Audi A5 – small big changes
There comes a time when some things must be replaced, even if they are good. Like the Audi A5. The Poles love the German coupe, but now there's a successor - is the new model as hot as sunny Portugal and as good as its predecessor?
Audi A5 is very popular in our country - especially in the Sportback version with an additional pair of doors. The Coupe version will sell the following for now, but that will likely change soon. To be honest, writing about cars like Audi is not a pleasant thing. These are well-thought-out machines that a whole army of people are working on. All this in order to complicate the work of journalists, who then have to look for a hole as a whole, although on the other hand, there are no ideal machines.
JakoÅ ›Ä ‡ in detail
Some criticize Audi for the understated design of the next generations, but it seems that this is not the case with the new A5. The car looks very nice. There are many analogies with its predecessor, but at first glance it is clear that this is something new and fresh. And it is difficult to confuse it with another car of the brand or its counterpart A4 - unlike Mercedes sedans. However, I wondered about something else - just cover the emblem to say that the appearance of the A5's angular grille is a bit like the front of the facelifted Hyundai Elantra ... other brands, and the hexagonal grille of Ingolstadt cars is a concern. flagship. Detail lovers will find something for themselves. On the sides you can see the graceful air vents around the door, and the design of the hood is an art of refinement - its edging is hidden in the embossed fender and is completely invisible. All you have to do is add a beautiful pattern of LED lights, turn signals that gradually flash in the direction of the turn, and a third brake light that runs the length of the rear window to finally conclude that the designers' work is not a waste of money. . The Audi A5 also lost 60 kg and changed its dimensions - its length is almost 4.7 m, its width is more than 1.8 m, and its height is only 1.37 m. On the other hand, the wheelbase at 2.76 m has saved a little more space inside.
In the photos, the interior of the car seemed unimaginative to me, but live it is much better. Firstly, the materials and fittings used deserve not so much applause as the Mexican wave. In richer versions, everything that was possible was covered with high-quality leather. In turn, what remains of it is pleasant to the touch and has interesting textures - even the central tunnel. And these buttons... They can just as well be attached to a chain and worn as an ornament.
However, some elements take some getting used to. First, there isn't much in the cockpit. Some instinctively will probably look there for something as mundane as a radio volume knob. Of course, multimedia can be controlled from the steering wheel, but the handle itself got into the gearbox. The advanced MMI system also takes some getting used to. I remember its first versions many years ago. The rotary switch was accompanied by an army of buttons. After the facelift, their number decreased, and, finally, in the current generation, there are almost none left - only a knob and a handful of switches remained. Some options take a long time to find, but there are so many functions that this is not surprising. The operation is facilitated by voice control, a gesture-reading top surface of the dial and a huge 8.3-inch screen. Unfortunately, he does not hide, as in the Audi A7, but you can’t tell everything. Plenty of compartments will help keep the mess under control, although the drink areas around the cockpit are a little unfortunate - large bottles cover the control panel and make it difficult to work.
Of course, not without gadgets. The Audi A5 can be equipped with a hologram displaying driving information on the windshield, a hotspot for smartphones or seat belts provided by an electric bar. In addition, the selector of the automatic machine looks like a sculpture, and a powerful display, similar to a screen in a movie theater, dominates the steering wheel. What can the last one do? Enough. It can simulate an analog clock or display information from a multimedia and navigation system. This is one of the best things about this car, but for some, it may not be necessary. I myself have found myself looking at the center display more often to see navigational directions. However, this is a matter of habit, because thanks to two large screens inside, the passenger can search for the contents of his flash drive, and the driver can follow the route extremely legibly. By the way, the navigation has nice 5D graphics and is provided by Google Maps. It even monitors traffic jams, but like Google, it unfortunately requires a constant Internet connection and sometimes slows down. This is of course only a small part of the powerful equipment of the Audi A2, but more important is the amount of space. The driver is not embarrassed by the well-designed cockpit, and behind, despite the 2 doors, even tall passengers will be comfortable. Cabin length has increased by less than 465 cm, resulting in more room around the head, shoulders and knees. In turn, the trunk this time offers XNUMX liters - at least "on paper". However, it's time to hit the road.
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Audi boasts that the new TFSI petrol and TDI diesel engines have 17% more power and 22% less fuel consumption. The range of capabilities of the units is now significant - in Poland the most popular will be a 2-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 190 hp. It also has a more powerful brother, the 3.0 TDI, which offers 218 or 286 km. The range of petrol options opens with a 2-liter engine with 190 or 252 hp. Only the thoroughbred Audi S5 is more powerful. From 3.0 liters, he squeezes 354 km and 500 Nm of torque.
For testing, besides the S5, which deserves a separate article, I found a model with a 3-liter diesel and 2-liter gasoline. As for the first, I have to congratulate the manufacturer on the creation of a diesel engine that does not look like a diesel at all. Vibrations inside are minimal, noise isolation is great, and 286k performance is already in the big leagues. Acceleration to the first hundred takes less than 6 seconds, and power is available instantly, almost at any time. The suspension is stiff, but even with the colossal 20-inch wheels, it doesn't tire and proves to be springy. Combined with Quattro all-wheel drive, the A5 3.0 TDI slalom is frankly boring. Despite almost 300 km, he does not try to kill his driver on the turn, and even with strenuous attempts to unbalance him, he behaves confidently and predictably. And at all speeds.
There is no shortage of power, on the contrary - at freeway speeds, the car continues to squeeze into the seat during acceleration. At the same time, it allows you to relax and enjoy your ride in complete comfort. Optionally, the motorcycle can be supplemented with a sports differential. 2-liter petrol engine with 252 hp has less performance, but still delivers a lot of driving pleasure. You don’t feel turbo lag in it and it greedily twists into the red field of the tachometer, guaranteeing solid emotions. It feels a bit more spontaneous than the diesel engine and runs more smoothly. It is a pity that it has 2 cylinders less ... Engines can be combined with a manual transmission or two automatic transmissions. Probably, the company listened to the lamentations of users and abandoned the continuously variable transmission Multitronic, which was not exactly the most durable, just insipid. The A5 can be operated with S-tronic dual clutch or Tiptronic automatic transmission. Gearboxes are fast, although in some situations you need to give them time to find the right gear, especially when driving aggressively and unpredictably. The manufacturer, of course, did not forget about a handful of "boosters" when moving. Audi Drive Select allows you to adjust the character of the car to your driving style - the suspension can also have variable characteristics. There's even a system on the equipment list to help reduce fuel consumption with navigation and prompts for when to take your foot off the gas. In addition, an army of sensors monitors lane change capability, road signs, collision risk and more - you could write a book about them and there's a good chance that the Audi A5 will be equipped with some electronic gadget that you invent now.
The question of price remains for dessert. Polish ones are not yet known, but when calculating the Western price list, you can expect an amount of about 160-170 thousand zlotys. bad for the basic version. Audi wanted to create the perfect coupe, although the bar was set high because the predecessor liked it. Is the new model as good and hot as Portugal, where it was introduced? Undoubtedly, it hits the head of the generation that is about to retire in many ways. As for the temper - this is not the kind of car that looks good in a cap with a visor and drives sideways in corners. The A5 is fast and exciting, but not "moody". It has a well-coordinated and predictable character, and this is what the owners will appreciate - that they have a car in the garage that they can feel great in, they do not have to prove anything to anyone and, if necessary, will overtake most cars on the road. Now it remains only to wait for the drivers who will go to car dealerships and say: "that's what it's about."
