All good things must come to an end as they say and so it is for this current generation Audi RS 5. With its refined yet aggressive design and sharp handling, the RS 5 established itself as a strong rival over the past decade in the luxury sports vehicle segment that the big three German manufacturers have made their own.
In 2019 Audi entered the German DTM touring car championship with the Audi RS 5 Turbo based on the RS 5 production car. This race car dominated the 2019 and 2020 season with a total of 12 wins, 12 pole positions, 18 podium finishes. After this Audi withdrew from the DTM championship to focus on their Formula E campaign.
This Audi RS 5 Sportback TFSI quattro tiptronic finished in Ascari blue, metallic paint weighs in at just 1,795 kg and is powered by a 2.9 litre V6 petrol engine twin turbocharged that produces 331 kW between 5,700 to 6,700rpm, where you’ll find the red line so you’re encouraged to rev it to get the maximum out of it, and 600Nm of torque between 1,900 – 5,000rpm.
The RS 5 Sportback can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h in standard trim, but as my RS 5 was fitted with the optional Competition Plus package ($13,990) that drops to 3.8 seconds for the 100km/h dash and increases to 290km/h for the top speed.
The Competition plus package adds RS sport suspension pro coilover system with a tool kit in the boot to adjust this, RS sport exhaust system with matt black pipes, fixed ratio dynamic steering and reprogrammed software for the quattro sport differential and transmission. Visually the package adds 20” Audi Sport wheels in the 5-Y-spoke design finished in gloss black, the Audi rings and lettering in gloss black with the rhombus in red, and front LED entrance lights that dance when you start the car up.
The V6 engine has a lovely raspy exhaust note when you press the push button start and as you accelerate through the 8-speed tiptronic transmission you are audibly rewarded. I like that the RS 5 starts in the last drive mode you were in, so you don’t have to select your preferred mode every time that you get into the vehicle. For me this was usually Dynamic mode, which holds the gears longer, has a louder exhaust note to enjoy and the ride is still comfortable enough. Hence my fuel use was a bit more the official combined consumption figure of 9.4L/100km instead I used 9.9L/100km for my week of fun in the RS 5.
The other drive modes available are Comfort and Eco, with two additional RS modes, that can be quick accessed using the RS button on the steering wheel. Under the RS modes you can adjust the drive system, steering, engine sound, and the quattro sport differential, so you can have one set for each of your driving moods. The digital driver’s dash design does not change depending on the drive mode that you are in, and has just small writing below the digital speedo to indicate what mode you are in, but your other senses would be able to tell you anyway.
Beyond keyless entry on all four doors, the lit-up door sill and Audi Sport insignia that illuminates the ground when you open the door at night, you’re greeted by a familiar Audi cabin design. This includes the RS sport contour leather and heated steering wheel with the lovely metal wheel mounted paddle shifters to ‘manually’ shift the 8-speed ‘box. The fine Nappa leather upholstery offers a pleasant aroma, and has honeycomb patterned grey stitching, with the RS 5 also getting the extended upholstery package covering the door armrests and the lower center console as well.
Both RS Sport front seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height tilt, side bolster and four-way lumbar support and manual front leg extension with the driver’s seat having dual seat height/tilt adjustment and two memory positions as well. The front seats are also heated and have a massage function with three massage types to select from, Wave, Knead, and Stretch, and adjustment for the intensity of your massage.
The older style cabin with gloss black plastic centre console and buttons of the RS 5 are balanced out by the Audi virtual cockpit digital driver’s dash and the 10.1” touchscreen that still has lovely graphics. The cup holders are easy to clean out spills of with their removable plastic base and the RS 5 has good sized drink bottle storage cubbies in the front doors.
There is nothing dated about the RS 5’s technology though with the wireless Android Auto working well for me. In addition to the wireless phone charging under the arm rest there is also one USB-C port located here with one USB-A port and one 12V socket located near the small ledge located at the front of the centre console.
The voice control also worked well for my three standard tests, phone call, radio station and sat nav input, getting each correct the first time I commanded. And I was impressed that the RS 5 came standard with a Bang & Olufsen 3D surround sound system with 19 speakers and 755 watts.
In the back there are beautifully contoured rear seats with ample enough leg room for me, but the head room was tight and my knees felt like they were sitting up high. There are two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points, but it would be best to only to use the two outer seats due to the design on them. The centre seat can then be folded down as an arm rest that has two highly engineered cup holders in it and a narrow storage cubby under a flip up cover in it as well. In the rear doors there are also good-sized drink bottle storage cubbies, but they are on a 45-degree angle.
The rear passengers get digital temperature control with two central air vents that have individual direction control and one roller switch on/off control. You can also adjust the temp from the front of the vehicle, which is handy if your children are two young to reach the rear controls themselves. Below the rear air vents there are two USB-A ports and one 12V socket.
The RS 5 has an easy to operate gesture open and close boot or you can use the external button, key fob, or the button in the cabin to open it. The boot is a good size for a family of four and if more space is needed the rear seats have a 40:60 split fold mechanism with the release located on the seat shoulders or the centre seat can be folded down separately for long items. The boot space has four substantial tie down points with a cargo net, two hooks, two lights, one 12V socket and a tool kit for manually adjusting the suspension. And something you don’t see in many similar vehicles these days; the RS 5 has a temporary use spare tyre under the boot floor.
Advanced driver assistance systems standard on the RS 5 include adaptive cruise control (set using stalk behind steering wheel), Audi side assist – blind spot warning system, rear cross-traffic assist, Audi pre-sense with autonomous emergency braking and Audi pre-sense rear. Dual frontal, side chest, and side head-protecting airbags and side chest-protecting airbags in the second-row outboard are standard. For convenience you also get auto dusk sensing headlights, auto high beam, and auto rain sensing wipers. Plus, a 360-degree rear view camera with 360-degree parking sensors.
The Audi RS 5 Sportback comes with a five-year manufacturer warranty and also includes a complimentary five-year Audi roadside assistance. Audi owners also receive a complementary membership during their warranty period to Audi Experience, Audi Australia’s bespoke loyalty program that offers access to exclusive national events, intimate Audi Ambassador experiences and premium partner offers.
The service interval for the RS 5 Sportback is 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, and a five-year service plan (maximum of 75,000km) can be purchased upfront for $3,630. There’s also an option to purchase an Audi Advantage package for $4,260 to extend servicing, warranty, and roadside assistance for an additional two years.
The Audi RS 5 Sportback TFSI quattro tiptronic is priced from $168,015 excluding dealer delivery and on-road costs and as tested with the optional Competition plus package this RS 5 was $182,005 plus above costs. The Audi RS 5 is no longer listed on the Audi Australia’s website for purchase, but customers who are interested in RS 5 in its current form should contact their preferred Audi dealer at their earliest convenience, as there is limited stock available.
| Pros | Cons |
| The RS 5 starts in the last used drive mode | The cabin design is a little dated |
| The Bang & Olufsen stereo | The driver’s dash design doesn’t change when you change the drive mode |
| It has a temporary use spare tyre | The rear seat headroom is a bit tight |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.