For those of you unfamiliar with Audi’s A5, it’s a coupe that manages to be fabulously pretty in a grown-up way low key and unostentatious.
Audi who seem to think that if they just keep on creating new models they’ll eventually overwhelm all other manufacturers through sheer weight of numbers have added yet another niche within a niche by stretching the A5 and carving two more doors into it.
This gives you the A5 Sportback, not as unnecessary a car as the above description makes it sound. BMW’s 5-Series GT occupies the class above, meaning Volkswagen’s good-looking Passat CC and the Saab 9-3 are its only obvious rivals.
Size and style-wise, it’s something of a mishmash of the A5 and A4. It’s 8mm longer, 28mm wider and 36mm lower than the A4, giving it a pleasingly low-slung appearance.
It’s not quite as pretty as the two-door version, but it doesn’t sacrifice too much in the way of looks for the extra practicality.
The range starts at £25,455 for the 2.0 litre petrol version, rising to £38,645 for the 3.0 TDI Quattro S line auto model. I drove the 2.0 TDI 170 in SE spec, which weighs in at a tenner over £29,000.
It comes with the more powerful of the two 2.0 litre turbodiesel engines on offer. The 170hp whisks it from 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds and top speed, abetted by its slippery shape, is 142mph.
Thanks in part to the inclusion of start/stop technology, the frugal diesel returns 55.4mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions are a low 137g/km, meaning it’ll cost £110 a year for vehicle excise duty road tax, in old money.
All in all, the 2.0 litre diesel is probably the best unit to equip the A5 with, giving a fine blend of power and economy. It still gives something away in clout and efficiency to engineering wunderkind BMW’s diesels, but so does every other manufacturer.
Inside, the A5 Sportback is dark and modish, as is generally the case with Audi. The dash, centre console and switchgear are elegant and well laid out, and every switch and button has a high-quality feel.
In spite of giving away height, rear headroom is reasonable. The boot has a large 480 litres of space, which can be doubled to 980 by folding the rear seats. Ski fans take note a ski hatch is a £155 option.
Which doesn’t matter too much anyway, because for some reason the A5 is quite poor in the snow. I’ve spent the past week slip sliding along my snowy Dundee street.
I’m not quite sure why it’s so bad possibly the tyres but snowsports enthusiasts should go for one of the Quattro models, which should be much better.
Aside from that, it’s a perfectly fine drive. Like most Audis, it takes everything in its stride, conveying you from A to B, C, or D with an effortless grace. Fans of true sports cars should look elsewhere it doesn’t have the greatest handling or agility but it’s very competent and easy to drive.
I like the A5, but given the current weather, I really wish Audi had sent me a Quattro version.
Price: £29,0100-62mph: 8.7 seconds.Top speed: 142 mph.Economy: 55.4 mpg.CO2 emissions: 137 g/km.