UK Drive: Can Audi blend performance and efficiency in the new RS5 Avant?
The new RS5 uses a plug-in hybrid system for the first time, but has any of the magic been lost through electrification? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
This year, the RS4 Avant has evolved into the RS5 Avant and there’s far more afoot than just a name change. Adopting plug-in hybrid power for the first time, this new performance car aims to bring together performance and efficiency, but can it do that? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
Alongside the Avant you’ll find the more traditional RS5 Saloon, which brings a sleeker overall look but with slightly less boot space. Unlike the previous RS5, there’s no Sportback model available – for now, at least.
What’s under the bonnet?
Plus, Audi says that you can get up to 52 miles of range, while CO2 emissions have dropped to a seriously low 89g/km. Fuel consumption stands at 72.4mpg, but we found that even when the battery was very depleted, the RS5 Avant would still return in the region of 35mpg.
What’s it like to drive?
Flick into a sportier setting and things liven up. The engine now plays a more prominent role and while much of the sound appears to be piped in and amplified, it’s all very exciting. The sportiest suspension setting is simply too much for the UK’s roads, mind you, and makes the RS5 Avant a handful to drive as it bounces and pings off road imperfections and potholes.
The RS5 Avant also tips in at just over 2.3 tonnes, making it over 500kg heavier than its predecessor. Despite this, the newbie does a great job of disguising its weight and it’s a lot more agile through the bends than you’d expect. All manner of settings and driver modes are there to get it just as you’d like it, too.
How does it look?
Our test model in a striking red exterior paint scheme looked particularly good too and, in our eyes, the Avant – or estate – form continues to be the best-looking one for fast Audi models.
What’s it like inside?
Space in the back isn’t bad, either, though the car’s low ride height and sweeping roofline can make access tricky. The biggest snag, however, is the boot. That hybrid system means that the RS5 Avant’s boot has shrunk to just 361 litres, down from the 505 litres you’d get in the older RS4 Avant. An estate is meant to be practical, after all, and this seems like a real negative.
What’s the spec like?
All cars get 20-inch alloy wheels as standard and Audi’s excellent Matrix LED headlights. An interesting omission on the ‘standard’ RS5 Avant is a panoramic sunroof and you’ll need to step up to the £109,385 Performance Vorsprung model to get that included as standard.
Verdict
It’s actually quite hard to nail down the new RS5 Avant. With its long electric range and low emissions, it’s certainly cleaner than before – but has it lost some of the magic in achieving that? Certainly, the V6 engine doesn’t have as much of a starring role as before, but it’s hard to argue with how effective this powertrain is.
Even more astounding is how Audi has managed to create a car that steers, responds and corners with as much agility as before, despite the obvious weight penalty. An example of a car defying the laws of physics? The RS5 Avant certainly feels like it.