’s dynamism, the Sportback better enjoyed without such expensive and pointless additions.
It rides nicely in standard guise too which, allied with the easy performance and refinement, makes it a comfortable place in which to cover big distances. The interior retains Audi’s usual impeccable build quality and style, it feeling every bit the premium product. At €2,050 more than the A4 saloon and actually less than the Avant and A5 coupé models, it sits comfortably price-wise in the range, giving the handful of people out there who want sleek looks, near estate levels of boot space – if not ultimate load-hauling ability thanks to the sloping roofline – and five doors something to spend their money on.
The Sportback’s lack of a direct rival is perhaps telling, but rest assured, if there’s a customer out there wanting something as specific as the A5 Sportback, Audi has it in its product plan to create it. It might then answer questions few customers asked, but it’s certainly not without appeal. I’m still a little confused exactly who it’s for – and where Audi might be going next – but if the results are as well-rounded as the A5 Sportback, perhaps such model proliferation is no bad thing.
Factfile Audi A5 Sportback
Engine:2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, putting out 168bhp @ 4,200rpm and 350Nm of torque @ 1,750-2,500pm
Transmission:six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
0-100km/h:8.7 seconds
Top speed:227km/h
CO2 emissions:137g/km
L/100km:5.2
Price:€44,450