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One of Audi’s most perplexing moves in recent times was deciding to axe the A4 nameplate.
After decades of existence — during which the model cemented respectable equity — canning the A4 so abruptly seemed plain unceremonious.
It became known as the archetypal mass-market Audi, the one you thought of when the brand was mentioned. Killing the A4 felt akin to McDonald’s discontinuing the Big Mac or Jamiroquai firing frontman Jay Kay.
Yes, market preferences have evolved, and the rising popularity of crossovers and sport-utility vehicles is to be considered. But chief rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz appear to still see the value in their medium-sized saloon icons, with the reinvented i3 and imminent new C-Class on the cards.
Audi said that although the A4 has departed, its role continues to be fulfilled by the A5. Well, sort of. The A5 was historically a coupé version, with a Sportback catering to those with four-door needs.
Now with the 2026 A5, there is no longer a two-door. The more practical version is the standalone model (Audi labels it as a sedan), but it still retains the sleeker, sloping roof popularised by the old Sportback.
The average A4 owner contemplating an upgrade is likely to bemoan the reduced headroom. And they may find the razzle-dazzle aesthetics of the A5 too risqué for their tastes — that was why they bought an A4 in the first place, not an A5 Sportback.
No denying that the latest car turns heads. Our blue test unit received more lusty stares than any Audi piloted in recent memory. Perhaps not since the RS E-Tron GT, had a car with the four rings emblem stirred such feelings in observers, from a design point of view.
For now there is one engine derivative on offer. That is a four-cylinder 2.0l turbocharged petrol, coupled with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic. The standard 146kW/340Nm front-wheel drive S-Line model costs R1,123,000.
R1,238,000 puts you behind the wheel of the more powerful 200kW/400Nm Quattro all-wheel drive version. Both models are available with an optional Black Edition package costing R43,800, adding more visual attitude into the mix.
Audi gives customers a one-year/unlimited mileage warranty and a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan. Our tester was the Quattro model sans Black Edition trimmings. Which is more attractive, in my view, because there are interesting details — including those alloy patterns — that would be obscured with the glossy black paint comprising the optional darker aesthetic garb.
From the moment you grab the light, plastic key fob, it is clear that cost rationalisation took place. Compared to the weighty, metallic blocks of former Audi models, this looks more suited to one of the less premium brands in the Volkswagen Group.
Looking closely at the cabin, there are other elements indicating that costs were trimmed. The extensive piano decorative trim and plastic interior door pulls are giveaways. And Audi faithfuls will notice the adoption of capacitive touchpoints on the steering wheel, replacing conventional buttons. This was a move that the Volkswagen brand backtracked on after rampant criticism.
If Audi did the same, there would be no protest from me. A drive in an S3 after this Q5 — which had traditional steering-mounted controls — amplified just how much better the tried-and-tested method worked.
Our test car had an optional panoramic roof, which uses a dimming function to shield against the sun’s rays, instead of a conventional shade.
Audi took pages from both BMW and Mercedes-Benz when it came to digitisation. The curved central display which integrates with the virtual cluster is reminiscent of the layout in the 3 Series.
And the passenger gets their own screen, much like the end-to-end “Hyperscreen” setup that the three-pointed star brand pioneered. The screens jut out of the fascia in a way that seems at odds with the flowing, cohesive theme in the rest of the Audi’s cabin. But the displays are of high quality, even if user-friendliness is not as high as Audi once laid claim to with its past MMI systems.
Though not as practical as the former A4, boot space is acceptable at 417l. Folding the seats down offers 1,271l. The rear berth proved wide enough to accommodate a medium-sized wooden stand.
Thankfully, criticisms around finishes and the interface are redeemed on the road. The A5 still delivers textbook Audi refinement, ride quality and handling. It is a chassis that relishes enthusiastic driving; the suspension is seemingly never caught out by mid-corner bumps and hard-textured undulations. It nails that sweet spot between dynamic and comfort.
Despite initial lag, especially noticeable when trying to make off at busy intersections with oncoming traffic, once the 2.0l gets going, performance is fair.
The claimed 0-100km/h time is 6.1 seconds, which is near Volkswagen Golf GTI territory, but in reality it feels a bit less eager off the mark than that.
That should not be an issue if you manage your expectations: this is more of a brisk tourer than a rip-snorting racer. And besides, there’s a manic 2.9l V6 hybrid coming in the form of the RS5.
On that topic of expectation management, it is still my take that the long-standing A4 faithful may feel hard done by in the absence of a direct successor — as glamorous as the A5 is.
First published in TimesLIVE.
