It seems to me that the 2011 Audi A5 coupe is the best-looking Audi aside from the hardtop R8. It has the purposeful nose of the brand with only two doors and the swoopy roofline. When it came out I was immediately impressed. The new wheel choices that debuted for 2011 nicely set the exterior package off.
The base price is about where you would expect it, at just less than $40,000. The Premium Plus trim adds some convenience features, but nothing I couldn't live without. However, I would miss the xenon headlights, but that's about it.
The Sport package is a must. It adds the sport suspension, big wheels and sport seats. If you only checked that box, you could get out of the dealership for less than $40,000. It does surprise me that you can't get a V6 in the A5 anymore. The turbocharged 2.0-liter does its job well, and the gas-mileage bonus is probably worth the drop in power. The A5 never felt sluggish, but a bit more grunt would have been welcomed. At least the coupe gets either the manual or the eight-speed automatic, and not the CVT like the A5 cabriolet.
On the subject of transmissions, this one has the six-speed manual. The throws seem long and a little sloppy. The second-to-third shift in particular seems difficult to hit with any sort of gusto. Lots of elbow movement. The clutch pedal has a lot of travel, too. I moved the seat up so my left foot could hit the floor, which put me pretty close to the wheel.
Other than that, it's a comfortable ride. Even over the potholes on way home, the car wasn't upset. The sport suspension is stiff but doesn't beat you up. The steering is sharp as a tack. There are only a few curves on my commute home, but the A5 ate them up. I wish I had a bit more time with the Audi coupe, and a longer ride home.
The A5 remains my favorite Audi of the present lineup, and if we're talking S5, I honestly think I would rather have that car than even an R8.
Even without the S5's V8 and smoking bag of performance goodies, this 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is a fun and fine engine to power what I still think is one of the best-looking cars on the road. However, for the first time in recent memory, I detected a fair hint of what seemed like turbo lag, though it might be that the throttle tip-in is simply not responsive, just as we've encountered in other Audis from time to time. Your right foot's movement does not result in an immediate forward punch, which my brain processed as turbo lag. Perhaps it is throttle-response lag, though.
Overall, the 2.0-liter is a smooth engine and is well liked by many, but I do wish there was a powerplant option between this and the S5's direct-injection V8. The chassis can certainly handle much more power, and I think it's a shame that performance-biased drivers have to look at other manufacturer's offerings if they desire more power than the A4/A5 delivers. I would certainly find myself doing so, even though the A5's style--inside and out--is one of my favorites.
I am a fan of almost any car built in Germany, especially if it wears the Audi badge. So I approached the A5 with high expectations, and the sporty coupe didn't disappoint.
The A5 drew me from the moment I laid my eyes on it. As Jake pointed out, it has that definitive Audi nose and swoopy roofline. The sport package's 19-inch wheels make the A5 look even better.
The inside is typical Audi with quality materials, comfortable seats, great technology and a driver-friendly layout. I, like Jake, had to move the seat forward to fully depress the clutch. This is something I've come to expect from all Audis with a manual gearbox. I think the seating position in the A5, just as in our long-term S4, is perfect for my driving style. It allows me enough room to be comfortable but provides me with that up-on-the-wheel seating position I love.
But I don't understand why Audi put back seats in the car. Only a small child could sit in the back seat comfortably, even after I moved my seat up. The only thing I foresee the back seats being good for is hauling my hockey bag and goalie pads to and from the rink.
I think Mac is spot on with throttle-response lag. It is there regardless of how much, or how little, you move your right foot. Thankfully, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder has enough power to get you going when the lag passes. But I still found myself longing to drive the S5 variant with the V8.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed my time in the A5. It's a great car for a reasonable price that I wouldn't mind adding to my garage one day. The A5 is my favorite car built by Audi.
Sorry to make this sound like a broken record, but I'm an Audi A5/S5 coupe fan, too. The lines on the car are both simple and seductive. Everything flows together so well, from the integration of the Audi's company grille to the simple bodylines. It's a great-looking coupe.
On top of that, it's a hell of a driver. As Jake points out, Audi doesn't offer the V6 in the A5 anymore, leaving the turbocharged four-cylinder as the sole engine option--which isn't terrible because it's a great engine. Some people might have a problem dropping more than $40,000 for something packing “only” a four-cylinder, but with fuel-economy figures becoming more vital, you probably should get used to your luxury coupe or sedan being powered by a four-banger.
As pointed by others, there is a slight hesitation before the engine comes alive to offer a healthy surge of power. I'm going to say it is turbo lag instead of a lazy throttle tip-in. Get past that, and this engine moves this near-3,600-pound vehicle with no problems, especially when you can wind it up with the six-speed manual at hand. The gearbox is fluid and easy to use; I had no problems grabbing gears at anytime.
Even with the sport suspension, I have to give the BMW 3-series coupe the nod when it comes to dynamics. Steering on the Audi is light and responsive but not quite up to that of the BMW. The A5 is still fun to throw around and it responds admirably and can certainly handle more power as we've experience in the S5. And there is a RS5 over in Europe that needed to come to the U.S. yesterday. The brakes are strong with solid pedal feel.
From a ride-comfort standpoint, the A5 is better than the BMW with its harsher suspension setup and awful run-flat tires. For a daily sports coupe, the Audi would be in my garage over the BMW. The Audi delivers performance that you can exploit on a daily basis without being hauled off to jail (well, at least too easily), looks spectacular and boasts an interior that's comfortable and well built.
As Morrison said (and I'm shocked that I agree with him on anything), the A5 is a fine Audi--arguably the best-looking car Audi makes. If you can get your head around paying more than $42,000 for a four-cylinder-powered car, you should love this thing.
The 2.0-liter four is simply a great engine--plenty of power and torque, and it's smooth. Like Morrison, I'm sure the chassis could handle much more power, but unlike him I find this to be the near-perfect combo of power, balance and weight distribution. There's a stability to the way Audis drive that few other cars can match. There's a high grip level, and the ride motions are well damped.
The interior is stylish and well built, as one has grown to expect from Audi.
As I said, if spending more than $42,000 on a four-cylinder doesn't bother you, this is a terrific place to start looking.
2011 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI Premium Plus Coupe
Base Price: $37,375
As-Tested Price: $42,655
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; AWD, six-speed manual
Output: 211 hp @ 4,300-6,000 rpm, 258 lb-ft @ 1,500-4,200 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,583 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 25/23.9
