20/10/08

• Price31,985
• We like...Looks, cabin
• We don't...Tight headroom in the back

Sharp-looking sports coupe is at its sweetest when a big, smooth diesel engine is pulling it. We like it very muchLike choc ice and chips, the idea of a big diesel engine powering a high-class coupe sounds fun, but wrong. But, just like choc ice and chips, putting the two together is also a great idea.

The 2.7 turbodiesel can’t summon the bite you’ll experience from the big, shouty petrol motor that you might to expect to find in a sports two-door. What it can do is haul what’s quite a heavy car along quickly, surfing a fat wave of low-revs power.

Motors.co.uk has previously driven the A5’s fast ‘n’ furious cousin, the S5. And while the similarities are clear, their natures are very different. While the S5 rares to go, dashing from one bend to the bend, the A5’s a more relaxed character. If you take it smoothly, as quickly as you’re able while staying in control, it flatters by covering ground quickly and in a wonderfully relaxed way.

It makes a great car to take on long distances, thanks to a settled, smooth ride courtesy of its complex, aluminium suspension. And that engine rumbles along sweetly, especially if you keep in its sweet spot, between 2000 and 3000rpm. And its best overall economy of 44.1mpg means you won’t spend too much on getting to journey's end.

How many people you take on that big trip is more of a question. Like its key rival, the BMW 3-series coupe, it’s a four-seater. While there’s ample leg room for those in the big, individual rear chairs, the sloping roof means there’s too little space for them to sit without bending their necks. If you’re 6ft or taller, you won’t want to spend long back there. Entry is easy, though, thanks to big, wide-opening doors.

The front’s every jot as comfy as you’d ever want. The dash is sober and orderly (rather than lavish) in the way that Audis are but all that you see and touch looks top-notch and built to last, while the leather seats are standard on this model.

Out back, the boot is sensibly sized and a touch bigger than you’d find in a 3-series. All considered, it’s a handsome fella, looking to our eyes better up close than it ds in photos. It’s priced level with the equivalent 3-series, too.

As a newly emerged model, second-hand ones were, at time of writing, scarce and expensive. And, since Audi hasn’t made a coupe for almost two decades, there’s no earlier model to fall back upon. But if the 3-series coupe is anything to judge by, expect used ones to stay pricey and in demand: diesel-powered ones the more so.

Would we buy one? Yes. It’s not as precise or agile to drive as the 3-series, nor is it as stingy with fuel. But it is just as classy and, at least for the while, far more exclusive than the BMW or indeed any other rival at the price. And, for us, its beautifully designed, comfortable cabin just clinches it.

View new and used Audi A5s at motors.co.uk
 

• Engines2.7 TDi
• Power187bhp
• 0-60 mph7.5
• Economy44.1mpg
• CO2g/km167
• Insurance groups15E
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats4

Motors.co.uk value verdict: