2025 Audi A5/S5, gasping for a sleeker, sharper A4 successor
Audi Changes The redesigned Audi A5 in 2025 will not only replace the Audi A4 sedan, which will be discontinued after 2025, but will also support about 10 new models in the coming years as part of an unparalleled product offensive that will launch more than 20 new global models in the next two years It will usher in a brand new gas platform.
While the majority of these new models will be full battery electric models, Audi will not overlook the demand for internal combustion engines either.
“We will need these vehicles to build a bridge to an all-electric future,” CEO Gernot Dellner said at a press briefing outside Munich last week.
The new A5 will be unveiled next spring or early next summer, possibly as a 2026 model for the U.S., and could revive sagging interest in sedans, but the new flexible platform, named Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), has broader applications, It will be used in a variety of new vehicles. This includes the best-selling 2025 Q5 compact crossover, which is scheduled for redesign in early summer 2025.
Combining the hatchback styling of a sportback with the proportions of a wider sedan, the A5 will be larger and wider, with a software-defined electric architecture. Massage seats and customizable headlight and taillight signatures position this model as more refined and luxurious than the A4 and the A5 coupe that preceded it.
It will not be offered in coupe or convertible form, and the North American market will not get the Avant wagon option, which includes allroad and RS 5 models.
The curved hood is low and recessed so that the edges are barely visible from behind the wheel. The dip stops at the new front mask with a large plastic honeycomb grille winged with a new lighting signature; the LED running lights can be customized into eight different patterns, but not when the engine is on. This is due to U.S. regulators. The rear is similar, with wraparound LED taillights made up of 60 different bulbs highlighting the integrated rear spoiler. the A5 has rectangular dual exhaust tips, while the S5 model has a functional quad tailpipe. on the S5 and S-Line badges, red diamond-shaped logo.
Full-width taillights wrap around the bulging fenders and muscular character lines running down the body. Tall air intakes trimmed in aluminum or black optic package surround the lower grille, which also has openings between the two radars and several sensors scattered throughout the lower body. The long nose gives the A5 the appearance of a larger dash-to-axle ratio; the A5 is 2.6 inches longer than the A4, extending its overall length to 190.1 inches. The space between the front and rear pillars is even larger, and the wheelbase has increased by 3.1 inches to 114.1 inches. Overall, the A4 looks sportier and more powerful than the A4, although its height and width are about 0.5 inches higher. The tightened sedan has a drag coefficient of 0.25.
Under the bulging hood, the A5 is powered by a 268-hp 2.0-liter turbo four and the S5 by a 362-hp 3.0-liter V-6 turbo. According to Audi, these engines are more efficient than their predecessors, but the mild hybrid system and its 48-volt lithium-ion phosphate battery, available in other markets, are not available in the North American market. According to Audi, American customers do not want the engines to stop while coasting, and the EPA's effect is negligible.
Too bad, as this new 18kw mild hybrid system can propel the vehicle at low speeds, provide up to 25kw of regenerative braking, feed the electrical system, and help keep the air conditioning on when the car is stopped. Its design and connection to the transmission output makes the stop/start transition smooth. Other automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo, have no hesitation in rolling out mild hybrids in North America.
Both models will feature a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains could follow this flexible new platform. Audi emphasized stiffer steering and suspension mounts on the front axle and revealed that adaptive dampers will be available to complement the standard steel spring suspension; brake torque vectoring, first used on the Q8 E-Tron, will be available on the S5 to understeer countermeasure. Curve weights, ground clearance, and other North American specifications were unknown at press time. They will be announced this summer or early fall.
The coupe-like roofline will fit into a hatch instead of a trunk; the A4's enclosed trunk could only hold 12 cubic feet of luggage, but the new A5's hatch will hold up to 24.5 cubic feet, nearly 3 cubic feet more than the current A5 Sportback. The rear is as shallow as the trunk, and the 60:40 split-folding rear seats expand vertically to open up a crossover-like 45.9 cubic feet of space. Rear-seat headroom and legroom are good, but those taller than 6 feet may feel cramped by the available panoramic sunroof.
The interior features Audi's new software-defined electrical architecture running on five computers. Welcome and ambient lights highlight the dashboard and console's hook-like wings. Soft-touch materials touch fingers and arms, and touchpad surfaces on the doors control mirrors, windows, and locks; tests of the same setup in the 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron were less convincing of its functionality than the buttons.
We appreciated the same “digital stage” that digitizes all vehicle information across an intuitive panel of screens that sits low, does not interfere with driving, and does not require fiddling. The curved panoramic display begins with a crisp 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster that displays vehicle information and exterior sensor-sensitive information. There is a small message board on the dash with colored dots reflecting what the voice assistant is processing, and if the voice assistant is listening, a few red dots appear in the message area. the same system in the Q6 has high fidelity and is aided by AI, with over 800 vehicle commands, as well as “What's the weather forecast for my destination?” and “Where's the best place to eat schnitzel?” and other common questions can be handled. [Voice commands reduce the need for the 14.5-inch touchscreen interface that is the centerpiece of this stage. Users can easily press and drag the app to their desired position, rearrange the hierarchy of information, and customize the tile display. Next to it is a 10.9-inch passenger touchscreen that allows the passenger to override the center screen navigation settings, stream out navigation, and assist with navigation through the screen. Bang & Olufsen headrest speakers create two sound zones, for example, for the driver to hear the navigation directions and do not interfere with the audio being streamed by the front passenger.
Pricing has not yet been announced.
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