Audi has refreshed the A4 sedan‘s swoopier (and better looking) A5 siblings for 2020. The A5 family‘s changes for 2020 closely mirror those applied to the A4 and amount to incremental improvements for the two-door coupe and Cabriolet, as well as the four-door A5 Sportback and the hotter S variants of all three.
Mechanically, there won’t be anything new. The A5 models’ turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines still make 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque and come paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The S5 coupe, Cabriolet, and Sportback retain the same 349-hp turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 (making 369 lb-ft of torque) as before. That leaves the bulk of the changes to the cosmetic realm.
Up front, the A5 and S5 get flatter and wider honeycomb grilles, in addition to reshaped front bumpers to convey a greater sense of sportiness. Sure. Audi also says the wide-face changes link the 5s to the relentlessly boxy original Audi Quattro, but we’re not sure we’re seeing the connection. Both the headlights and taillights have been revamped to bring the A5 and S5 in line with the rest of the Audi’s lineup.
Inside, the new A5 and S5 get a new 10.1-inch display with Audi’s latest iteration of its MMI, MIB 3—just like their A4 siblings. Audi says the new system is up to ten times faster than the previous one. It’s also a touchscreen! Audi was one of the last automakers to hold out and insist on physical controls for its infotainment (using buttons and a rotating click knob controller), but it’s finally joined the rest of the automotive world and embraced touch.
The two-door A5 coupe and four-door Sportback hatchback models now cost the same, $43,895, despite the latter’s extra pair of doors. (The Sportback used to cost $1,300 more than the coupe, a worthy tradeoff for its extra practicality and similarly seductive looks.) The A5 convertible demands an extra $7,000, bringing it to $50,895. For 2020, both the more powerful S5 Coupe and Sportback have a base price of $52,895, $500 less than in 2019. Stepping up to the S5 Cabriolet will cost an eye-watering extra $8,300, but the droptop’s base price was cut by a whopping $3,000 relative to last year.
Zoom out, and you’ll notice that the dominant story line here is how Audi added value to its A5 and S5 range without increasing the cars’ prices. Audi says the 2020 models are already on their way to dealerships, so interested parties should keep their eyes peeled.