Seeing the words S5 and Avant side by side might be a novel concept, but I assure you I didn’t mistype. Audi recently reverted the changes they had made to the naming standard of their cars, listening to customer and dealer feedback. This means that there now exist new body shapes in the A5 family, including a long station wagon, a segment Audi knows all too well.
After attending its local launch some time ago, I was again the fortunate member of the team to have a S5 to call my own for a week, and it was enough to see Audi is doubling down on their famous subtle sophistication. Even though the A5 line has those other shapes, in a bold move, the S5 has landed in New Zealand only in Avant form (for now). It’s a confident play in a country that loves wagons and where SUVs haven’t yet taken up the whole market. But for those in the know, this S5 quietly asserts itself as something special.
From the outside, the S5 Avant stays true to the Audi formula with minimal, purposeful lines. There’s a certain calmness to the design, where the details do most of the talking. The flush door handles, which electronically pop open with the slightest pull, are a delight. The blue paint on our tester was another reminder that Audi’s colour catalogue is brilliant: follow the excellent work Audi fleet managers have been doing with our loan cars and don’t let anyone talk you into silver or black.
The lighting signature, particularly at the rear, is one of the showpieces and something Audi has always taken great pride in. It flickers, glides, and refracts like shards of animated glass, with eight different pattern designs to choose from. It’s slick, controlled, and mesmerising. There are other pieces of lighting scattered around the car, such as the puddle lights inside and out the front doors, and the super helpful indicator for the kick operator for the tailgate, but just one single Audi S rhombus badge in sight.
Step inside, and the restrained theme continues. The front seats are a highlight, finished in beautifully stitched leather, offering massage, heating, and cooling in equal measure. They are supremely comfortable, and the moment you settle into them, you can tell this is a car built for covering long distances in great comfort.
Space for those up front is generous, but my legs hit the back of the front seats when sitting behind myself. The boot is practical, cavernous with the individually folding back seats down and easy to benefit from all features, including the electrical towbar.
The dashboard is, in typical Audi fashion, a sea of black in this configuration, achieved through a mix of ultra suede, stitched leather, and a carbon-fibre-looking piece of trim. It all feels incredibly solid and very tasteful, if not especially cheerful.
There are a few missteps, though. The touch-sensitive gloss black controls on the driver’s door look sleek, but in practice they’re prone to accidental presses and make it a bit harder to grab the door naturally. The centre console, too, falls victim to the same glossy black plastic, and becomes a magnet for fingerprints and light scratches. It’s baffling, especially when the rest of the interior materials show such thoughtfulness. Storage is good but not great, with a shallow cubby under the armrest, two cupholders and a wireless charging pad.
Audi’s reputation for tech is well earned, but in the S5, it feels like the innovation curve has slightly plateaued. The Virtual Cockpit, once a benchmark, is still sharp, gorgeous and functional, but lacks the variety and flair seen in other recent models, like the RS3 we recently had. Shifting between drive modes is not particularly engaging, and the display offers little feedback beyond swapping out the word “Efficient” for “Dynamic” or “Comfort.” It’s functional, but not exciting, and a missed opportunity in building more theatre.
The central screen is responsive, bright, and packing wireless phone projection. There are helpful shortcuts available at all times, and once set up you’re good to go. The optional passenger screen, however, is mostly a gimmick. It only goes so far for adding actual functionality, especially if you’re already using smartphone mirroring, and I’d prefer more of that nice dashboard and cash in my pocket.
The panoramic sunroof is brilliant, not just because it opens up the cabin, but thanks to its electrochromic film that switches between transparent and frosted states. You can toggle between different patterns for the digital stripes or keep it plain, and it blocks enough light to make a traditional sunshade feel unnecessary. It’s equal parts party trick and practical feature, and impressed every single person that jumped inside.
Under the bonnet is a turbocharged V6 paired with a mild hybrid system. It is good for 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque, healthy figures delivered in a wonderfully smooth and composed manner. The engine emits a warm tone when worked, and the gearbox in S mode becomes a willing partner. You’ll occasionally catch it off guard, particularly in stop-start traffic, where the transition between electric assist and engine torque can feel a bit clunky, but it’s rare enough to never be an issue.
On the move, the quattro all-wheel-drive system lends the car immense confidence. You can feel it tightening its line through corners, resisting drama even when pushed hard, at which point Audis usually resort to predictable understeer. Not that I could tell during my drive: Despite not being a small car, it always felt nimble, eager to go and secure in a way that invites you to trust it completely, even in the harshest conditions. It is not particularly fun, but its sheer ability and competence is impressive.
Ride comfort is another area where the S5 excels. The adaptive dampers flatten out city bumps and motorway undulations alike. On my daily commute, which includes a stretch of motorway on-ramp followed by open road, the S5 settled into a rhythm effortlessly. At cruising speed, the engine loafs along at just over 1,600 RPM. The cabin is serene, and whether you want to enjoy the burble of the V6 or lean into the 3D Bang and Olufsen sound system (which includes headrest-mounted speakers), the car never feels out of place. That sound system is especially clever: it can direct navigation instructions to the driver’s ears alone without interrupting the music for everyone else. Once properly configured, it works a treat and is actually very useful.
As it is the case with performance cars using turbos, efficiency is highly dependent on your right foot. The mild hybrid can take care of stop and go traffic, maneuvering, and even some low load driving in pure silence. But as you stomp on the gas, at the same time the dual clutch downshifts, the turbo spools, and you are shoved back into the seat, you can see figures change drastically. During my drive, I experienced 11.2L/100km, which is far from the claimed figures and just corroborates my point – I’m usually a very efficient driver, but this is an S car, after all!
Ultimately, the S5 Avant – and all other S cars for that matter – is a car for people who don’t need to shout about what they drive. It flies (really) under the radar, yet carries all the right credentials. The depth of quality, the substance and the consistency just win you over any of the small hiccups. This is a car built for those who want performance, comfort, and discretion in one long-roofed, great looking package. The S5 is the newest entry to a lineup that represents the perfect middle ground between everyday usability and weekend indulgence, and it nails the brief. Thanks, Audi, for the experiences, and thank you for reading this far!
