Toyota Corolla vs Audi A5
What's the difference?

Toyota Corolla

$29,990 - $46,990

2025 price

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Audi A5

$79,900 - $92,900

2026 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Summary

2025 Toyota Corolla

2026 Audi A5

By Tim Nicholson

By Chris Thompson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 1.8L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

4.0L/100km (combined)

6.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Fuel efficient
Fun to drive
Cheap to run

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

Dislikes

Cabin not as practical as rivals
Tiny boot volume
Ageing interior

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

2025 Toyota Corolla Summary

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time.

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.

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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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Deep dive comparison

2025 Toyota Corolla 2026 Audi A5

Verdict

The final score for this review makes it look as though the Corolla is a middling effort. The scores for each individual section of the review are well considered and fair. The Corolla does lack the practicality of some of its rivals. A lack of an ANCAP rating isn’t great and the powertrain is just okay. But it remains one of the most fun-to-drive hatchbacks on the market today, even seven years into its life, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Corolla to anyone looking for a small car. If you can forgive some of the quirks, it is a reliable, adorable, fun and efficient small car favourite.

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.

Toyota Corolla vs Audi A5 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Toyota Corolla vs Audi A5
What's the difference?