The Audi A5 Quattro is a premium all-wheel-drive saloon available in the UK from around £45,000. The current third-generation model gets a 268hp 2.0L TFSI engine, a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, quattro AWD, and a cabin built around a 14.5-inch touchscreen. It is one of the most well-rounded performance saloons you can buy right now.
There is a certain kind of quiet pride that comes with an Audi badge. It is not a car that shouts or shows off. It earns its place through solid engineering and a long history of doing things properly. The four rings go all the way back to 1932, when four German car makers, Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, joined together under one roof. That merger did not just create a logo. It created a way of thinking. Precision matters. Substance matters more than spectacle.
The A5 Quattro sits right at the heart of that thinking. It launched in 2007 as Audi’s answer to the BMW 4 Series and Mercedes C-Class Coupe, blending the practicality of a saloon with the good looks of something much more exciting. Nearly two decades and three generations later, it is still making that case. And honestly, it has never made it better than it does right now.
This guide is written for UK buyers. Whether you are browsing new at a dealership, looking for an Audi A5 Quattro for sale on the used market, or just trying to figure out which trim level makes sense for you, this covers everything you need to know.
The Audi A5 Quattro: What Makes It Worth Talking About
The A5 was never meant to be the most thrilling car in its class. Audi has always been more interested in building the most capable one. Where other cars chase drama, the A5 Quattro goes after something more useful: effortless, everyday excellence. It handles motorway miles and twisty country roads with the same calm confidence.
Quattro, Audi’s all-wheel-drive system, has been part of the brand’s story since the 1980 Audi Quattro rally car shook up motorsport. When that technology made its way onto road cars, it changed how people thought about grip and all-weather driving. The A5 Quattro carries that same spirit into modern life. Grounded, assured, and quietly impressive.
How the A5 Quattro Has Evolved: Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3
First Generation (2007 to 2016): The original A5 turned heads from the moment it arrived. Designed under Walter de Silva, it was a genuinely beautiful coupe, low, muscular, and more emotionally engaging than anything Audi had produced before it. Early models came with engines like the 1.8 TFSI and the more popular 2.0 TFSI, paired with either a manual or a multitronic gearbox. Quattro was available, but it was not standard on every variant. The cabin was functional rather than luxurious by today’s standards, but it set a strong benchmark for its time.
Second Generation (2016 to 2024): The second generation arrived with a sharper look, a much better interior featuring Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, and a more refined drive. The 2.0L TFSI engine was kept and improved. An 8-speed torque converter automatic became the standard gearbox, offering smooth and relaxed changes that suited the car’s grand tourer character. Quattro stayed central to the car’s appeal, and the S Line trim quickly became the most popular choice in the UK.
Third Generation (2024 onwards): This is where things get really interesting. Audi redesigned the A5 from scratch, turning it from a traditional coupe into a sleek fastback saloon. The whole car feels more assertive now. The interior has taken a huge step forward, and the technology is genuinely class-leading. The 8-speed torque converter gearbox has been replaced by a sharper 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch unit, which gives the car a noticeably different feel behind the wheel.
All Current UK Variants and Pricing
The current Audi A5 Quattro range in the UK is built around three trim levels, each aimed at a slightly different type of buyer.
The Sport trim is the starting point, priced from around £45,000. It comes with a solid list of standard kit including LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, and the full digital cockpit setup. It is the sensible choice, though you will likely find the temptation to go further up the range fairly hard to resist.
The Audi A5 Quattro S Line sits in the middle and is, by some distance, the most popular choice in the UK. Priced from around £48,000 to £52,000, it adds sportier exterior styling, S Line badging, firmer suspension tuning, and a more aggressive interior trim package. Black optic packs are available as an option, darkening the exterior chrome for a bolder look on the road.
The Vorsprung trim is the top of the range and pushes beyond £55,000. This is where you find 20-inch alloy wheels, OLED rear light clusters, tri-zone climate control, massaging front seats, a Bang and Olufsen sound system, and pretty much every comfort and technology feature Audi offers. It is the version Audi wants you to aspire to, and it is easy to see why.
Engine Details: What is Under the Bonnet
Every Audi A5 Quattro in the current UK range uses the same engine: a 2.0-litre TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit producing 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. That is enough to get from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 130 mph, which is electronically limited. For a car in this class, those are strong numbers.
The move to a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox is the biggest mechanical change in this generation. Dual-clutch gearboxes are quicker and more responsive than traditional automatics, especially when you want to push on. The only honest drawback is that they can feel a little jerky in slow town traffic. It is a small compromise, but it is worth knowing about. Power goes through Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system as standard, giving you real confidence whatever the British weather decides to throw at you.
Body and Exterior Details
The third-generation A5 Quattro is a handsome car. The fastback roofline drops into a neat spoiler at the back, while the wide front grille and sculpted side sills give it a strong, planted look.
Sport models sit on 18-inch alloy wheels. S Line variants step up to 19-inch wheels. Vorsprung models get 20-inch wheels as standard, though 19-inch options are available across most of the range. LED headlights are fitted to every version. OLED rear light clusters, which can display distinctive animated lighting effects, are reserved for the higher trims. A panoramic sunroof is available as an option across the board, and body-coloured exterior trims give every variant a clean, joined-up look that feels a step ahead of previous generations.
Interior Details: Where the A5 Quattro Really Shines
Getting inside the current A5 Quattro makes the improvement over older models immediately obvious. The dashboard is centred around a 14.5-inch touchscreen running Audi’s latest MMI infotainment system, with a separate 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the driver. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every trim. The optional Bang and Olufsen sound system turns the cabin into a genuinely brilliant place to listen to music.
Climate control uses dual-zone automatic air conditioning on Sport and S Line models. The Vorsprung gets tri-zone automatic climate control. Front seats are leather-trimmed with 8-way electric adjustment and heating as standard. Memory settings are available on higher trims, and ventilated front seats can be added as an option if you want them.
Rear passenger space is perfectly usable. It is not the biggest in the class, but adults can sit comfortably on longer journeys. Boot space comes in at 22.6 cubic feet, which is more than enough for a family weekend away. Ambient interior lighting is available across most of the range and gives the cabin a lovely feel once the sun goes down.
Current Gen vs Previous Generation: What Has Actually Changed?
The headline differences are easy to spot. The new A5 Quattro is longer, wider, and lower than the car it replaced. That means more interior room and a more confident stance on the road. The technology gap is also significant. Where the previous generation offered a smaller Virtual Cockpit and a less connected infotainment experience, the current twin-screen setup feels genuinely up to date.
The switch from an 8-speed torque converter gearbox to a 7-speed dual-clutch unit is a more subtle change. The old gearbox was smoother in city traffic. The new one is sharper when you want to drive with a bit more enthusiasm. The engine itself carries over in character but delivers noticeably more power and torque than the old base unit, making this the most capable standard A5 Quattro ever made.
Audi A5 Quattro S Line: What Makes It Stand Out?
The Audi A5 Quattro S Line deserves a proper mention of its own, because it is more than just a trim upgrade. It genuinely changes the personality of the car. On the outside, S Line models get sportier front and rear bumpers, S Line badging, and a lower body treatment that makes the car look more athletic without actually lowering the suspension as standard. A sport suspension package is available as an option if you want that extra sharpness.
Inside, the S Line swaps the Sport’s cloth and leather mix for Alcantara and fine Nappa leather, finished with contrast stitching and aluminium inlays. Black optic packs, which darken the window surrounds, door mirrors, and exhaust finishers, are very popular with UK buyers and work especially well on darker exterior colours.
The Audi A5 Quattro S Line is the version most UK drivers end up choosing. That is not a surprise. It hits the sweet spot between looking the part and being genuinely practical every day.
Honest Pros and Cons
The A5 Quattro gets a great deal right. The quattro all-wheel-drive system is genuinely reassuring on wet British roads in winter. The interior is one of the best in this class. The twin-screen infotainment setup is intuitive and easy to use, which is more than can be said for some rivals. Residual values are strong, which helps keep monthly finance costs reasonable. At motorway speeds, the refinement is excellent.
There are a few things worth knowing before you commit. The 2.0L TFSI engine runs on premium unleaded, and servicing costs at Audi dealers are not cheap. Running an A5 Quattro costs noticeably more than running a mainstream car. The dual-clutch gearbox, while sharp and responsive, lacks the smooth, seamless feel of a traditional torque converter automatic in heavy traffic. And while the exterior design is clean and confident, it does not quite deliver the visual drama of something like the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
Who Is the A5 Quattro Best Suited For?
The A5 Quattro suits professionals who want a car that balances practicality with real premium presence. Families thinking about moving away from an SUV will find the boot space and rear headroom perfectly adequate, while getting a much more rewarding drive. Drivers who want something that looks and feels special without being overly flashy will feel right at home. The A5’s quiet confidence speaks for itself.
It is also a brilliant choice for people who cover a lot of miles on UK motorways, where the combination of refinement, grip, and smooth performance makes every journey far less tiring.
Who Should Think Twice
If you want a car that fizzes with driving excitement and gives you strong steering feedback through every corner, the A5 Quattro might feel a little too composed for your taste. It is not a sports car. It is a sophisticated, capable saloon. Drivers who want a more raw and engaging experience would be better served by the Audi RS 5 or a BMW M4.
Buyers on a tight budget should also think carefully about the full running costs. Premium fuel, higher servicing bills, and a lofty insurance group all add up. The A5 Quattro is a brilliant car, but it is not a cheap one to own.
Buying an Audi A5 Quattro for Sale in the UK: What to Look For
The used market offers real value, especially on second-generation models, which have depreciated significantly from their original list prices. When looking at an Audi A5 Quattro for sale, always prioritise a full Audi service history. This matters especially for any car with the quattro system, where you want to be confident the drivetrain has been properly looked after.
On pre-2024 models, ask for gearbox service records. Dual-clutch and S tronic units need regular maintenance, and gaps in the history can lead to expensive problems later. Check the infotainment system works properly too, as software updates on older cars can be costly. For the current generation, buying through Audi’s approved used programme gives you warranty cover and much better peace of mind than a private sale.
If you are buying an Audi A5 Quattro for sale privately, pay for a pre-purchase inspection from an independent Audi specialist. It is money well spent.
Final Verdict
The Audi A5 Quattro, in its current third-generation form, is one of the best premium saloons you can buy in the UK today. It combines real all-weather performance, a genuinely excellent interior, and a design that wears its age well. All of that comes wrapped in a brand with a history worth caring about.
The Audi A5 Quattro S Line is the version most UK buyers will end up choosing, and for very good reason. It gets the balance between sporty and sensible just right. The Vorsprung is there for anyone who wants absolutely everything, and it delivers on that promise.
This is a car for people who do not need to make a lot of noise to make a point. In a market full of cars trying to grab your attention, that kind of quiet confidence is something genuinely special.
FAQs
The current Audi A5 Quattro does 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, powered by a 268hp 2.0L TFSI engine with a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive.
UK pricing starts from around £45,000 for the Sport trim. The S Line sits between £48,000 and £52,000, and the Vorsprung goes beyond £55,000.
Yes. The quattro all-wheel-drive system sends power to all four wheels, giving you much better grip and stability on wet, icy, or snowy UK roads compared to front or rear-wheel-drive alternatives.
The current model gets a 14.5-inch central touchscreen and an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. A Bang and Olufsen premium audio system is available as an option on higher trims.
For most UK buyers, yes. The S Line adds sportier styling, S Line badging, better interior trim options, and the choice of a sport suspension upgrade, all for a fairly modest price increase over the base Sport trim.
Always ask for a full Audi service history and gearbox service records on dual-clutch models. Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent specialist. Buying through Audi’s approved used programme gives you added warranty protection.
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