The all-new Audi S5 range is now available in Australia with the option of either the Sedan and Avant body styles. The long wheelbase, S specific elements and low body signal the performance potential of the S5 Avant, highlighting the brand’s progressive design philosophy, innovative technology, and enhanced driving dynamics.
The taut profile of the S5 Avant stretches to the steeply raked D pillars, reinforcing the powerful and clean design. The wide Singleframe grille with three-dimensional honeycomb structure is devoid of any model designation and flanked by narrow headlights and a reduced bumper design with aerodynamically shaped air intakes for a striking and focused expression. The Matrix LED headlights and for the first time, digital OLED taillights, give the S5 Avant eight different light signature pairs, giving you the option to personalise the look of your S5. The characteristic S badging, quad tailpipes and rear spoiler enhance the dynamic appearance.
The flagship Audi S5 models feature 20-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, red brake calipers, S sport suspension with adjustable dampers, and privacy glass all as standard. There are eight exterior colours available across the range, including three new additions for the mid-sized S5: Horizon blue, Grenadine red and Ascari blue, which this S5 Avant is finished in ($1,200 option) and it also has the optional black exterior styling package ($2,490).
The lively 3.0-litre V6 TFSI engine and S tuned drivetrain combine for exceptional power and dynamics on the road. The 48-volt mild hybrid system seamlessly supports the engine with up to 18 kW of additional electric power delivering partially electric driving, reducing CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, whilst amplifying performance. But there is still some turbo lag when I initially put my foot down on the accelerator, something the mild hybrid technology should have been tuned to remove in my opinion. The official combined fuel consumption is 7.2L/100km and for my week with the S5 Avant I used 8.8L/100km.
The all-new Audi S5 engine boasts 270kW of power and 550 Nm of torque combined with Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed S tronic transmission. Demonstrating this potency, the S5 will reach 100km/h from standstill in just 4.5 seconds. The drive modes available include Dynamic, Comfort, Efficiency, and Individual, which allows you to adjust steering, suspension, drive assist, and the look of the driver’s dash.
The 11.9” Audi virtual cockpit and 14.5” infotainment touchscreen are integrated into the driver-oriented curved panoramic display offering rich OLED technology and intuitive functionality. The infotainment system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the latter worked seamlessly for me. The climate controls are now fully incorporated into the infotainment screen with no physical buttons for adjustment. At the front of the centre console there’s just a wireless phone charger, two USB-C ports and one 12V socket to keep your phone battery charged at all times.
The 10.9-inch display for the front passenger mirrors the infotainment options and allows them to become your co-pilot by entering a sat nav destination or accessing entertainment functions, so all in all it’s a bit underwhelming really. The voice control can do a lot of this and is good for making a phone call, changing the radio station and setting a destination on the sat nav, but does not go as far as telling you a joke, something your passenger could actually do for you instead.
The S5 comes with Audi connect plus Navigation & Infotainment services that gives you online traffic information with hazard alerts, parking information, and destination entry via myAudi. You also get Audi connect plus Security & Assistance services that can find your car, remotely lock and unlock, make emergency calls, and contact online roadside assistance. Audi customers enjoy a complimentary three-year Audi connect plus licence for the above services, except for Emergency call and Automatic service reminder which are valid for up to 10 years. To continue to use Audi connect plus ongoing, a paid subscription is available via your MyAudi account.
Keyless entry is available on all four doors of the S5 and along with keyless start meaning the key fob can remain in your handbag at all times. Interior highlights of the S5 include fine Nappa leather upholstery that fills the cabin with a lovely aroma. While the Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system with its 16 speakers fills the interior with an immersive 3D sound.
The S Sport front seats have diamond steel grey stitching with integrated head restraints and illuminated S emblem. Both front seats have power adjustment for recline, forward/back, and four-way lumber support and manual extendable under thigh support. The driver’s seat additionally comes with front and rear seat height/tilt adjustment and two memory positions. The front seats are heated and cooled with both functions working well, but the cooling is a little noisy when operating. They also have a basic massage function with options for a relaxing, balanced or stretch massage with intensity control.
Other premium features included on the S5 Avant include a colour head-up display, with speed, navigation and assistance information, a heated steering wheel with powered steering column adjustment, and colour ambient lighting with a dynamic interaction light strip that visualises a variety of vehicle functions including dynamic turn signals to the cabin occupants. From a practical standpoint the S5 also has good sized drink bottle storage cubbies in the front doors, they are just on a 45-degree angle.
The headlight controls are now located on the driver’s arm rest on the door and although the positioning is good their touch feels flimsy and they are gloss black plastic. There’s also gloss black plastic on the centre console and the steering wheel controls and I am not a fan of this finish as it gathers dust and finger marks quickly meaning you need to constantly wipe it with a microfibre cloth to keep it clean. I’m also not a fan of the plastic steering wheel mounted paddle shifters that Audi have fitted to the S5 for ‘manually’ changing gears, as they look and feel cheap in the otherwise high-end S5 cabin.
The rear seats offer a good amount of head and leg room and under thigh support and have two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points. The centre seat can be folded down as an arm rest with two shallow cup holders in it that have grippy sides and there is also good-sized drink bottle storage in the rear doors, but also on a 45-degree angle.
The rear seats are heated and their occupants have digital temperature control with two rear air vents with individual direction and on/off controls. You can also adjust the rear temperature and turn the heated seats on and off from the front of the vehicle as well. There are two USB-C ports located above the air vents for charging devices for rear seat passengers.
The S5 tailgate can only be opened from the key fob and using the button in the cabin and as this is an all-new model, I would have expected Audi to update this so each of the method opened and closed the tailgate as can be done from the button on the tailgate. The boot is a good size, as you as you would expect from a wagon, with four substantial tie down points, a cargo net, two hooks and two lights. If more space is required the rear seats have a 40:60 split fold mechanism with a release in the boot and on the seat shoulders and the seat lie almost completely flat. Alternatively, the centre seat can be folded down separately for longer items.
The all-new Audi A5 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating (2024) and this also applies the S5 models as they share core safety components including dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags and a centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes. The Adult Occupant Protection score is 87% and the Child Occupant Protection score is 87% for these models.
The Audi S5 is fitted with an autonomous emergency braking system capable of functioning at highway speeds, and a lane support system (LSS) with lane keep assist (LKA) and emergency lane keeping (ELK) functionality. ANCAP tests of the AEB (Car-to-Car) system showed GOOD performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in forward car-to-car scenarios, including AEB Junction. Collisions were also avoided in almost all AEB Crossing scenarios, where the test vehicle can autonomously brake to avoid crashes when crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle. The AEB Head-On system was shown to mitigate frontal crashes in the specified test scenarios with ADEQUATE performance. ANCAP tests of LSS functionality showed GOOD performance in lane keep assist scenarios, and ADEQUATE performance in the more critical ELK scenarios and the overall Safety Assist score is 79%.
The adaptive cruise still operated from the stalk behind the steering wheel and this is another feature I thought Audi would have updated to bring the controls to the front of the steering wheel. You also get a standard rear-view camera combined with a 360-degree view and front and rear parking sensors and auto lights, high beam and rain sensing wipers for convenience. The S5 Avant also has a tyre pressure loss indicator with a tyre repair kit located in the boot.
The Audi S5 range comes with a peace-of-mind five-year warranty and twelve years manufacturing warranty for bodywork against corrosion perforation for new vehicles. 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.
Five-year service plans are available for the S5 ($3,540) and customers also can purchase Audi Advantage, an Audi-exclusive program that allows owners to purchase two-year packages to extend their servicing, warranty, and roadside assistance ($3,590). New vehicle customers can purchase two-year programs back-to-back at the time of purchase, or at a later date up to eight years old, to extend the current manufacturer warranty beyond the current 5-year period. This allows new vehicle owners the security of a full factory warranty for up to 9 years, which is transferable to future owners of their vehicle.
The high level of standard equipment and practicality of a wagon means that the S5 Avant ready to handle the everyday with ease. Pricing for the Audi S5 Avant TFSI quattro starts at $117,900 plus dealer delivery and on-road costs and as tested this S5 Avant was $121,590 plus dealer delivery and on-road costs. You can Build and Price your Audi S5 Avant online or visit your preferred Audi dealer for more information.
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| Pros | Cons |
| The sleek exterior design | The engine has some turbo lag |
| The lovely aroma from the Nappa leather seats | Some interior elements are not up to the premium standard set by the S5 |
| The large boot space | The passenger screen is almost pointless |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.