Combining sports car performance with sedan practicality, the Audi A5 Sportback represents the ultimate lifestyle attitude

As the most popular entry-level coupe, the mid-term facelift of Audi A5 is highly anticipated by young people with strong personalities. In the end, this Volkswagen "Dream Car" did not disappoint. The Audi A5 Sportback, which adopts the new family design language, has outstanding appearance and aroused great discussion among coupe enthusiasts.

However, we have just reviewed the mid-term facelift Audi A4L. The interior and technological configurations of the two cars are exactly the same, and even the powertrains of the two cars are exactly the same. Some netizens questioned whether the Audi A5 Sportback is "taxed" because it is about 200,000 yuan more expensive?

Today, we will comprehensively "disassemble" the Audi A5 Sportback, known as the "most beautiful coupe", to see how this sports car, which has the same heart as the A4, performs.

A coupe with good looks and a fighting spirit

In terms of appearance, the mid-term facelift Audi A5 Sportback is more fashionable and sporty. If the A4L is a suit thug, then the Audi A5 can be described as a straightforward "muscle thug", and the overall look is to highlight a sense of power.

The more exaggerated black honeycomb grille, two 19-inch large wheels matched with the low-lying sports car shape, the plump limb muscles full of power, and the temperament can be summed up in two words: fighting!

In terms of details, the front of the Audi A5 Sportback also adopts the new family design language. The hexagonal middle frame is shortened in the vertical direction, which lowers the visual height of the front. The brake cooling channels on both sides are also more prominent, and the radar sensors and fog lights are hidden in them.

Although the size of the headlights has not changed, they have been changed to new separate matrix LED headlights, which are highly recognizable and light up in sequence when unlocking, giving a very ceremonial feel.

In terms of functionality, high-end configurations such as adaptive high and low beam, steering assist, adjustable height, cleaning device, etc. are all present, and laser headlights are also used on mid-size sedans for the first time, which is also a significant upgrade.

A graceful waistline is drawn from the corner of the headlights, combined with the streamlined curve from the roof to the rear of the car, and a large-angle ducktail wing at the back, highlighting the identity of the A5 sports car.

The most eye-catching thing at the rear of the car is the LED taillights with the same split matrix. The exhaust tailpipe has also been changed from the round one on the old model to a rectangular one that better fits the overall shape. The double-outlet single-sided design can also effectively reduce noise. The diffuser-like structure in the middle of the tailpipe seems to pay tribute to the past Sport Quattro.

The Audi A5 also uses frameless doors, which is very cool and in line with its coupe positioning.

Because of its fastback sports car shape, the Audi A5 Sportback also uses an electric tailgate in the trunk, otherwise the ladies in the family may not be able to move such a heavy tailgate.

Open the tailgate and you can see that the trunk opening is large enough, with a space of 480L, and the rear seats can also be folded down in proportion to provide more storage space.

The trunk floor is opened and underneath is the spare tire and tire changing tools of the Audi A5 Sportback. Under the spare tire is the lithium battery of its 12V mild hybrid system with a battery capacity of 10Ah. We will talk about this mild hybrid system in detail when we get to the dynamic part.

In terms of riding experience, there is no doubt that the Audi A5 Sportback, as a coupe model that emphasizes sportiness, has made some compromises.

The front seats provide a good riding experience, with a low riding posture, but the space and seat comfort are good, and the field of vision is guaranteed. As a coupe, the front seats of the Audi A5 Sportback place special emphasis on wrapping, which can provide support when turning at high speed, helping to maintain a stable driving posture.

The rear seats are worse. When the front seats are in the same position, there is only a fist's distance between the knees and the front seat. I am 1.8 meters tall and there is only two fingers' distance above my head. In addition, the seat cushions are not adapted for Asians with long thighs. They are too short and cannot provide enough support for the thighs. The backrest angle is also too straight, which makes you tired after a long ride.

And due to the existence of the central drive shaft, the rear floor is relatively high, and even the central seat cushion has a certain bulge, making the riding experience for the fifth person a little awkward.

However, as a coupelike five-door coupe, the rear-seat entry experience has not been compromised, which deserves praise.

In terms of interior and storage space, the Audi A5 Sportback is almost identical to the mid-term facelifted A4L. Of course, the Audi wraparound cockpit has a strong sense of integration and technology, and still provides a strong sense of luxury. Although there is no triple-screen MMI, the LCD instrument panel + central control setting is still the first echelon of practicality in today's intelligent wave, especially the neat and easy-to-use UI level and system settings, which reflect Audi's deep understanding of the automotive industry.

In addition to retaining the dual-zone air-conditioning control area with physical keys, the voice control of the Audi A5 Sportback is also a plus. Almost all mechanical structures in the car support voice control, and the control of the system is even so detailed that you can command it to turn on the radio and listen to which channel.

In addition, the car machine natively supports CarPlay, CarLife, AndroidAuto, etc., and can be easily connected to both Apple and Android. Now many car companies are unwilling to pay licensing fees on the one hand, and are eager to promote their own system services on the other hand, and are unwilling to support these interactive services between mobile phones and car machines, which is undoubtedly a regression in user experience.

Sports car performance, taking into account affinity and fuel consumption

In terms of dynamics, our test vehicle is the Audi A5 Sportback 45TFSI Premium Dynamic Edition, which is the top model of this model. It uses the classic EA888 2.0T turbocharged engine with a maximum horsepower of 252 and a maximum torque of 370 Nm.

The curb weight of the Audi A5 Sportback is only 1,665 kg. From the actual driving experience, this model has very strong power, and the official acceleration time from 0 to 100 kilometers is 6.2 seconds.

Of course, the Audi A5 Sportback also offers five driving modes. When you don’t want to “fight”, you can also use it as a cool shopping car, and it can also adapt to the driving habits of different people in the family.

As a very widely used power combination under Audi, the excellence of EA888+7DCT power matching and tuning is unquestionable. Although it is a coupe, the handling is very friendly. The rhythm of accelerator and brake is very easy to master, and you can drive very easily and smoothly without almost any adaptation.

As a coupe, its handling is also very good. The steering wheel has clear directionality, and the lower center of gravity can provide greater confidence when turning.

In terms of suspension, the Audi A5 Sportback uses a five-link suspension structure at both the front and rear, which is relatively rare, especially for a coupe with a low-lying shape and small front wheel space. In order to improve sportiness, the suspension tuning of the Audi A5 Sportback is still relatively stiff overall, which can provide effective support for the body when turning and changing lanes quickly, but the filtering of road bumps still shows the strong integrity of the solid chassis. You can feel a clear sense of the road when driving, and large fluctuations are transmitted to the cab with only some muffled sounds, which does not affect the comfort inside the car.

In terms of NVH, the performance of the Audi A5 Sportback can only be described as average. After all, it uses frameless doors and single-layer glass, and the overall noise control can only be described as medium in its class.

For those car enthusiasts who must listen to music while driving, the Audi A5 Sportback is equipped with B&O audio, accompanied by the exciting BGM "Battle", which is the feel of a sports car.

Next, let's talk about the 12V mild hybrid mentioned earlier. You may have heard of Audi's 48V mild hybrid. In fact, the two are similar things, and their purpose is to save energy and reduce emissions and reduce fuel consumption. The difference is that according to Audi's plan, the six-cylinder and eight-cylinder engines will be equipped with 48V mild hybrid, while the four-cylinder engine will be equipped with 12V mild hybrid.

Its working principle is that when the accelerator pedal is released at a speed of 55-160km/h, the system determines that the vehicle is in a coasting state, and then the engine can be turned off and the transmission can be put into neutral;

When the vehicle gradually slows down to a stop, it can also shut down the engine and coast when the speed drops to 22km/h. The electrical system can then drive the necessary electrical accessories to further reduce fuel consumption.

Not only that, in order to allow the engine to rest as much as possible, the Audi A5 Sportback can also use cameras and radar to

Monitor the relative speed and distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front to determine whether you are about to slow down and stop to let the engine rest and start working. When the engine is resting, the lithium battery at the rear of the vehicle will take on the electrical system and recover excess kinetic energy.

According to official data, the recovery power can reach 5kW. This 12V mild hybrid system can save 0.3L of gasoline per 100 kilometers.

Summarize

First, let’s answer the question at the beginning of the video. Since the powertrain is the same, why is the Audi A5 Sportback 200,000 more expensive than the A4L?

Although the two models have the same powertrain, their suspension system, brake structure, front overhang length, aerodynamic design, steering system, cockpit design, etc. are completely different, resulting in completely different handling and driving experience. After driving the Audi A4L and then the Audi A5 Sportback, you will be surprised that the two cars use the same powertrain but can show completely different driving experiences.

The Audi A4L is a car model that emphasizes comfort. Although the Audi A5 sportback is more practical than the coupe, it is a coupe after all. While it compromises on the riding experience, the driving feel is very sporty.

Choosing the Audi A5 Sportback means you are choosing a completely different driving experience, or even a more flamboyant and passionate lifestyle and attitude towards life.

Jeremy Clarkson, the host of the famous car show TopGear, once said that if a car doesn't make you feel excited when you get in it, then it's just a tool; if your car is just a tool, then you might as well take the bus.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.