Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz A45
What's the difference?

Audi A5

$79,900 - $92,900

2026 price

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Mercedes-Benz A45

$49,900 - $69,800

2020 price

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Aston Martin Vanquish

Lamborghini Aventador

Lamborghini Huracan

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA200

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLA250

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Volkswagen Transporter

Volvo V40

Volvo XC60

Summary

2026 Audi A5

2020 Mercedes-Benz A45

By Chris Thompson

By Laura Berry

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

6.9L/100km (combined)

8.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Stacked with techy features
Edition One value is hard to deny
Still a delight to drive

310kW from a four cylinder!
Outstanding performance, but not spine destroying
Hatch practicality

Dislikes

Loses some interior simplicity
Edition One not a permanent fixture
Having to wait for more variants

Rear head- and legroom limited
Looks a bit too low-key without the aero pack
Can be thirsty

2026 Audi A5 Summary

The Audi A5 has done something naughty. It’s replaced the Audi A4.

Or at least that’s the case for now after the Ingolstadt brand made a bit of a mess of its naming strategy.

Essentially, the Audi A5 is now available as a sedan or a wagon, and the next A4 coming soon will be electric. The previous A5 was a swoopier two-door coupe or four-door gran coupe style model. So the A5 is now effectively Audi’s main BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class and CLA rival.

Plus, the Audi S5 is also here to cater to performance car fans.

Can a new platform, a sleek, fresh look and a techy interior do the job?

We’ve been pedalling around the Victorian countryside in the hopes of finding out.

Stick with me, and I reckon we’ll get to the bottom of it. The question about the car, that is, not the bottom of Victoria.

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2020 Mercedes-Benz A45 Summary

Driving the first-generation Mercedes-AMG A 45 in 2013 was an intense, noisy, brutal experience and I loved every bone-shaking, ear-bleeding moment of it.

But I’m older now, married and have children, and while this is also an intense, noisy, brutal experience I now prefer cars to be less like a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week continuous cage fight. So, I was surprised to find the new-generation A45 S has grown up a bit, too.

So, like me, is the new Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4Matic+ not as quick as it used to be, and does it have a dad bod, now, too? Far from it. If anything, it’s matured into the serious weapon of a hot hatch it was always supposed to be.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Audi A5 2020 Mercedes-Benz A45

Verdict

The Audi A5 remains a convincing option in the premium mid-size sedan category, even with the near-$10K price increase over its equivalent grade A4 predecessor.

Even in its base spec, it’s a lovely thing to drive and adds enough new kit to be a reasonable option when it comes to value. In terms of tech usability, it stands out from rivals. Practicality is still king for Audi.

But for the heart-over-head types, the S5 is fast and fun while remaining a comfortable cruiser and the price is decent. On a personal note, a six-cylinder wagon? That's a big yes from me.

For the time it’s available, it’s hard to go past the value on offer in the S5 Edition One. Getting an AWD V6 with that kind of capability for under $100K is something that's sure to tempt buyers. If it doesn’t, we need to take a good look at ourselves.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Verdict

The Mercedes-AMG A 45 4Matic+ may have grown up a bit in that it’s not as noisy or uncomfortable as the first-generation version which arrived in 2013, But if anything, its more portent than ever. Superb Mercedes-AMG craftmanship, outstanding performance and good value as far as bang for your buck goes.

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz A45 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz A45
What's the difference?