First Drive: 2025 Audi A5 & S5
You might be surprised to learn that Audi’s B-series chassis was born in 1972 with the launch of the Audi 80. Spanning across nine generations, this series celebrates an impressive tenure as one of Audi’s best sellers. With the A5 and S5 now in its 10th generation, has Audi refined the recipe to maintain that success? With a self-proclaimed focus on design, dynamics and technology during model development, Audi claims they’ve made their best even better.
If you’ve read our first drive piece on the all-new Q5 and SQ5, Audi of America invited us to experience those models and the brand-new A5 and S5 as well. One might call the entire experience a B-series chassis bonanza. Ultimately, our task was to drive these Prestige-trim vehicles in a variety of conditions, with the beautiful Aspen, CO mountains serving as our backdrop. In this first drive article, we will focus primarily on aspects of the new A5 and S5 that we feel most influenced our driving impressions, though you won’t want to miss our more comprehensive review in the upcoming Q3 issue of quattro Magazine.
Like the new Q5 and SQ5, the 2025 A5 and S5 are based on Audi’s new PPC or Premium Platform Combustion architecture. But before we jump into discussing how these models behave on the road, we’d like to call out a few key details that are important to keep in mind as you consider our experience.
Does better mean bigger? That’s what Audi is implying, as the new A5 is 1.6 inches taller, its wheelbase 2.6 inches longer, and its body 0.5 inches wider compared to the previous generation. This growth translates to more cabin space across the board where the front shoulder room has increased to 57.3” and the rear legroom now measures 36.1 inches, earning a best-in-class designation. It’s a clear improvement—as someone over six feet tall, I had no problem sitting comfortably in the back seat. Naturally, the larger dimensions along with the A5’s Sportback design improve cargo capacity, another area where the A5 leads in its class. At this point, you might be thinking this is great for practical use, but how does this impact its performance?
Not only have the new A5 and S5 increased in physical size, but also in their respective power output. The engine displacements for the A5 and S5 remain the same as the preceding B9 generation. However, a new variable-vane turbocharger design employed on both the 4- and 6-cylinder TFSI engines, delivers significant increases in horsepower and torque. The A5’s 2.0L TFSI turbocharged 4-cylinder engine produces 268 hp and 298 lb. ft. torque, while the S5’s 3.0L TFSI turbocharged 6-cylinder powerplant produces 362 hp and 406 lb. ft. torque.
Whether behind the wheel of the A5 or S5, the updated turbocharger was immediately noticeable, and responsive in all conditions when the throttle was called upon. Turbo lag was minimal, and the additional top-end power was readily apparent when compared to the previous B9 generation.
Also new to the B10 A5 and S5 is a standard-equipped seven-speed S-tronic dual clutch transmission (DCT). We hadn’t driven a DCT equipped B-series Audi since the B8 S4 and had nearly forgotten how amazingly fast gear changes are achieved with this technology. Whether driving the A5 or S5, it was difficult to resist the temptation of engaging the Dynamic Sport mode and using the paddle shifters for more control.
Moving on to the handling components, the A5 comes equipped with a tuned steel suspension, while the S5 features an S Sport suspension as standard. However, the S5 we tested was optioned with Adaptive Sport Suspension with electronic damper control. We’re told this further tightens the suspension’s responsiveness in turns, but without a non-adaptive model to test, we’ll have to take Audi’s word for it. It’s also worth noting that the rear sport differential—previously an option—is now standard on the 2025 S5.
So how does this all fit together? We would say the new A5 and S5 offer a more driver-focused experience than ever before from Audi within this segment, and that’s only considering the engineering behind these models. The A5 was surprisingly engaging to drive both in city and highway driving environments and we found it “snappy” and responsive when driving in a more spirited fashion on less populated roads.
While the A5 held its own traversing Colorado’s curvy mountain roads, the S5 was a different animal—or dare we say, a beast. Engaging Dynamic mode on the S5 drops the ride height by 20mm (about 0.79 in) compared to the A5. Factoring in the lower center of gravity, the extra power from the V6 and the torque-vectoring prowess of the rear sport differential, you get something close to an Audi enthusiast’s dream. Powering through a corner and kicking the rear out just enough for a quicker exit is endlessly satisfying—and with plenty of twisty roads to explore, we didn’t want the fun to end.
Regardless of which model you choose, the all-new A5 and S5 offer a noticeably broader range between their respective comfort and dynamic settings, and both are very engaging options for a driver-focused purchase. But don’t take our word for it, go test-drive one at your nearest Audi dealership.
A5 Price as-tested: $58,840
S5 Price as-tested: $73,345
Stay tuned for additional 2025 Audi A5 and S5 insights on our official Club podcast, All-Wheel Driven, and a comprehensive review in the upcoming Q3 issue of quattro Magazine.
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