2018 Audi A5/S5 Sportback First Look

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The concept of a 4-door coupe is simple: combine the sleek, low-slung profile of a coupe with the flexibility of four doors. Add a liftback to the mix, and what you’re left with is perhaps the most compelling blend of style and practicality ever offered in a single package.  Both the 2018 Audi A5 and higher-performing S5 exemplify this best-of-both-worlds philosophy in spades.

Having Your Coupe and Driving it Too

By virtue of sharing its lower structure and wheelbase with the A4 sedan, the Sportback’s rear quarters provide plenty of legroom and headroom for a six-footer’s frame. Folding down the rear seatbacks reveals 35 cubic feet of cargo space, which, for those playing the home game, is comparable to that of a small hatchback. Loading cargo is a cinch as well thanks to a wide aperture rear opening and power-operated hatch.

As you may have guessed, the A5 and S5 Sportbacks accelerate, corner, and cruise with all the refinement and composure of their traditional 4-door counterparts.

Also: Get your first look at the new and redesigned cars of 2018

The Dollars Make Sense

For the same price as an A5 coupe ($43,100 including destination fees), you can drive away with a significantly more practical A5 Sportback equipped with premium accouterments like a panoramic moonroof, HID headlights, leather, ambient interior lighting, an 8-way power driver’s seat with 4-way lumbar control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, three-zone climate control (rare for this class of car), passive entry with push-button start, and a 10-speaker audio system tied to a 7-inch remote-operated display featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Stepping up to the sportier S5 Sportback carries with it a $12,000 premium, but also includes additional standard such as full LED headlights, Alcantara inserts, and heated front sport seats with adjustable side bolsters.

The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback and S5 Sportback are now available in dealer showrooms nationwide.