Audi A5 (207-2016) review – MPG and running costs

Audi’s big A5 coupé is more genteel GT than hard-charging driver’s choice

Evo rating
Price
from £29,190
  • Handsome, finely finished and capable, a fine GT car
  • Multitronic automatic ruins any serenity, not as good to drive as rivals

In the hugely competitive corporate marketplace running costs define sales volume. That means despite relatively high sticker prices the A5 should be a relatively inexpensive car to run. That’s driven by not just assured high residual values when you’ve finished with it and tax reduction chasing emissions and economy, but also the option of fixed price servicing packages.

With emissions output a key purchasing choice among buyers the A5 uses all the current stop-start and energy recuperation tricks to maximise economy and get the lowest emissions possible. The star of the range is the 2.0 TDI Ultra, emitting 109g/km for a 17 per cent Benefit In Kind tax payment on your company car scheme, and the annual road tax bill is a mere £20.

Officially that Ultra model returns 67.3mpg on the combined consumption cycle, though expect a realistic (if you’re sensible) figure around the 50mpg mark.

Obviously running costs increase as you walk up the model ladder, adding quattro to any model reducing efficiency and increasing emissions, the 2.0 TDI quattro increasing the tax burden over that ultra to 22 per cent, while adding the S Tronic auto ups it another percentage point. Don’t discount the petrol models for tax liability, with both the 1.8 and 2.0 TFSI models being competitive, with 19 per cent and 23 per cent respectively, though you’ll need to stop at the pumps more frequently, as the turbocharged petrol models typically trail the mpg figures of those TDIs by around a third.

 

Most Popular

Car pictures of the week: evo’s Car of the Year contenders
eCoty – the contenders
Features

Car pictures of the week: evo’s Car of the Year contenders

evo’s Car of the Year issue hits newsstands next week – here's a preview of what you can expect
2 Dec 2023
Best car tyres 2023: evo performance tyre test
Best car tyres 2023
Features

Best car tyres 2023: evo performance tyre test

Which tyre should you choose for your performance car? This year’s evo tyre test puts eight strong contenders through their paces to find the very bes…
1 Dec 2023
The Tesla Cybertruck has finally landed, but it’s more expensive than promised
Tesla Cybertruck
News

The Tesla Cybertruck has finally landed, but it’s more expensive than promised

After years of setbacks, Tesla has delivered the first production examples of its controversial Cybertruck pick-up
1 Dec 2023