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After a few weeks with the Audi S5, I’ve reached a conclusion. This is a car that’s almost brilliant. Almost.
It looks fabulous, for one. With those frameless doors, a long swooping roofline, and the black on black, Darth Vader spec, the S5 turns heads even when parked. It has all the road presence of an RS model but is better at being more stealthy.
Inside, it continues the theme. It feels solid, clean, and not in any rush to impress you with flashing lights or layered screens. The seats are Alcantara and leather, the trim is brushed aluminium, and it all feels thoughtfully put together. There’s a proper climate control panel with real buttons, and I do appreciate that.
However, everyday life with the S5 is not without its peculiarities. Let’s begin with ground clearance. You see, the S5 is a CBU, which means it rides at European height. This is lovely for stance and cornering, but it means that 50 percent of Indian speed breakers have a 100 percent chance of re-profiling your underbody. I’ve taken to approaching every hump diagonally, slowly, and with a prayer.
Then there’s fuel economy. The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 is smooth and powerful, but it likes a drink. In mixed city use, I’ve seen as low as 4 kilometres per litre. That’s not great when you consider this isn’t even an RS5. It’s more of a brisk GT car, but one with a bit of a thirst.
The ride is mostly very good, though. Even without adaptive dampers, it is well-judged for our roads, provided you’re careful. It’s not soft, but it’s never crashy. In Comfort mode, it is almost gentle, and the engine fades into the background quite nicely. I’ve used it for errands, for long drives, even for an airport run, and it never once felt like hard work.
As an everyday car, the S5 tries very hard to be two things at once. Most days, it succeeds. Some days, it scrapes.
