What does Audi’s S subbrand imply to you? As somebody who each day drove an unique C4-generation Audi S6 for a decade, it’s a giant and burly sports activities sedan with extra efficiency than lots of sports activities vehicles of its day. All-wheel-drive traction, enhance for days, and a handbook transmission are the secret. Within the final 34 years, Audi’s S has come a great distance from the place it started, and it’s now not as in-your-face with the efficiency facet, preferring to stay with understated luxurious and grand touring highway-mile-eating quiet. Is that higher? I suppose it is dependent upon your priorities.
After 34 years on sale as Audi’s compact flagship sports activities sedan, the S4 is lifeless, changed by a brand new larger-in-every-dimension grand touring sedan, the 2025 S5. The model has killed off its enthusiast-oriented machines, and there are now not any coupes, convertibles, or sports activities vehicles of any variety. And earlier than you ask, we’re not getting the wagon both, so shut your mouth and eat your slop little piggies — although the brand new S5 does have a liftback rear as a substitute of a sedan trunk, successfully changing the previous S5 Sportback too.
Full disclosure: Audi flew me to Good, France, put me up in a pleasant resort, and equipped me with good meals and wine so I may drive the 2025 S5.
A lot as the unique Audi S4 did in 1991, the brand new S5 is setting the stage for a revamped and hopefully revitalized four-rings model. The normal naming conference we’re used to, in follow by Audi for 30 years, has been thrown out the window. Going ahead, odd numbers are for vehicles with inside combustion engines, whereas even numbers will likely be absolutely electrical fashions. The A5 and S5 will kind of change the A4 and S4, however the brand new platform is a dimension bigger, splitting the distinction between A4 and A6 within the previous Audi lineup. Audi’s new A5 received’t compete immediately with the BMW 3 Sequence or Mercedes C-Class because it sometimes has, however it’s not fairly as giant because the 5 Sequence or E-Class, both. Audi is taking a web page out of the Cadillac playbook and operating with one thing extra CT4-sized. It’s larger, is what I’m saying.
The automotive relies on a Audi’s new Premium Efficiency Combustion (PPC) structure, however in actuality it’s a closely revamped revision of the prevailing MLB Evo platform utilized by the outgoing A4 and A5. The engine continues to be longitudinal and mounted forward of the entrance axle, and it’s the identical turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 349 horsepower that was utilized by the previous S5. It nonetheless makes use of Quattro all-wheel drive, too. However as a result of the automotive is larger, it’s really a tick slower from 0 to 60 mph, with a 4.5-second run up from 4.4 seconds within the outgoing S4. Audi doesn’t but have an official weight for the S5, however the previous S4 was 3,800 kilos, so you may guess it’ll be a chunky 4,000 plus.
Apart from being barely bigger and using on flippantly revised platform, the S5 is kind of a revamp of the previous vehicles it size-up replaces. The driving expertise will likely be acquainted to anybody who has pushed the prior S4, although bigger, and the chassis itself is claimed to be considerably stiffer than the outgoing mannequin for improved steering really feel. This additionally permits the suspension to do its work to higher impact, giving the automotive’s varied drive modes extra impact within the adjustments to suspension damping. The Consolation mode has a noticeably softer really feel, and Sport mode may have you feeling a pea by way of 27 mattresses. However what is actually new right here? Not a lot. Ze Germans have optimized ze expertise, why would something should be modified?
Visually, I feel the automotive is engaging. It teeters on being a bit lackluster, with its new upright grille and virtually Ford-like aesthetic, however Audi manages to drag it off in a enterprise swimsuit type of approach. It’s very grownup with out fake sporty adornments or in-your-face design different manufacturers would leap to incorporate. In a world of BMW 340i M Sports activities, be an Audi S5.
The brand new automotive’s inside is a bounce ahead when it comes to expertise and rear seat consolation. Many of the automotive’s newfound size was added for rear seat legroom, possible in an enchantment to the Chinese language market. Earlier than it could have been a bit cramped for a full-sized grownup to sit down within the again seat, however now it’s solely potential. I’m 6-foot-2 on a nasty day, and I used to be ready to slot in the again seat fairly comfortably with the entrance seat adjusted to my seating place (an hour throughout city can be high-quality, however a several-hour highway journey would get annoying).
Audi went all-in on screens for the brand new S5. Along with the huge Digital Cockpit display screen behind the steering wheel, you get a curved panoramic 14.5-inch MMI heart display screen. If you wish to, you may possibility in a 3rd 10.9-inch display screen for the passenger as nicely. The passenger display screen can’t function with Apple CarPlay, however it will possibly obtain apps and be used independently, which means your passenger can watch Netflix or YouTube. Some trick new privateness expertise means the motive force can’t see the passenger display screen as soon as the automotive is transferring, until it’s simply set to indicate the navigation maps. You may see it crystal clear when the automotive is stopped, however as soon as the automotive will get transferring once more the display screen turns into a black void within the driver’s peripheral, although the passenger can nonetheless see it fairly clearly.
A revised head up show is crystal clear and provides a stage of consolation to the drive. Even for somebody who’s all torso like me, there was sufficient adjustability for me to have the ability to see it clearly. Audi additionally added some Microsoft AI bullshit to the automotive, permitting ChatGPT to reply questions for you whilst you’re driving. I attempted to work together with it just a few instances, however like virtually each voice command system I’ve ever used I shortly discovered it annoying and stopped asking.
The factor in regards to the Audi S5 I nonetheless can’t cease eager about weeks faraway from the driving expertise is the seats. Audi has all the time constructed some fairly good seats in my estimation, however these new sporty consolation seats are the proper mix. That is the primary time I’ve skilled a well-bolstered sport seat that didn’t beat the shit out of me, or put one other approach, the primary time I’ve skilled a snug seat that felt like it could maintain me in place by way of twisty roads. The therapeutic massage capabilities have been barely noticeable nonetheless, I’d have preferred a bit extra strain.
The Bang & Olufsen audio system within the S5 is killer. I’m not a lot of an audiophile, however it was crisp and clear it doesn’t matter what was happening exterior or what speeds I used to be touring. New for the S5, B&O put a pair of audio system in every entrance headrest. The driving force’s headrest transmits the entire directions from the automotive’s navigation system immediately, giving the motive force precisely what they should know with out annoying everybody within the automotive.
In comparison with the BMW M vehicles and Mercedes-AMG fashions that may beat you up for taking a look at them improper, the brand new Audi S5 is a snug all-uses type of automotive. It received’t win any monitor days, however it’ll eat up a mountain highway with relative ease, and with out inflicting seasickness in your passengers. Audi calls this a Grand Touring Sedan, and I suppose that describes it nicely sufficient, although a real Grand Tourer would most likely have extra energy lately.
This automotive is certainly a pleasant place to spend time, and it’s fairly fast, however the ardour and pleasure is gone from S. If you need one thing snug with cheap gasoline mileage, you’ll need the approaching A5. If you need one thing to stir your soul, you’ll possible have to attend till the RS5 arrives, at any time when that could be. The S5 is left in some purgatory in between. It isn’t frugal, it isn’t cheap, and it isn’t a velocity demon. The customer for an S5 will likely be discovered someplace within the center floor. If you need fairly fast and comfy, and don’t wish to shell out for all of the velocity and aggression of an RS, possibly the S5 goes to suit your invoice.
Additionally, right here’s a cute canine I noticed in France:
