Audi A5 review - Interior & comfort

Ask anyone what Audi is best known for, and there’s a good chance they’ll say it’s the modern and hi-tech interiors. The brand certainly hasn’t taken a step backwards, with quality and gadgets both making an impressive statement. The standard sports seats also look appealing and provide good comfort for longer stints behind the wheel, even if they could do with a bit more support in corners. Edition 1 cars also get a smaller steering wheel with a squared-off shape that we found nicer to use than the large round wheel in the Sport trim.

Is the Audi A5 infotainment and sat-nav system easy to use?

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Hop inside, and the curving 14.5-inch infotainment and 11.9-inch driver display dominate the dashboard. There’s even a third 10.9-inch screen ahead of the front passenger in Edition 1 trim, which looks a bit odd at first. It can show the navigation and things like the trip computer, which will be a bit superfluous most of the time, but it can also stream content that could keep your passenger occupied on longer drives. 

We’re glad Audi has chosen to keep a physical volume knob, but it is a reminder that having to press on the screen three or more times to change the driving mode is pretty frustrating. At least it does have a pleasant haptic response, so there’s a reassuring click sensation when you press buttons on the screen.

Is the Audi A5 well equipped?

The Audi A5 is pretty well equipped as you would expect of a premium saloon car. All cars get features like a digital driver’s display and leather interior, plus ambient interior lighting for an upmarket feel, as well as useful tech like a 360-degree parking camera and adaptive cruise control. In the UK we like our sporty-looking models, so we suspect most will want to upgrade to S line for its racy look.

What options should you choose on the Audi A5?

There are a few colours to choose from for the Audi A5 as well as alternative alloy wheels. The choice between black or a light coloured interior is also available free of charge. The Sound and Vision Pack adds a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, a head-up display, increased charging capacity from the USB-C ports and upgraded interior ambient lighting – it’s pricey at just under £2,500, but might be worth it if you enjoy listening to music.