{"id":9121,"date":"2024-10-22T22:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T22:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/?p=9121"},"modified":"2024-10-23T00:34:34","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T00:34:34","slug":"the-new-audi-s5-isnt-as-fun-as-it-used-to-be-first-drive-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/2024\/10\/22\/the-new-audi-s5-isnt-as-fun-as-it-used-to-be-first-drive-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Audi S5 Isn't as Fun as It Used to Be: First Drive Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The south of France has some of the greatest driving roads on earth. Sliced from mountains and littered with incredible vistas, these are the sort of bends car people dream about. The 2025 Audi S5 should be in its element here. It\u2019s a rocketship on paper, harnessing a turbocharged and gently hybridized V-6, all-wheel-drive grip, and equipped by Audi with a renewed focus on driving dynamics.<\/p>\n

Yet, for some reason, I feel removed from the process of driving. The controls do everything they\u2019re supposed to do. The S5 is pleasingly fast, and I\u2019m not short on technology to occupy me. I should have a grin plastered over my face, but I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Quick Specs<\/strong><\/td>\n2026 Audi S5 (EU)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engine<\/strong><\/td>\nTurbocharged 3.0-Liter V-6 Mild-Hybrid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Output<\/strong><\/td>\n362 Horsepower \/ 406 Pound-Feet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
0-62 MPH<\/strong><\/td>\n4.5 Seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Base Price \/ As Tested<\/strong><\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
On-Sale Date<\/strong><\/td>\nSummer 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

To knock any confusion on the head before we begin: The Audi A4 and S4 are still A Thing. It\u2019s just that even-numbered Audis will be EVs from now on. Odd-numbered Audis remain gas-powered, which is how this S5<\/a> is basically an S4 by any other name. It\u2019ll take a bit of recalibration to square away, but Audi\u2019s latest shift in naming conventions will eventually become a reflex.<\/p>\n

The new A5 family is coming to the US in Spring\/Summer 2025 as a sedan\/hatch combo (no wagon for the US, and no convertible or coupe for anyone). It\u2019ll have your choice of a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 268 horsepower, or on the S5 model, a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 making 362 horsepower. European models\u2014like the one tested here\u2014are gently hybridized and come with a little more grunt (an extra 5 hp). US market cars don\u2019t have quite the same power, but they\u2019ll still clip 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds.<\/p>\n

\"2025 <\/p>\n

Based on Audi\u2019s Premium Platform Combustion chassis, Audi\u2019s new basis for cars with hybrid or gas motors, the S5 features a lot of fancy toys. A new series of screens in the cabin will feed information to you and your passengers with ease. The 11.9-inch Virtual Cockpit is rich with information, but you can get a little lost in its various streams. A 14.5-inch central touchscreen handles things like the infotainment, drive modes, and much more, and it\u2019s pretty damn slick\u2014you don\u2019t need to wait for it to wake up when you turn the car on, and it isn\u2019t laggy.<\/p>\n

A final, optional 10.9-inch screen sits in front of the passenger. In theory, it\u2019s almost useful, allowing the front passenger to tweak the navigation, music, or whatever they fancy. There\u2019s an option to stream video content too, but don\u2019t worry, it blanks itself out for the driver so they aren\u2019t distracted. Will a passenger actually use this screen? Or will they simply have something in front of them taking up power and doing nothing? If they fancy, they can flip between three different clock faces on the home screen. A thrilling use of resources.<\/p>\n

\"2025 <\/p>\n

Pros: Gobs Of Power, Sharp Looks, Fun New Tech<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With Bang and Olufsen sound on board, you also get a set of speakers in the headrests\u2014which is pretty nifty. It fires music, calls, and (incredibly helpful) navigation directions directly into your ears. Keep your hands on the wheel and say, \u2018Hey Audi!\u2019 and the car will listen for instructions. With a \u2018lil bit of AI help, it understands contextual commands and direct ones. It happily switched drive modes for me as I cruised around, only missing the mark once\u2014helpfully when I was showing off how good it was to someone else.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find a “dynamic interaction light” (a big color-changing light strip) spanning the cockpit. It\u2019s designed to let you know when things are happening\u2014drive mode changes, indication, cars in your blind spot, etc.\u2014but I didn\u2019t really notice it. Perhaps it\u2019s useful if you spend your time staring at the cabin more than the road.<\/p>\n

\"2025 \"2025 <\/p>\n

Audi\u2019s interior design is wonderful. It reminds me of the days when an Audi cabin looked and felt like it\u2019d survive a nuclear conflict. Everything\u2019s chunky, and the elements of the design all flow seamlessly into each other. It feels modern, but not so much so that it\u2019ll age badly (unlike some of Mercedes\u2019 efforts).<\/p>\n

Outside, the S5 is far less pointy than it used to be. Audi\u2019s exterior team has gotten over the desire to audition for Transformers and rolled things back to the softer side\u2014a move for the better. There are still \u2018S\u2019 details that\u2019ll make you coo with glee\u2014like the grille and (real) quad tailpipes out back\u2014but it\u2019s not so in your face this time around.<\/p>\n

\"2025 <\/p>\n

Cons: Not All That Thrilling, Tight Driver’s Seat<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, the driving bit. Audi\u2019s \u2018S\u2019 cars aren\u2019t quite full-fat RS models with expensive bits and enough power to start a tornado, but they have enough grunt to get you everywhere in a hurry, and in comfort. Power is fired out to all four wheels thanks to Audi\u2019s Quattro all-wheel-drive setup, and around town, it\u2019s a comfy, easy car to drive. It\u2019s bigger than the A4 it replaces, which means I held my breath while sweeping through the various narrow French villages. In the US, though, you\u2019ll barely notice it between the swarm of SUVs in a Whole Foods parking lot.<\/p>\n

At low speed, its seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox neatly swishes through gears without trouble, and its steering stays nice and light. Any drive mode other than the soft, squishy \u201cComfort\u201d setting would be foolish here. The ride is smooth, and the performance is relaxed but more than adequate. It goes about the business of being a commuter car very well. With the Euro car\u2019s gentle hybrid assistance, you get some pleasing moments of quiet here and there, or a touch of extra grunt when you mash the gas. How the hybrid-free car coming to the US will match up remains to be seen, but you probably won\u2019t miss it.<\/p>\n

\"2025 \"2025 <\/p>\n

While I threaded myself through various side streets (and thanked the Gods that I skipped a second pastry at breakfast) I felt snug behind the wheel. There\u2019s plenty of space in the S5, but Audi\u2019s \u2018human-centric\u2019 design ethos means drivers are enveloped in a neat space meant to keep them focused on the job at hand. The car gets a shiny, info-rich head-up display that\u2019ll flash music, nav, and speed. It\u2019s great, if a little large, and gives a handy point of reference while on the move. If you wear polarized sunglasses you\u2019ll have trouble seeing it.<\/p>\n

Flipping into Dynamic mode when the roads get more exciting, the S5 should come alive. Its V-6 sounds decent, and it\u2019s got a cracking turn of pace. Once your foot\u2019s buried in the floor, the S5 flings you up the road with gusto. The acceleration doesn\u2019t feel too urgent\u2014you\u2019re gently pressed into your chair as you fly along\u2014but it\u2019s enough to make you crack a grin.<\/p>\n

Audi worked on the S5\u2019s steering\u2014It wants to make the S5 a keener, more-engaging car to drive. Same for the suspension. Less sog, flatter cornering, and the feeling that you\u2019re a hero behind the wheel. The results are fine. The steering does exactly what you want it to do, it feels smooth in the bends. It isn\u2019t exciting though. S cars should come with a hint of character, the impression that you\u2019re working with the car to cover ground imperiously. There isn\u2019t much of that, though.<\/p>\n

Audi engineers made a car that\u2019ll do everything you\u2019ll ask of it without issue, or drama. You can push and push and it\u2019ll just\u2026 do it. While Dynamic mode is fun, the car\u2019s \u2018Balanced\u2019 setup will figure out what you\u2019re in the mood for and adjust accordingly. Efficiency mode will keep your economy up, but in an S5, that shouldn\u2019t really be a concern.<\/p>\n

On a highway, you\u2019ll get up to speed comfortably and quietly, and on a backroad blast, you\u2019ll get exactly what you ask of the car. Will it excite you? If you\u2019re looking for an engaging driving experience, probably not. It comes with all the toys you could want, and a few more besides, and looks smart enough that your neighbors will be jealous, too. But for genuine thrills, a rear-wheel-drive spicy BMW 3 Series is worth a look.<\/p>\n

Competitors<\/h3>\n

BMW M340i<\/a><\/strong> Cadillac CT4-V<\/a><\/strong> Genesis G70 3.3T<\/a><\/strong> Mercedes-AMG C43<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n

Competitor Reviews<\/h2>\n

Don’t Put Your Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Away For Winter<\/a>
The 2024 BMW M3 CS Is Stupid Fast<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
2026 Audi S5 (EU)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Engine<\/td>\nTurbocharged 3.0-Liter V-6 Mild-Hybrid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Output<\/td>\n362 Horsepower \/ 406 Pound-Feet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Transmission<\/td>\nSeven-Speed Dual-Clutch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drive Type<\/td>\nAll-Wheel Drive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Speed 0-62 MPH<\/td>\n4.5 Seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Base Price<\/td>\nTBD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
On Sale<\/td>\nSummer 2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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The south of France has some of the greatest driving roads on earth. Sliced from mountains and littered with incredible vistas, these are the sort of bends car people dream about. The 2025 Audi S5 should be in its element here. It\u2019s a rocketship on paper, harnessing a turbocharged and gently hybridized V-6, all-wheel-drive grip, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9121"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9161,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121\/revisions\/9161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/fashionista.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}