In a sea of SUVs, it’s nice to drive a luxury sport sedan. The 2025 Audi S5 gets redesigned for 2025 with a new platform, more power, better driving dynamics, updated styling and improved tech. But the S5 also comes with a premium price tag.
Base Price: $62,700
As Tested: $73,940
Horsepower: 362
Mileage: 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway/22 mpg combined
The S5 is now in its third generation. It was first launched in the U.S. as a 2008 model. It can be described as the Goldilocks model between the A5 and the sportier RS models. For 2025, the S5 gets Audi’s new Premium Platform Combustion architecture. The S5 is now wider, longer, and taller than the outgoing model. It has a liftback design that makes for more cargo space than other small sport sedans.
The 2025 S5 comes in three trims: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. Starting prices are $62,700, $66,500 and $70,250, respectively. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive is standard on all trims. There’s room for five passengers in two rows of seating.
Under the hood is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that cranks out 362 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Compared to the outgoing S5, this is an increase of 13 hp and 37 pound-feet. The transmission is a seven-speed dual clutch automatic.
The 2025 S5 is quick – Audi says it can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, and you’ll enjoy a nice, full exhaust note! Acceleration is so quiet and linear that it’s easy to get going at a faster rate of speed than you might expect. Steering is light but accurate and the S5 feels planted when cornering. The Audi Drive Select system lets you choose from sport and comfort modes, but even in the sportiest setting, the S5 feels more tuned to comfort than sheer performance. Visibility is good all the way around.
Fuel efficiency lags behind other smaller cars but is about average for a performance-oriented luxury sedan. EPA ratings for my tester are 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with a combined rating of 22. I got 22 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
The cabin is what you’d expect in an Audi. Materials look and feel good and the styling has an understated elegance. The front sport seats are comfortable and supportive with side bolstering to keep you in place when you’re carving corners. Adults up front have good leg- and headroom. The second row can fit three kids or two average-size adults, which is what you’d expect in a smaller vehicle. A new “Digital Stage” with a large, curved 14.5-inch infotainment cluster and 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster stretch across the dash.
Standard features include remote start, proximity keyless entry, digital key (lets you lock, unlock and start the car using your smartphone), push-button start, rearview camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, quad-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated front sport seats, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with 14.5-inch touchscreen, navigation, 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, voice recognition, several USB ports, Wi-Fi hot spot, ambient LED interior lighting, universal garage door opener, automatic high-beam headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a panoramic glass roof.
Available features include a surround-view camera system, head-up display, Nappa leather upholstery, ventilated and massaging front sport seats, heated and leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system, 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, wireless device charging, rear-side window sunshades, adaptive LED headlights, and an electrochromic panoramic glass roof which lets you adjust its transparency from fully transparent to totally opaque with the swipe of a finger or by voice commands.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward and reverse collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist (controls braking, acceleration and steering at slow speeds), blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, traffic-sign recognition, front and rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors.
Available driver assistance technologies include lane-centering assist and park assist.
The 14.5-inch touchscreen looks great with sharp graphics and the system generally responds quickly to commands. There are a lot of menus and submenus, so there is a learning curve. There is a volume knob, but few other physical controls, meaning you have to go through the touchscreen for most functions including climate settings. This can be distracting for drivers. Audi, please add some physical controls in the next model!
Cargo space is excellent for a small sport sedan, thanks to the hatchback design. There are 22.6 cubic feet behind the second row, and 37.5 cubes with the second row folded. The cargo area is wide, making it easy to transport larger and/or bulky items.
The good:
Strong V6 engine
Nimble handling
Comfortable, upscale interior
Generous cargo space for the class
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Can get pricey with packages and extras
Some rivals have sharper handling
So-so fuel economy
Infotainment system can be distracting
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $62,700. The Prestige Package is $7,550 and adds adaptive cruise assist, acoustic front door glass, animation for headlights, Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound, Bang & Olufsen front headrest speakers, digital OLED tail lights, dynamic interaction light, eight digital DRL signatures, Nappe leather seats, front sport seats with ventilation and massage, head-up display, headlight washers, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel with hands-on detection, LED interior lighting pro package, Matrix design LED headlights, manual rear side window sunshades, MMI passenger display with 10.9” screen, panoramic glass roof with variable light control, park assist plus, sport adaptive damping suspension, top view camera system, and USB power delivery. The edition one package is $1,800 and includes 10-inch multispoke S design wheels with tri-color finish, summer tires, anthracite Audi rings, black exterior trim with magnesium gray accents, black mirror housings and door handle inlays, dark chrome exhaust tips and Vanadium interior package. The destination charge is $1,295, bringing the grand total to $73,940.
Bottom line:
The 2025 Audi S5 is a well-rounded luxury sport sedan that’s quick, fun to drive, refined and has generous cargo space for the class with its sportback design. It’s not the sharpest performer of the bunch, but it is zippy and comfortable, with an attractive and upscale interior that’s loaded with features and tech. The 2025 Audi S5 makes a good case for buying a luxury sedan instead of a comparable SUV.
