Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: test, price, consumption, technical data sheet

In an automotive world that smiles at SUVs, it is always a pleasure to sit aboard a station wagon. Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid However, it is not just any station wagon, because its dual-fuel powertrain hides a precious functionality. The absence of fast charging and the availability to recharge to the maximum a 11 kW of power is an intentional lack, as the car can charge on the move. Not only in the release and braking phase, like all hybrids, but also with the endothermic. The 2.0 Tfsi acts as a generator for the battery 20.7 kWh net, recharging it up to 75%. But let’s go in order and discover it one step at a time.

1 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: edges and identity

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Heir to the A4 Avant and built on the new platform Ppcthe Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid is 4.83 meters long, 1.86 wide and 1.46 high, with a trunk reduced from 476 to 361 liters due to the presence of the battery. With the seats folded down, you still get 1,306 liters of useful load. The step forward compared to the A4 is not only in terms of nomenclature, but also and above all in design, with the current generation adopting the latest stylistic canons of the German brand. We therefore find the elaborate front characterized by an extended hexagonal-shaped grille, thin Matrix LED headlights and generous triangular-shaped air intakes with rounded corners. At the rear it is impossible not to notice the elegant seamless light signature, the two generous exhaust pipes and the roof spoiler, the latter combined with a rather sloping rear window.

2 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: digital stage

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The premium ambience of the interior, emphasized by the interior design S line Editionsees the presence of enveloping seats yes but not excessively, to the point of being sufficiently comfortable for a weekend trip. The perceived quality is convincing, with quality stitching and materials, also regarding the steering wheel. It’s a shame that the touch keys remain on the spokes for managing the menus, volume and calls, which are not always precise. As on other latest generation models, also on the A5 Avant we find what Audi calls the digital stage: in short, it is the complex digital dashboard-infotainment screen, united in a single curved element facing the driver. The first (11.9″) is customizable and the second (14.5″) has many functions, on the S line Edition they are flanked by a third digital screen for the exclusive use of the passenger. Finally, the luggage compartment is limited due to the presence of the battery pack: 115 liters are lost with the five seats in position compared to the non-plug-in variants.

3 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: under the hood

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The powertrain of the A5 Avant e-hybrid 270 kW is composed, as anticipated, of the 2.0 Tfsi in configuration 252 HPbordering on superstamp. The turbo petrol inline four-cylinder is flawlessly supported by an electric motor capable of bringing the system power to 367 HP overall and 500 Nm of torque, spread across all four wheels and in synergy with the seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission. The battery is very generous, da 20.7 kWh net, capable of assisting the driver for over 100 km of declared autonomy. It depends a lot on your driving style, but what is certain is that on average you will definitely get there at 80/85 km. The performances speak for themselves 5.1 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h 250 km/h of maximum speed, performance of a true sports car rather than an efficient station wagon. Speaking of efficiency: there is no direct current charging (some cousins ​​of the Volkswagen group charge at 50 kW), it stops at 11 kW. This is because Audi focuses so much on Battery Chargethe function through which the endothermic acts as a generator and allows the battery to be charged up to 75%. For what purpose? First of all, waste as little time as possible at the charging station, where often – by connecting to a public socket – the prices are anything but moderate. Furthermore, by doing so it is possible to exploit the energy stored in a restricted urban section at a later point in the journey. Everything, operating from 65 km/h upwards, is programmable via the central screen.

4 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: test and consumption

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Comfortable for four – less so for five given the cumbersome rise of the central tunnel in the rear area – the Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid is a versatile station wagon capable of satisfying many needs and a large audience. Leaving aside for a moment the tax aspects for companies and employees reserved for electric cars and plug-in hybrids – but that is also a topic – the A5 on tap is a very sensible choice if compared directly with its 204 HP diesel twin. It weighs 200 kg more, it’s true, but the endothermic alone has 48 hp more, over the 143 of the electric. As for sprint, versatility, general consumption (16 km/l) and tax advantages, the plug-in hybrid wins hands down against the Tdi mild hybrid, losing only from the point of view of the list price. Suitable for both the motorway and the urban stretch, since in Hybrid mode the car itself decides which is the best combination to implement, the A5 on tap also convinces in extra-urban settings, where it gives its best in terms of driving pleasure, with rather direct steering and a valid set-up given by a sustained calibration of the shock absorbers and a platform that works properly. In short, the usual certainty.

5 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: trim levels and prices

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The Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid is available in two power ratings: 299 HP or – as in the case of our test – a total of 367 HP. The first option includes three setups: Business (from 66,700 euros), Business Advanced (from 71,100 euros) e S line Edition (from 73,500 euros), while in the second case it is available only in the richest, most elegant and sporty trim S line Editionwith prices starting from 78,050 euros.

6 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid: pros and cons

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Below are the strengths and weaknesses found on the Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid during our test, which largely took place on a motorway with a cruising speed of 130 km/h with cruise control.

• Driving dynamics: convincing not only for the sprint (remarkable), but also and above all for the handling of a sports station wagon;
• Design: elegant, sporty, sharp;
• Technology: the digital stage, the completeness of information within the infotainment system and the screen for the exclusive use of the front passenger make the A5 Avant e-hybrid one of the most technologically advanced station wagons.

• Trunk: the plug-in hybrid system takes up a lot of space;
• Slow charging: only up to 11 kW, but Audi focuses heavily on Battery Charge.