Overview
Borrowing styling cues from the A5 coupe and the four-door layout from the A4 sedan, the 2022 Audi A5 Sportback offers the best of both worlds. Its fastback styling is seductive, but it hides a giant trunk that’s a boon for practical-minded buyers. A pair of turbocharged four-cylinder engines is offered, and all models come standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system. Like its two-door and four-door corporate cousins, the A5 Sportback blends spry handling with an agreeable ride, making it a desirable option for enthusiast drivers. The A5 Sportback’s cabin may lack the style and substance found in rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz C-class or the Genesis G70, but technophiles will be in paradise, as the car offers a cool digital gauge display, plenty of connectivity features, and a host of driver-assists.
What’s New for 2022?
The A5 Sportback sees few changes for 2022, but a new 19-inch wheel design is now available and 40 models can now be ordered with the Black Optic package, which blacks out much of the car’s exterior trim. Opting for the S-line trim adds a sport suspension and leather-and-faux-suede seat upholstery.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
We like the midrange Premium Plus. It adds plenty of features to justify its uptick in price, including Audi’s trick Virtual Cockpit digital gauge display. We’d also suggest the significantly more powerful 45 model, which has 261 horsepower versus the 40’s 201.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
For 2022, the A5 Sportback can be had with two turbocharged four-cylinder powertrains, both employing a 12-volt hybrid system. Models wearing the 40 badge provide 201 horsepower while the 45s pump out 261 horses. All-wheel drive is standard and all A5 Sportbacks come with a seven-speed automatic transmission. We haven’t tested either model yet, but the last-generation car with the more powerful engine managed a 5.0-second zero-to-60-mph result at our test track. The A5 Sportback is composed, confident, and easy to drive fast through corners; it’s everything a modern sport sedan should be. Its agility belies its comfort, too: Potholes and broken pavement do little to upset it, especially when it’s equipped with the optional adaptive suspension. The well-weighted steering feels natural in the driver’s hands, and the front tires respond immediately to inputs, making this Audi a joy to pilot on twisty tarmac.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates the 2022 A5 Sportback will earn up to 25 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. However, we can’t evaluate its real-world mpg until we run it on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen. While we haven’t tested a 2021 A5 Sportback on our real-world highway fuel-economy route, an older model we evaluated returned 34 mpg during that test. For more information about the A5 Sportback’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The A5 Sportback’s cabin isn’t as plush as some might expect from a luxury brand, but all of the materials are of high quality, the fit and finish is superb, and there are enough high-end features to distance it from mainstream sedans. Rear-seat passenger space isn’t as generous as in the Audi A4 sedan, but it’s spacious enough for two average-size adults—and for the slight sacrifice in rear headroom, you get the A5 Sportback’s sleek roofline, which is far sexier than that of its more angular and upright A4 sibling. All A5 Sportback models come well equipped with luxury necessities such as power front seats, leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, ambient interior lighting, and three-zone automatic climate control. A hatchback in disguise, the A5 Sportback’s sloping rear roofline hides a power-operated liftgate and a large cargo hold, making it far more practical than the Audi A4 sedan or the A5 coupe and convertible. It proved its mettle in our carry-on suitcase testing by accommodating 16 cases despite having a smallish cargo area according to the numbers. In fact, the Sportback beat all of its direct rivals in our real-world cargo test.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Audi’s MMI is one of the most pleasing-to-use infotainment systems among premium brands. It’s made even better by the A5 Sportback’s optional—and highly recommended—12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital gauge display. All models come with a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen display that can also be controlled by a clickwheel mounted on the console between the driver and the front-seat passenger. Audi’s MMI interface is easy to use while on the go, but Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration is standard if users prefer to interact directly with their smartphones instead. Navigation is optional and comes with access to a suite of internet and vehicle-connectivity features called Audi Connect Prime and Audi Connect Plus.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Audi offers a wide range of driver-assistance features, but some are only available on the more expensive Premium Plus and Prestige models. For more information about the A5 Sportback’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with forward-collision warning
- Standard lane-departure warning
- Available adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Audi’s warranty package doesn’t stand out among rivals in this comparison. The Kia Stinger’s 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain policy leads the segment in coverage but doesn’t offer complimentary scheduled maintenance.
- Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for one year or 10,000 miles
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