The RS5 is Audi Sport’s first plug-in hybrid, and the most complex car in its RS division, said Top Gear Magazine. “This is not your average Audi.”
It pairs a 2.9-litre, 503bhp twin-turbo V6 with a 174bhp electric motor, powered by a 25.9kWh battery. Despite weighing a “daft” 2,370kg in Avant form, it feels relatively light thanks to clever suspension and ground-breaking rear axle technology, and it can do 0-62mph in just 3.6secs.
“Exceptionally”, “unhingedly agile” for such a big car, the RS5 is “a hoot” to drive, said Autocar. It’s fast and also “supple” and “refined”, with a “very smooth response”. The steering is “always precise” and the car shows “great body control and resistance to pitch”. It has a 50-mile electric range, and should return about 70mpg officially, but the smaller 48-litre fuel tank means stops to refill.
The RS5 comes as a saloon or an estate, and there’s plenty of space up front, with two figure-hugging sports seats and lots of storage, said What Car?. The driver gets an 11.9-inch digital display, plus there’s a 10.9-inch passenger’s touchscreen and a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, with crisp, clear graphics.
However, most functions are buried in menus and there are very few physical buttons. Higher-spec trims quickly drive up the cost.
Despite weighing 2,370kg, plug-in hybrid is ‘supple’ and ‘refined’