Audi A5 Sportback review

No-one does plain old family sedans these days. Well, there is still the Falcon-Camry-Commodore combo in Australia, but most of the overseas action is in sedans which have morphed in another direction. Curvy coup-style sedans came first and the big new direction is liftbacks with style.

Audi got there first with its A3 and A5 Sportback models, BMW has its new 5-Series GT and Mercedes-Benz is looking for ways to grow the CLS coupes and stretch the look down into C-Class territory. The foundation in every case is a four-door sedan, even if it is a couple of steps back on the evolutionary path. It provides the mechanical platform, and the engine and suspension, but a better looking 'top hat' is dropped down in place of the regular Camry-style sedan body.

Audi was first to go new-age with curves and a hatch with its Sportback, which went from the A4 sedan through the A5 coupe on the way to the Carsguide garage this week. The test car is powered by Audi's impressive 3-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, which is strong and smooth. But the the pricetag is easing way up towards six-figure land with a few extra bits to make life nicer, including an S-Line body kit and MMI navigation and a six-disc CD changer. And I cannot help thinking about the Volkswagen Passat CC, another of the new-age coupes, as I walk towards the Sportback.

The newest Audi - for this week, anyway, as there always seems to be a new body or a new engine landing in Australia - is a great looker and the emphasis is on style with that flexibility in the back end. There are two Sportback models, the 2-litre petrol and 3-litre turbodiesel, both with quattro drive and a starting price of $78,400. There is a huge range of standard equipment - from eight airbags and alloy wheels, to a 'concert' sound system and rear parking camera - but the big thing is the frameless doors and a boot that starts at 480 litres and can carry a wagon-style load up to 980 litres with the seats folded flat.

Audi Australia says the Sportback will be the biggest seller in the A5 range and will make a worthwhile contribution as it drives for yet another record sales year in 2010. And there is more to come, with an S5 Sportback on the way later this year.

DRIVING Paul Gover

The Sportback is one of my Audi favourites. It looks good, drives well and has the sort of flexibility people want these days.

It can be a bit cramped in the cabin, and the ride is a bit crash-bang harsh on poor surfaces, but there is a lot to like. Best of all, this A5 looks good and still works well. The V6 turbodiesel is incredibly quiet, smooth and responsive. It is a terrific engine and suits the character of the car, providing great range for family touring and enough punch when you want to have fun with a good looking coupe.

I didn't really know what to expect from the Sportback, even though my experience of premium coupes goes way, way back to Saabs in the 1980s. They were brilliantly flexible and upscale, but you would never call them good looking. The new Audi looks good and the cabin has the premium-ness which has become a brand signature, and the target for every other carmaker on the planet. There are gadgets and buttons for playtime, but the basics are all right and the leather-wrapped seats are comfy and supportive.

I think headroom is short, although no worse than the A5 coupe, but the back seat feels too narrow for three adults - or even big kids - and knee space is restricted. The payoff is in the tail, which easily handles a wide range of jobs, from shopping and Bunnings to a couple of prams-and-kids trips, and even a bicycle run. It is a great design and one which should be on the shopping list of more SUV buyers.

The Sportback also drives well, with Audi-style sharp steering responsive, good grip in turns, and an excellent automatic gearbox which picks up the torque of the diesel at all times. It's not a cheap car, and some of the usual Audi foibles take a little of the gloss away, but it is a very good car and a definite contender for family duties.

SHE SAYS Alison Ward

I get worried about re-works of things I like. Why fix a wheel that works, whether its the local shopping centres, your favourite bar, or something else on the list. Often I feel a bit duped by the change. So I was just a bit hesitant about this re-work of the Audi A4. Oh, sorry, this one is called the A5 Sportback, isn't it?

Thankfully, much of my hesitation stopped at the drivers' door. This is way more than just a lick of paint and a new look for an A4 sedan. For sure, it handles better and with more gusto and who would have thought the V6 engine is a turbodiesel? It's quiet and punchy and I had to check the tacho, with the giveaway low redline, to know for sure it's a diesel.

The interior features are the same I have found in other Audi models, but can forgive this carryover since it's a cog which is always working fine. The sloping boot is the greatest asset on the Sportback.  It is great for carrying everything for baby, shopping or - not for me, yet - golfing. However the compromise (and here comes that duping feeling again) is less legroom for all, especially in the back. And the shape means it does feel a bit cramped inside, particularly with a friend onboard and two baby seats in the back.

Still, the Sportback is a good car and a nice drive for me. The only lingering worry is the $90,000-ish pricetag, which makes it a makeover you really need to like.

SCORE: 78/100
THE BOTTOM LINE: A smooth and effective family sedan, provided it's a new-age family.

Audi A5 Sportback 3.0 TDI

PRICE $89,100
ENGINE 3.0-litre common rail turbocharged V6 diesel
POWER 176kW at 4000 revs
TORQUE 500Nm from 1500-3000 revs
TRANSMISSION Seven-speed dual clutch auto, quattro all-wheel drive
BODY Four-door hatch
SEATS Five
DIMENSIONS Length 4711mm, width 1854mm, height 1391mm, wheelbase 2810mm, tracks front/rear 1590mm/1575mm
WEIGHT 1720kg
STEERING Hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion power steering
SUSPENSION Five-link, upper and lower wishbone front; trapezoidal independent rear mounted to subframe
BRAKES Anti-skid all-round discs
FUEL TANK 64 litres
FUEL TYPE Diesel
FUEL CONSUMPTION 6.6/100km combined
WHEELS 18-inch alloys
TYRES 245/40 R18
SPARE TYRE Space-saver spare
SAFETY Front/side/curtain airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, anti-skid brakes, brake assist, foglights, Xenon-plus headlights
CO2 EMISSIONS 174g/km

RIVALS

Mercedes-Benz CLS350 78/100 (from $152,000)
BMW 530d GT 80/100 (from $143,400)
Volkswagen Passat CC 3.6 FSI 82/100 (from $65,990)