2025 Audi RS5 review

After taking off the 2016 and 2017 model years, the Audi RS 5 returned for 2018 with only a coupe body style. A four-door hatchback body style called the Sportback arrived for 2019, and it was the last remaining body style at the end of the RS 5’s run when the coupe was discontinued after 2024.

Big changes came under the sculpted hood, where a Porsche-developed twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 replaced the previous V8. Horsepower was down slightly to 444 hp, but torque was up from 317 lb-ft to 443 lb-ft, and fuel economy increased to 21 mpg combined.

Inside, the RS 5 came with the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster and an 8.3-inch screen. For 2021, the center screen grew to 10.1 inches and added touch control.

The Audi RS 5 had been offered in Europe for years, and it finally arrived in the U.S. for the 2013 model year. A high-performance version of the A5, it was offered as a coupe or a convertible, both with sleek lines enhanced by the larger wheels and lower ride height of the RS variant.

Under the hood was a smooth, strong, and inefficient 4.2-liter V8 that made 450 horsepower and unlocked a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds in Edmunds testing. Power flowed to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A limited-slip rear differential helped that power hit the pavement efficiently when exiting corners. Fuel economy was 18 mpg combined (16 city/23 highway) for the coupe.

Inside, the RS 5 sported Audi’s MMI® control interface with a center console-mounted rotary dial and a 6.5-inch or seven-inch display screen.