Audi A5 Sportback : SPORTING CHANCE

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The hatchback could yet have its day in the compact executive car market and Audi's A5 Sportback is leading the charge. Steve Walker reports.

Hatchbacks used to be the preserve of the mainstream car market with the posh premium brands preferring to offer either saloons or full-blown estate cars for people seeking more practicality. These days, the humble tailgate is firmly in vogue, so much so that Audi has fitted one to its sleek A5 coupe to create the A5 Sportback.

One day soon, we'll all just have to give up trying to classify cars. It's great to be able to walk into a showroom or search the internet knowing that you want to buy a supermini, a family hatchback or a roadster but those days could be coming to an end. The culprit is the niche market. It's become relatively inexpensive for manufacturers to produce numerous vehicles based on the same platform, giving buyers an unprecedented degree of choice between assorted niche products and blurring the boundaries between established market sectors in the process. Audi is a leading culprit, its model range seemingly expanding on a weekly basis. The German marque can now offer you an A4 saloon, A4 estate or an SUV-style A4 Allroad as well as an A5 coupe, A5 cabriolet or the A5 Sportback featured here. All are roughly equivalent in size and share numerous components, so choosing between them can present problems. The engine range offered in the Sportback will present no surprises to anyone familiar with the A4 or A5 model ranges. On the diesel front, there's a 2.0-litre TDI with 168bhp getting the ball rolling, then a 2.7-litre TDI with 187bhp and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDI with 237bhp. A powerful 500Nm of torque is produced by the range-topping engine and even the entry-level 2.0 TDI makes 350Nm. For those who prefer petrol, Audi's ever-present 2.0-litre TFSI turbocharged unit is the basic choice with 209bhp and 350Nm. The alternative is the 261bhp 3.2-litre V6 which can still make a case for itself with customers who want lots of performance on tap and don't mind paying for it.

"Is there a gap in the market for a compact executive hatchback? Audi thinks so and has driven its A5 Sportback into it."

The engine choice is only one of the determining factors where the A5 Sportback driving experience is concerned. The car features Audi's latest ESP stability control system incorporating an electronic differential lock that mimics the action of a mechanical limited slip differential for enhanced steering response and traction out of corners. The six-cylinder engines can also be ordered with Audi's drive select system that groups different settings for throttle response, gear shifts and steering into three modes selectable by the driver. The adaptive shock absorbers can also be governed in this way if specified. So what's the point of the A5 Sportback? It's a good question but the answer was obviously deemed relevant enough at Audi for the marque to build the first compact executive hatchback. What's on offer here is, depending on your point of view, an A5 coupe with the same sleek looks but more practicality or an A4 Avant estate with similar practicality levels but sportier looks. The car does look good with its long arching roofline and neatly integrated tail. Elsewhere the design carries the usual Audi styling cues from the single frame grille to the LED lights and the sharp creases down the flanks. The Sportback does indeed have nearly as much load space inside as the A4 Avant with a 480-litre load volume that can be extended up to 980 litres by lowering the rear seat backs. This is helped in part by a body that's extended by 8cm over the estate car. The four-door design provides more convenient access to the rear seats compared to the A5 coupe. Audi also claims that head and legroom for rear seat passengers is comparable to that in the A4 saloon, despite the lower roof of the A5 Sportback model. There's a choice of three gearboxes on offer with the A5 Sportback. The standard manual box is a six-speed unit and buyers preferring an automatic option can choose the 8-speed Multitronic set-up or the slick seven-speed S tronic with its double clutch configuration. Expect the usual Audi trim levels of SE and S Line at prices that are around £1,000 above the equivalent A5 Coupe models. Audi has employed its latest engines in the A5 Sportback. That means variable valve timing and lift control for the petrol units and common-rail fuel injection for the diesels. All the oil-burning units also benefit from a particulate filter to cut down on harmful emissions and the 2.0-litre TDI engine is mated to Audi's start/stop system which can turn off the engine when the vehicle is stationary. Is there a gap in the market for a compact executive hatchback? Audi thinks so and has driven its A5 Sportback into it. The premise of a car with the sleek looks of the A5 coupe married to A4 Avant practicality would certainly appear to make sense but is Audi merely pinching customers from its own products? Time will tell.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Audi A5 Sportback
PRICES: £27,140 - £34,020 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-16 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 134-219g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: [2.7 TDI] 0-60mph 7.3s / Max Speed 140 mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.7 TDI] (urban) 34.9mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 42.8mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, window and side airbags, ESP, ABS, traction control. [est]
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4831/1826/1427mm [est]