Text by Tom Appel
2025 Audi S5 Prestige quattro
Specs
Class: Premium Compact Car
Country of Manufacture: Germany
Color: Ascari Blue Metallic
Miles driven: 237
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | B- |
| Power and Performance | B+ |
| Fit and Finish | A- |
| Fuel Economy | C |
| Value | B |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | B- |
| Tall Guy | B |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 362-horsepower 3.0-liter |
| Engine Type | Turbocharged V6 |
| Transmission | 7-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Observed fuel economy: 18.9 mpg
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 19/28/22 (mpg city/highway/combined)
Fuel type: Premium gas
Base price: $80,135 (not including $1945 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Head-up display ($600), Adaptive Variable Suspension ($1045), power running boards ($1005), front skid plate ($385), dash cam ($499), connected services (2 years) ($325), roof cross bars ($365)
Price as tested: $86,304
Audio-System Brand
Bang & Olufsen
Audio-System Quality
Poor Fair Good Very-Good Excellent
Pros and Cons
The great: Sporty, comfortable, luxurious
The good: Hatchback convenience, decent rear-seat legroom
The not so good: Somber cabin lacks excitement
Review
If you have grown attached in any way to Audi’s traditional A4/A6/A8 lineup of premium sedans, we have very bad news for you. The German maker of sporty luxury vehicles is juggling its lineup—and naming scheme—in such a way that even brand loyalist will be left scratching their heads.
Rebranding
The end plan is this: Audi gasoline-powered vehicles will be named using odd numbers, while electric-vehicle monikers will employ even numbers. The result? A transitional period of confusion for sure, but ultimately a line-wide branding scheme that will make discussing—and shopping for—an Audi easier for everyone. Finger’s crossed.
As for the traditional A4/A6/A8 lineup–the upheaval has begun.
Replacing the A4
Blame crossovers for this, but the A4 compact sedan has been a slow seller of late, and has thus been discontinued. Once a volume player in the Audi lineup, the handsome little 4-door accounted for just over 7000 U.S. sales in 2024, this including the sporty S4 variant.
Meanwhile, the rakish and pricier A5 lured almost 25,000 customers into the Audi fold in 2024, though that number includes all A5/S5 models and variants.
Coupe and Convertible Dropped
For 2024, the A5 (and sportier S5) was offered as a coupe, convertible, and sedan (dubbed Sportback). Completely redesigned on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture for 2025, the A5/S5 combo return only in 4-door sedan form. Though, rather surprisingly, the new A5 retains the old car’s hatchback design. (We consider this a good thing.)
Tariffs
Audi has suggested that killing the A4 was also a matter of money, as all of the German maker’s U.S. models are imported. Most of Audi’s lineup comes from Europe, though the popular Q5 compact crossover is imported from Mexico. As such, all of the marque’s models are exposed to potentially costly tariffs. And, as the A5 has traditionally cost more than the A4, the move effectively shifts the brand’s compact sedan buyers upmarket, potentially bringing in revenue.
Prices
For 2025, the A4’s last year, the small sedan started at $45,395. The redesigned A5, now only offered as a 4-door hatchback, started at $47,595. However, the A5 jumps to $52,290 for 2026, largely unchanged.
Confusion
But the real shame here is that the launch of an all-new Audi has been buried in branding and repositioning intrigue, as well as tariff-related madness. A shame, because the new A5—at least in S5 trim—is really a nice car.
Legacy Models
(Note that, because Audi enjoys confusing customers, the new A5/S5 is being sold alongside the old A5 and S5 for 2025. The old-design car is still dubbed Sportback, while the new car is dubbed Sedan. Note, too, that the coupe and convertible versions of the “old” A5 were dropped after 2024.)
Prices and Trim Levels
For 2025, the S5 Sedan (just the redesigned version) is offered in three trim levels:
- S5 Sedan Premium ($63,995)
- S5 Sedan Premium Plus ($67,795)
- S5 Sedan Prestige ($71,545)
Test Car
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of the 2025 Audi S5. Our Prestige test car came in Ascari Blue Metallic and was equipped with the Edition One package. All told, including destination charge, the car came to $73,940.
A5 versus S5
Again for 2025, the S5 represents a considerable bump-up in sportiness over the more mainstream A5. Not only does the upgrade include unique S5 exterior and interior trim, but suspension and brake upgrades, and more power.
Engines
In terms of power, the 2025 S5 is powered by a 362-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. This in place of the A5’s 268-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four which is augmented by a 48-volt “mild hybrid” system. Both the A5 and S5 are fitted with a 7-speed dual-clutch-style automatic transmission and Audi’s quattro-brand AWD.
Design
We’re sort of bummed that the A5/S5 has lost its special position as a brand design halo car of sorts. The A5 was once meant to attracted shoppers looking to stand out in traffic and in the health-club parking lot. And while still very attractive, it seems as Audi has to some extent “normalized” the A5/S5 design, this, we presume to reach a broader audience.
Cabin Appointments
Stepping into the S5 reminds us that Audi once led the industry in terms of cabin design and general—if restrained–opulence. That role seems to have been usurped by Genesis, though the S5 interior is certainly upscale. We found the black-on-black motif a little somber, though by no means less than luxurious. Materials quality is top notch, and assembly fit and finish in keeping with our expectation of a German luxury sedan.
Three Screens
If you like numbers, you’ll enjoy the following: There are three screens mounted on the S5 dashboard, an 11.9-inch drive display, a 14.5-inch center console touchscreen, and a 10.9-inch passenger-side touchscreen.
Controls
The passenger screen allows front-seat co-pilots to access a number of vehicle functions, including navigation and media. We found all of the screens bright and easy to read under most conditions, and quick to respond to inputs. We generally prefer that climate control not be included in the touchscreen-operated suite of functions, but the S5 system is comprised of fixed controls which run along the bottom of the screen, and are easy enough to quickly manipulate.
Room and Comfort
Overall, the S5 cabin is slightly larger than that of the outgoing A5/S5 Sportback, which means this big editor found plenty of room once seated, though entering and exiting involved some minor contortion work. Rear-space is also improved, with legroom increasing by about an inch. Taller back-seat passengers will want to sit behind the shortest front-row occupant, though for the most part the Audi will mange 4 adults in reasonable comfort.
Ride and Handling
On the road the S5 shines, with a sporty character that is both playful and refined. While we wish the steering had a little more feel, we enjoyed driving the compact Audi aggressively. Cornering lean is well controlled, and the strong brakes add to the driver’s general sense of control. The turbocharged V6 is mostly hushed, but emits a classy snarl when pushed, as does the exhaust. Indeed, we would have appreciated a little more exhaust noise, at least during acceleration.
And, speaking of noise, there is very little of it at highway speed. The S5 cabin is impressively hushed at times the engine isn’t being exercised. Ride quality, too, is noteworthy. The S5’s generally buttoned-down suspension tuning serves up a firm but compliant ride, though without any harshness and very little road noise. Call the ride classy, with a side of athleticism.
Cargo Space
As we noted earlier, the A5/S5 enjoys a rear hatch instead of a trunk, which opens up cargo hauling to larger items, and more stuff in general. A center pass-through in the rear seat decomplicates the hauling of long items, including skis.
Value
While the we lament the price increase, and will miss the tidy and accessible A4/S4, the redesigned S5 is an impressive replacement, boasting a little more passenger space and a sexier profile. For many luxury sedan shoppers, we suspect the “standard” A5 will fit the bill, but for enthusiasts looking for extra commuting excitement, we suggest putting the S5 on your test-drive short list.
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2025 Audi S5 Pictures
Click below for enlarged images
