Used 2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus Quattro

The interior is sleek and stylish, if not a bit spartan. And while definitely upscale, it doesn’t seem to me to have quite the same luxurious feel of its Japanese or domestic rivals. Just the same, it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position and the leather seats are pleasantly supportive, if not a bit on the firm side. The moonroof has a mesh screen closure that lets filtered sunlight through, which on occasion can be both annoying and a bit uncomfortable when the sun is hovering directly overhead in the summer. Personally, I would have preferred something completely opaque. Now for the positives. I absolutely love driving it! For a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo, it has plenty of pep yet gets commendable gas mileage for a car in this class. It grips the road exceptionally well, moves smoothly and effortlessly through traffic and is supremely confident in its handling. Aesthetically, this is a sublimely beautiful car, especially in the Brilliant Black exterior finish which has subtle metallic overtones. In my opinion, the hatchback version of the A5 is one of the sharpest looking vehicles in Audi’s current “accessibly priced” lineup, save perhaps for the A7, which was unfortunately out of my personal price range. Rear storage in the hatchback version of the A5 is truly amazing for a car this size and really helped to bridge my craving for the svelte aesthetics of a sports sedan while appeasing my desire for the practicality of an SUV. One small quibble here is that you can’t close the rear hatch from inside the cabin. A peculiar oversight to be sure, especially since such functionality is commonplace in virtually all SUVs outfitted with a power lift gate. The tech in this car, including the “virtual cockpit” option (which I highly recommend!), is fantastic! Those Audi design engineers have thoroughly thought this car through and made it one of the most forward thinking cars on the market today. One peculiar oversight, however, and for me this was more than a bit of an annoyance considering the price point of this car, is the lack of a digital readout for tire PSI. A bit disappointing for a car that seems to address nearly every conceivable technophile’s whim—and then some.