2021 Audi RS5 Sportback review: Where’s the drama?

The 2021 Audi RS5 Sportback has 444 horsepower, 442 pound-feet of torque and will hit sixty mph in much less than 4 seconds. It has Quattro all-wheel travel with a torque-vectoring rear differential, ceramic front brakes, adaptive dampers and a activity exhaust. Toss in a ton of tech, comfortable lodging and a liftback shape which is both trendy and useful, and the RS5 positions itself as one particular hell of a go-speedy all-rounder. So why do not I want one particular?

This car’s greatest trouble is that it desperately lacks drama. It truly is not plenty of for the RS5 Sportback to just be fast, speedy or agile. It desires to be visceral. It desires to be remarkable. It desires to make you chortle. You should want to travel it more durable and more durable, yet again and yet again. Audi unquestionably nails this unquantifiable emotion with vehicles like the R8, RS6 Avant and even the electric powered RS E-Tron GT. The RS5, by comparison, is type of sterile.

The 2.nine-liter twin-turbo V6 has plenty of shove, but it is much too peaceful — ditto the RS Sport Exhaust. The 8-velocity automatic transmission shifts quickly and seamlessly, but the small, steering wheel-mounted paddles supply no experiential draw. At the very least the RS5 is additional gasoline-effective than other sporty compact luxury vehicles, returning 18 mpg town, twenty five mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. Generally I’d say fantastic luck hitting people quantities supplied the RS5’s efficiency stats, but due to the fact this motor vehicle seriously isn’t going to eke you into driving it hard, people EPA quantities are rather spot-on.

To its credit history, the RS5’s adaptive dampers make it seriously at ease to travel around city, and it’ll gobble up hundreds of miles on the highway. But when you phone up Dynamic mode and position the RS5 up a mountain road, it is like you’re forcing it to do something it is not up for. You can find pronounced entire body roll in speedy corners and audible protesting from the 275/30R20 Pirelli P Zero tires. You’d think Audi’s activity steering selection would assistance liven items up, but it is much too light and much too numb, no matter of travel mode. The ceramic brakes are plenty effective, but the inconsistent pedal come to feel hampers self confidence. Definitely, the RS5 is happiest when you’re rocking a reasonable rate, which type of defeats the goal. The BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 may not be as properly-rounded, but holy smokes are they additional entertaining. And is not that what made you want to purchase one particular of these in the initial put?

All the aforementioned efficiency kit can be equipped to any RS5, but it comes conventional with my exam car’s limited-run Ascari Start Version pack. Only one hundred RS5 Sportbacks and twenty five RS5 Coupes will be optioned like this, painted in the correctly named Ascari blue, which is a hue so attractive it virtually will make up for some of this car’s shortcomings. Paired with matte aluminum trim, this RS5 looks very hot as heck, and people 20-inch wheels seriously fill out the wheel arches for a excellent stance. The unique-version trimline also comes with a 360-degree camera system, head-up display, adaptive cruise command, lane-holding help, navigation and a bunch of other goodies. Then yet again, thinking about the Ascari Start Version is a $20,500 selection, it experienced freaking superior be fully loaded.

The RS5 gets the very same updates as Audi’s other 2021 A5/S5 products. You will discover the redesigned headlights, broader grille and more substantial exhaust pipes, and inside of, Audi’s updated MIB 3 infotainment interface is exhibited on a ten.one-inch touchscreen. This tech is excellent — colourful, responsive and uncomplicated to function as a result of, with Google Earth map imagery and a conventional Wi-Fi relationship. You can use Apple CarPlay wirelessly or hook up Android Car with a USB cable. Combined with Audi’s usually-brilliant Digital Cockpit digital gauge cluster, the RS5’s tech recreation are unable to be beat.

One more huge win, the RS5’s Sportback shape adds a heap of functionality. The complete rear hatch opens to expose 21.eight cubic feet of cargo area behind the rear seats, which is additional than double what you get in an RS5 Coupe. You can fold the back again bench down to have lengthier merchandise, much too, producing this one particular of the most useful vehicles around that isn’t going to get slapped with an SUV or crossover designation.

All items thought of, the RS5 Sportback would make a excellent everyday driver. But $76,445 (like $one,045 for desired destination) is a complete good deal of money, and if I’m shelling out for an RS-badged Audi, I want it to make me come to feel all the inner thoughts. Oh, and this Ascari Start Version rings up at $ninety six,945, which would usually make some modicum of feeling supplied its limited-run status, but not when the RS5 is so inherently meh.

Aside from, if it is peaceful competence you’re right after, why not just get an S5 Sportback? It truly is each and every little bit as luxurious and useful, and you can get a generously equipped one particular for around $65K. The RS5 may have an additional 95 hp, but it just is not really worth the added cost. Remember, specs do not usually notify the complete tale.