The 2017 Audi A5 Sportback has been revealed ahead of its world debut at the Paris motor show later this month. The new four-door model offers more cabin space than its coupé equivalent and cherry picks the more potent engines of the A5 range.
Thanks to its lengthened rear section, the cabin space of the A5 Sportback is 17mm longer than the coupé. The more practical body shape offers passengers 11mm of extra shoulder space, while rear kneeroom also grows by 24mm.
The Sportback’s boot space is up by 15 litres at 480 litres, and with the rear seats down – they’re arranged in a 40/20/40 layout – luggage capacity expands to 1,300 litres.
Aside from the additional cabin space, extra doors and tweaked body shape, the Sportback’s only other differences come with its choice of engines. Like the coupé, it gets 2.0-litre TFSI and 2.0-litre TDI turbocharged four-cylinder units in various states of tune, and the range is topped by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDI.
But the Sportback’s most potent 3.0-litre unit gets 286hp, about 40hp more than the coupé’s, and the four-door model also does without an entry 177.5hp 1.8-litre TFSI engine. The A5 Sportback is offered with a choice of a six-speed manual or eight-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Like the coupé, a performance-focused S5 model is available with a 3.0-litre TFSI unit producing 354hp.
The standard A5 has a front-wheel-drive, but the quattro four-wheel-drive is offered as an option and comes as standard on the 286hp 3.0-litre and the S5. Those two models also get optional sport differentials to further boost traction.
The entry-level car sits on 17-inch wheels, with 18-inch wheels available for higher-spec models. Top of the range A5s and S5s get 19-inch wheels.
As standard, the A5 Sportback features variable suspension that uses continuous damping control technology. The system works in tandem with the car’s four driving modes: comfort, auto, dynamic and efficiency.
As with the coupé, A5 Sportback buyers get the choice of an optional Virtual Cockpit system that includes a 12.3-inch high-definition digital instrument panel as well as the latest evolution of Audi’s MMI (Multi Media Interface) Plus infotainment system, which uses an 8.3-inch monitor, touch-sensitive rotary controller and LTE connectivity for up to three years free of charge via a SIM card permanently installed in the car. There’s also an optional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a wireless smartphone charging pad and a Bang and Olufsen sound system.
Driver assist programmes include collision avoidance auto braking, adaptive cruise control that can bring the car to a halt, traffic-jam assist, park assist, cross traffic assist rear, exit warning, turn assist, collision avoidance assist and camera-based recognition of traffic signs.
Rivan RS 
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
