Audi A5 RS5 (10 on) - Review

This is not a car set up to be comfortable, so it’s no surprise that Audi RS5 comfort levels aren’t one of its stronger points.

The low-speed ride in dynamic mode is pretty unbearable but it starts to settle down more as speeds increase. Comfort mode is the best compromise, but regardless of setting – in the cabriolet you can see parts of the interior shaking as the firm set-up fails to deal with the imperfections below. Those 19inch wheels don’t help matters, and the thump of the thinly-wrapped rim as it hits potholes can be worrying.

Thankfully, the well-bolstered seats do half the job of absorbing the bumps but during our test on lumpy rural UK roads we spent a lot of time being jostled about.

Audi has done well to iron out road and wind noise without insulating so much that you can't hear what is a truly fantastic-sounding engine. The engineers have included an 'overun' exhaust sound when the auto is changing down and it never fails to bring a smile to your face – made even better by the ability to lower the roof in the cabriolet.

However the space in the rear is limited – both for headroom and legroom.

Just as it was with comfort, Audi RS5 practicality wasn’t at the top of the list when Audi’s engineers were devising the specification of this sports Coupe and Cabriolet. Still in coupe form the RS5’s boot will easily swallow a couple of suitcases, and the cabriolet still has a 380-litre boot. Drop the roof and this shrinks by 60 litres.

It is shallow which means you need to stretch to get to items at the back. If you need extra room the rear seats fold down. However there’s really not much rear legroom available for anyone other than children, while headroom is limited for adults.

It's possible to specify a key that doesn’t need to be taken out of your pocket or bag - instead the car senses your approach, unlocks the car and can be started by a button on the dash.

The cabin is beautifully crafted using the best materials while the dashboard layout is typically Audi - form as well as function. There’s no faulting the build quality either, as the RS5 boasts a cabin that has clearly been built to last.

Steering wheel controls help you keep your eyes on the road while navigating the on-board menus and the simple MMI control system on the centre console is quick to learn and use on the move.