Audi A5 Sportback
In a slight detour from our
usual car review, Dr Anil Sharma takes a joyride in the Audi A5
Sportback and finds practicality and performance go hand in
hand.
While New Zealand is a small market for new cars, Audi seems to be
introducing new models with Teutonic precision. So it was on
a dark and stormy Friday evening that I took the Audi A5 Sportback
2.0L TFSI Quattro S-tronic (intercooled turbo-charged) for a spin
from Auckland to Rotorua.
I was due in Rotorua for the weekend to
give a series of medical lectures, and at the end of a hard-working
week I was filled with trepidation and angst at what my around-town
MINI Cooper S would be like on a trip that was only really suitable
for a touring car. Cue the Audi A5 Sportback. My initial eye
contact with this graceful "coupe" was pupil-dilating enough: A
refined and distinctive machine with a gently sweeping forward
section. Curvaceous as all beautiful cars should be; not scooped,
chiselled or hewn heaviness.
As I attempted to fill the 480 litres of
cargo space with my one suit and bag, I did wonder if the
luggage's ability to roll around in the ample boot space would
crinkle my threads.
On immediate impressions, the drive was
comfortable and smooth, especially after I got used to the
efifcient brakes. South of the Bombay Hills, the sure-footed
Quattro all-wheel drive system came into its own and brought back
memories of the early Quattros I used to see as a teenager in West
London. It held the wet and windy road marvellously and the comfort
afforded by the customisable electric seats and lumbar support made
the three-and-a-half hour journey seem much less. After a stop for
dinner in Cambridge, I continued on until the "welcoming" aroma of
geyserland. Enroute entertainment had been more than acceptable,
with a superior sound system and a fine hub at my fingertips.
The journey home was in the daylight, and
overtaking Sunday drivers was a pleasure. I stuck to the evolved
automatic gearbox and enjoyed the smooth acceleration. Handling and
performance were remarkable, though perhaps I would like it firmer
around the bends.
So what
is this car? While reminiscent of my old Pug 406 Coupe, with
similar aesthetics, the big fifth door on the back makes it a large
hatchback with 480 litres of cargo space. It's not a family wagon
per se, but as a second car with style and panache, it ticks most
of the boxes.
The 2.0 litre TFSI that I drove has a
1,984cc 4-cylinder engine producing a spirited 155kW of power and
350Nm of torque. It hauls the 1,684kg Sportback from 0 to 100km/h
in 6.6 seconds.
Is it frugal? Well, the 95-octane petrol
is burned at the reasonable rate of 7.4L/ 100km, with just 172g/km
of C02 emission.
Power is delivered to the road via Audi's
Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive setup with self-locking centre
differential, driven through a seven speed S-tronic DSG
transmission.
The electronic safety aids, airbags, and
refinements expected of a $90,000 car are, of course, present, as
well as many other safety and comfort features.
An excellent feature I genuinely
appreciated was that "my" car detected vehicles in my blind spots
on either side. Given the nature of some New Zealand drivers who
think they are on European autobahns, a warning light on both door
mirrors will warn you that a reckless overtaking manoeuvre is about
to occur from the left.
The A5 Sportback was hard to give back. It
is definitely a car for my imaginary 10-car garage, but probably in
its even faster, and more frugal, 3L diesel version. It will
no doubt suit the niche of us 40-something men who don't like
four-door sedans with that boring boot on the back, and will add a
little excitement to the company-car carpark.
If you are after a practical, five-door
coupe with performance, comfort, and grand touring potential - and
you have two or fewer children to fit in - this is a stand-out car
in a class of its own.
Dr Anil Sharma is a specialised doctor in gynaecology and
maternity. He is involved in lectures and updates for family
doctors and frequently takes part in debate regarding women's
health and maternity for print media and radio. He believes that
anxiety and fear can be conquered by knowledge. Anil immigrated to
New Zealand from the UK in 2001 with his wife Rachel, and he tries
hard to be a hands-on and fun father (putting golf and cars on hold
for the time being) to their three daughters, who were all born
here. For further information about Anil, visit
www.dranilsharma.co.nz
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 11: 2010
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