2025 Audi S5: A High-Tech Luxury Sport Sedan Arrives

2025 Audi S5: A High-Tech Luxury Sport Sedan Arrives

The brand-new 2025 Audi S5 sedan is here, stepping in to replace the well-loved Audi S4. While the S4’s departure might sting a bit, the S5 brings significant power, advanced technology, and a refined driving feel to the table. This redesigned model aims to impress with its blend of luxury and sporty performance.

Quirky Lighting and a Unique Roof

Audi has packed the S5 with some intriguing features, starting with its elaborate lighting. When you unlock the car, the headlights perform a welcome sequence, and the taillights put on a dazzling display. Even the turn signals have a unique look, with the rear signals appearing behind the main taillight for a 3D effect. Up front, they sweep across the headlights. Inside, a light pipe on the dashboard illuminates in the direction of the turn signal, adding a futuristic touch.

But the most unusual lighting feature is found in the infotainment system. You can actually customize the welcome sequence for the headlights, choosing from eight different animations. This level of personalization for exterior lighting is quite uncommon.

Another distinctive feature is the S5’s massive glass roof. It doesn’t open like a traditional sunroof, and there’s no standard sunshade. Instead, a switch allows you to change the glass from clear to opaque, and you can even control different sections independently. You can even make panels light up in alternating patterns, creating a truly unique ambiance. It’s a quirky, yet cool, alternative to a normal sunshade.

Design and Body Style Changes

The 2025 Audi S5 and its A5 sibling are completely redesigned. For now, they are only available as a four-door sedan. Unlike a traditional trunk, the rear opens like a hatchback, similar to the previous S5 Sportback. Sadly, the coupe and convertible versions are gone for 2025, as they were less popular.

An interesting strategy from Audi is that they will continue to sell the outgoing A5 and S5 Sportback alongside the new sedan models for 2025. This might cause some confusion for buyers trying to choose between the older hatchback style and the new sedan.

Performance and Pricing

The new S5 sedan starts at around $63,000, a noticeable increase from the outgoing S4’s starting price of about $56,000 and the previous S5 Sportback’s $59,000. Despite the price hike, the S5 gets a power boost. Its turbocharged V6 engine now produces around 362 horsepower, up from the previous 350. All-wheel drive remains standard, and it now features a quicker dual-clutch automatic transmission, replacing the old torque converter automatic.

Compared to its main rivals, the Mercedes-AMG C43 and the BMW M340i, the S5 is priced similarly. However, on paper, it has less power. The M340i offers 386 horsepower, and the C43 boasts over 400 horsepower. This puts the S5 at a slight disadvantage in pure performance numbers against its competitors.

The redesigned Audi A5 sedan also sees a price increase, starting around $54,000. It comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making about 270 horsepower.

Exterior and Interior Style

Audi has opted for softer, curvier lines on the new S5, a departure from the sharper, more aggressive designs seen on many other cars today. The result is a subtle, well-proportioned, and attractive look that feels less in-your-face. The exterior is relatively clean, with the lighting elements being the main talking point.

The door handles are also unique. Instead of a traditional handle, you use an electronic button hidden in a slot to pop the door open. At the rear, the S5 sports a quad exhaust system, and it produces a pleasing sound, though Audi limits full revs from a parked position.

Inside, the S5 continues the theme of modern design. The new S logo on the door sills and seatbacks is a notable change, featuring a red slash with the ‘S’ lit up and pulsing when you enter the car. The interior is dominated by a massive screen that stretches between the instrument cluster and the center console. There’s also a separate screen for the passenger, which is convenient for controlling navigation or music without reaching for the main display.

The infotainment system is responsive and user-friendly, with excellent graphics, including Google Maps with satellite imagery. However, the climate controls are fully integrated into the touchscreen, meaning there are no physical buttons for functions like the defroster. Essential climate controls are permanently displayed at the bottom of the screen for quick access, including heated seats and temperature adjustments.

The digital instrument cluster is good and customizable, but it offers less flexibility than previous Audi models. The reviewer missed the ability to display a full-screen map alongside other information directly in the driver’s line of sight. The climate vents are notably small, especially the center one, as Audi tries to integrate them more subtly into the dashboard design.

On the driver’s door panel, controls for windows, mirrors, seat memory, child locks, and even headlights are consolidated into a touch-sensitive pad. The interior uses nice materials and has a driver-focused layout with a flat-bottom steering wheel, fitting for its luxury sports sedan class.

The gear selector is a small switch rather than a traditional lever, saving space in the center console for features like cup holders and a wireless charging pad. The switch moves forward for reverse, back for drive, and is centered for neutral.

Rear Seat and Cargo Space

Rear-seat space is adequate, offering decent headroom and legroom for adults, making it suitable for occasional family use. However, the center rear seat is quite cramped, with a noticeable floor hump that severely limits legroom for a fifth passenger. It’s technically a five-seater, but the middle seat is best avoided.

Rear passengers benefit from two USB-C ports, climate vents, and heated rear seats with some temperature control. An interesting lighting feature in the back is that the door panel lighting changes color – red for warmer temperatures and blue for cooler – when climate adjustments are made.

The cargo area is accessed via a hatchback, offering more space than a typical sedan trunk. It’s quite large and can be expanded by folding down the rear seats. Unlike some competitors, there are no household-style power outlets; only a 12-volt socket is available.

Driving Experience

Despite having less horsepower on paper than its rivals, the 2025 Audi S5 proves to be a highly engaging and fun car to drive. The engine feels zippy and potent, providing plenty of acceleration for spirited driving. The steering has a good weight to it, turn-in is precise, and the car remains remarkably flat and grippy through corners.

The S5 feels well-balanced and agile, with a surprising lack of understeer. While it may not reach the extreme handling levels of Audi’s RS models, it offers a compelling driving experience that often makes you forget about its power deficit compared to the M340i and C43. The mid-range power delivery is particularly strong, making the car feel responsive and capable.

The throttle response at lower speeds is a bit less immediate than ideal, but it feels slightly improved over previous Audi models. The dual-clutch transmission is a highlight, delivering quick and smooth shifts, making it a joy to use whether you’re driving slowly or pushing the car hard.

The S5 also excels as a luxury car. The interior is quiet and comfortable, with good materials and a smooth ride. It strikes a good balance between sporty handling and a refined, quiet cabin, avoiding excessive road or wind noise. It successfully modernizes the spirit of the S4 and S5 Sportback.

Verdict

The 2025 Audi S5 is a handsome and technologically advanced luxury sport sedan. It offers a compelling blend of sharp styling, a high-tech interior, and an engaging driving experience. While it might trail its rivals in horsepower figures, its overall balance, agility, and refined ride make it a strong contender. For those who find the Audi RS3 a bit too small but desire a similarly engaging drive, the S5 presents an excellent, albeit slightly pricier, alternative.

Pricing: Starting around $63,000

Horsepower: 362 hp

0-60 mph: Estimated low 4-second range (competitors are faster on paper)

Competitors: Mercedes-AMG C43, BMW M340i

Source: The New 2025 Audi S5 Is a Cool Luxury Sport Sedan (YouTube)