2025 Audi S5 Review: A Sophisticated Sports Sedan for the ‘Upper Middle Class

OK, so Audi changed the name. From here on out, the Audi A4 is gone. It’s dead. Kaput. Thirty years of history were thrown out the window and die-hard Audi fans are understandably big mad. The Audi A4 was always the car that Volkswagen Golf and Jetta owners aspired to afford when they got that promotion, giving them a similar flavor of German sports sedan but with a more sophisticated vibe that comes with being a real adult.

Now, though, the A4 is called the A5 and it’s going to be even more expensive, forcing those VW customers to perhaps wait a little longer after the promotion. And, in typical Audi fashion, there’s a sportier, more expensive version—the 2025 Audi S5.

You can actually think of this as a second-generation Audi S5 Sportback. It has the same liftback-style tailgate, just without the “Sportback” name, and it looks more like the old Sportback rather than the old S4. And, in defense of the name change, this new car is bigger and more mature, as Audi claims the S5 now competes in the “upper middle class” instead of just the normal middle class. (A class jump we all hope to achieve one day.)

Regardless of name, the Audi S5 follows a recipe familiar to Audi fans: a turbocharged V6, all-wheel drive, and capable handling, all packaged in a smart, sensible design. I expected a result as familiar as the S5’s premise, as Audi’s have always been quick, sure-footed, and smooth, even if a bit disconnected from the driver. And on the breathtakingly beautiful, serpentine roads outside of Nice, France, I was pleasantly reassured that, despite the new name, Audi delivered the sort of experience fans of the brand expect and appreciate.

The Basics

Audi is adamant that the new S5 is a cut above the old S4. It’s longer, wider, more spacious, and supposedly more premium than ever before. The numbers don’t lie: this S5 is bigger than the sedan it replaces, at 2.6 inches longer, half an inch wider, and around half an inch taller. While that doesn’t seem like a lot, it translates to more rear-seat legroom, more front-seat shoulder room, and more trunk space. The S5 is indeed bigger and more grown-up than the old S4, and it feels that way from behind the wheel.

At first glance, the 2025 Audi S5 looks like, well, an Audi. There isn’t anything groundbreaking about its design, especially when you look at the rest of the four-ringed lineup. But give it a chance, walk around it in daylight, and look over some of its more nuanced design elements and you’ll notice a car that’s more handsome than almost anything in its class.

Its angry-eye headlights, muscular front and rear fender flares, and snazzy taillights make it equal parts sporty and techy. It’s far more visually interesting than the current BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

My biggest visual beef with the Audi S5 is its interior, though. I hate to be a “back in my day” sort of guy but I can’t help but remember Audi’s past interiors. They were always so simple yet sophisticated and high-quality. Now, though, the inside of the S5 just feels like a dark, depressing techno-fest. The almost entirely black interior of the test cars didn’t help, either.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s very premium feeling, most of its ergonomics are good, and the seats are comfy and supportive. But it feels dark, cramped, and entirely focused on screens, of which there are three, and most are frustrating to use. The optional passenger screen is kind of cool but seems utterly useless most of the time. The graphics themselves are crisp, but it’s somehow both boring and overly complicated to use, an impressively frustrating combination.

As for bells and whistles that are worth your coin, the S5 features an electrochromic sunroof that can switch from opaque to transparent at the push of a button. That itself isn’t a novel technology but Audi’s is clever in that it has six different sections (nine in the Avant) that can individually be changed, adding a level of interior customization not found in the competition. There’s also an optional passenger screen that can be used to show navigation, the weather, or even play movies and YouTube videos. Unfortunately, that screen lacks Bluetooth headphone connectivity, so everyone in the car will hear what the passenger is watching.

Powering the Audi S5 is a mildly updated version of the 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that’s in the current S4. It makes 362 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, but there’s a bit of a catch. Those figures are for the European model, which comes with a mild hybrid (MHEV) powertrain. North American cars won’t have the MHEV system, as Audi’s data apparently says that Americans don’t like MHEVs. [Ed. note: Press X to doubt. -CT]

Since the MHEV’s electric motor makes a little bit of power, U.S. market cars will likely make less total grunt. That means they’ll probably also be a little bit slower than the Euro model’s claimed 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds while also being less smooth with auto start/stop on. But since this test only involved Euro-market cars, all of that’s still technically TBD.

Driving Experience

Have you driven an Audi S4 recently? If so, the Audi S5 feels a lot like that. The name may have changed but the mission feels mostly the same. There’s the same light but precise steering, the same smooth ride, and the same unflappable surefootedness of its Quattro all-wheel drive. However, there’s an extra layer of luxury to the S5 that previous iterations didn’t have. It’s quieter and a little more comfortable.

As refined as it is, though, there’s no denying its capability. Snaking the S5 through the stunning Route de Gentelly (which I’m told is where the car chase between James Bond and Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye was shot) wasn’t only easy, it was fun. I’m pretty terrified of heights, so the mountain pass’ sheer drops and lack of guardrails would have had me shaking with fear in a lesser car. But I had the utmost confidence in the S5’s ability to grip, steer, and brake through every corner.

Audi’s chassis and suspension engineer told me that the rubber bushings in its steering linkage, as well as much of its front suspension, were removed for better feel and feedback. I don’t doubt it. It isn’t dripping with feel but it was enough to let me know that my front tires weren’t going to understeer me off of a French cliff.

I do wish it had more punch, though. With 362 horses, I expected better acceleration, especially when its closest competitor—the BMW M340i—is explosively fast with 382 hp. The S5 isn’t objectively slow as its 4.5-second 0-62 mph time is fine for most people, it just lacks that extra edge I expect from a car with this level of power, at this price point. That said, the engine and exhaust sound decent, with a sophisticated V6 growl, and I’m told that no speaker trickery is employed to make it happen, it’s all au naturel.

To help make up for the V6’s lack of explosiveness, Audi gave the S5 a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. I’m sure if sensor-wielding nerds measured the shift times between Audi’s S Tronic gearbox and the ubiquitous ZF eight-speed its competitors use, they wouldn’t find much difference. But the dual-clutch just feels snapper, making the S5 feel just that little bit more special than your Average Joe 3 Series. It also doesn’t creep like a typical automatic transmission, and it will even roll back a bit on a hill when you let off the brake, so you have to apply some throttle to get the car moving from a standstill. Some owners might find that annoying, but I feel like it added some flavor to an otherwise mostly sensible machine.

The Early Verdict

U.S. pricing has yet to be announced, but across the pond, the 2025 Audi S5 starts at 78,500 Euros, which is roughly $85,000. It likely won’t be that much when it comes Stateside but even if it’s $70,000, that’s a lot for what you’re getting. The current Audi S5, with mostly the same engine and performance, costs $59,195. So, you’re paying quite the premium to jump to the “upper middle class.” Although to be fair, that isn’t much more than a decently equipped BMW M340i, while being more spacious, more practical, and having more tech.

The best part about the Audi S5 is its overall level of comfort. Between the seats, the ride, and the cabin refinement, I was able to spend hours in it, in all manners of driving, and feel as refreshed at the end of the journey as I did when we started. The liftback’s added practicality is also great and gives the S5 a useful advantage over its regular-trunked competitors.

I’ve personally owned six European sport sedans: four BMW 3 Series (one E36, one E46, and two E90s), a B6 Audi A4 Ultrasport, and a Volvo S40. So I feel like I’m pretty qualified to properly judge the new Audi S5. For the most part, it nails its objective. It’s smooth, sophisticated, fast enough, supremely capable, and fun enough on a twisty road. It isn’t quite as fun as a BMW M340i but it’s better looking, more comfortable, and more practical. It feels very much how a mid-tier Audi sports sedan should, just with a bit more luxury this time around. Welcome to the Upper Middle Class.