BMW’s bigger and more opulent 6 Series GT ought to be more sensible with just a 500k price premium, but the Audi A5 Sportback is a different thing.
What’s new?
A second model has joined the Audi A5 family in Thai showrooms. After launching the two-door Coupe last year, Meister Technik has followed up the niche-breaking clan with the Sportback featuring a sleek five-door hatchback body.
The Thai Audi importer is offering two 2.0-litre petrol-turbo variances with seven-speed dual-clutch automatic for the A5 Sportback: 40 TFSI with 190hp and 45 TFSI with 252hp.
Although the front-wheel-drive 40 TFSI is one million baht cheaper, at 3.299 million baht, the 45 TFSI boasts Quattro all-wheel-drive. As well, the 45 TFSI nets you the racy S Line trim including Sports seats, sunroof, Bang & Olufsen sound system, ambient lighting for the cabin and automatic high-beam headlights.
The biggest difference between the Coupe and Sportback is rear seat and boot practicality thanks to the latter’s 60mm longer wheelbase, measured at 2,824mm.
And because both A5s are priced the same spec-on-spec, you could easily summarise that the Coupe is for two-door lovers and the Sportback for those needing extra practicality.
The same could also be said for the two engine options of the A5 Sportback, that is, the first suiting poseurs and the second one appealing to driving enthusiasts.
But at 4.299 million baht, can the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI stand a chance against the slightly bigger BMW 6 Series GT which commands just a circa-500k price premium and comes with a pokey 265hp 3.0-litre diesel?
Just FYI: the Audi A7 Sportback has just been launched as a closer rival to the 6 Series GT. But the 340hp petrol power offered initially makes the A7 Sportback 55 TFSI far dearer at 5.399 million baht.
What’s cool?
The decision by Audi to pitch the A5 Sportback with a drivetrain option developed with some driving performance in mind is quite generous because it properly helps give this particular Audi a sporty touch.
The 252hp turbocharged four-pot is quite lively and easily attains excessively high speeds with good confidence, thanks to the firmly sprung suspension that somehow feels beefier than in the Coupe derivative.
Plus, the Quattro system has a 40:60 front-to-rear setup in normal conditions to make this Sportback feel like rear-drive, sure-footed in a straight line and nicely balanced when pushed in corners.
And as potential luxury car punters in Thailand have a tendency to come to Audis because they might be bored with conventional Bimmers or Mercs, the sleek looks and beautifully crafted interior of the A5 Sportback make the deflection more justified for them. Oh, and those so-called Sports front seats are good to sit in.
What’s not?
As the A5 Sportback is for the petrol head, it can’t beat the diesel-powered 630d GT outright in terms of mid-range punch. Which somehow makes sense because the Bimmer is the heavier fastback.
And because the 6 Series GT comes from a class above, it beats the A5 Sportback hands down in the race of cabin room, versatility and opulence. In other words, the Audi’s rear bench is more suited for just two persons and the shape and space of the boot is less effective.
Buy or bye?
Luxury car punters with over four million baht to spare would probably find an extra 500,000 baht worthwhile for something that is outright bigger and more luxurious to sit in. But even if the two were priced in the same range, both are simply different.
The A5 Sportback, especially in 45 TFSI form, offers more driving enjoyment than the 630d GT. The BMW, on the contrary, is all about comfort, practicality and driving ease.
Despite the same fastback body concept, the two have been executed to look and feel differently on the road. Bluntly put, both are trying to reach for opposite ends of the buyers’ age group.
THE ONCE CLOSEST ALTERNATIVE
Like Audi, BMW has used more upmarket badges for some body derivatives spun off from mainstream family cars.
While the A4 saloon and estate are rivals for the similarly packaged 3 Series models, the A5 and 4 Series both have coupe, convertible and sleek hatchback silhouettes to choose from.
Which is why the 4 Series Gran Coupe is the most direct competitor for the A5 Sportback, as tested in the main story.
Despite making its way into our top 10 cars several years ago, BMW’s fastback wasn’t a genuine success in Thailand. Although the coupe and cabrio siblings are still available in mid-life refresh forms, the 4 Series Gran Coupe isn’t anymore.
Like in the A5 Coupe and Sportback, the 4 Series Coupe and Gran Coupe were priced identically when specified with the same engine and trim.
With the absence of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the A5 Sportback is without a direct opponent in the Thai luxury car market.
