X

2013 Audi S5: All-around tech car (pictures)

With its Google Earth navigation system, Bang & Olufsen sound, and adjustable sport settings, the Audi S5 delivers satisfying performance on the daily commute and weekend road trips.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
35446285_OVR.jpg
1 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi's S5, the sport version of the A5, may not be a supreme track car, but it drives very well on winding roads and during weekly commutes. For 2013, Audi updates the cabin electronics and makes some exterior changes.
35446285_FT.jpg
2 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Both the S5 and A5 are sport coupes, with one of the best-looking exterior designs in the business. The subtle roofline runs gracefully toward the rear pillar and the grille is surrounded by an unbroken frame extending through the bumper line.
35446285_SS01_1.jpg
3 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi runs an LED light pipe across the top of the headlight, giving the car a unique look at night.
35446285_SS02_1.jpg
4 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The S5 gets a supercharged, direct-injection 3-liter V-6, good for 333 horsepower. Fuel economy is not bad for the car, with an EPA highway number all the way up at 28 mpg.
35446285_SD.jpg
5 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
As a coupe, the roofline drops over the rear seats, but not enough to seriously compromise headroom.
35446285_SS03_1.jpg
6 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi puts the S5 logo on the brake calipers.
35446285_SS04_1.jpg
7 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Quattro all-wheel drive comes standard on the S5, and an active sport differential is an option. Likewise, the car is also available with an adaptive suspension.
35446285_SS06_1.jpg
8 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The rear seats fold down, making for a clear cargo area between trunk and cabin.
35446285_SS07_1.jpg
9 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The S5 gets comfortable, power adjustable sport seats.
35446285_SS08_1.jpg
10 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
A well between the rear seats limits the S5 to four passengers.
35446285_INT.jpg
11 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi has been developing very cutting-edge cabin tech over the last few years, making its cars some of the most advanced on the road.
35446285_SS09_1.jpg
12 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The S5 uses electric steering boost, but the wheel turns too easily even at its most aggressive setting.
35446285_SS10_1.jpg
13 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Voice command is excellent in the S5, letting you enter addresses for route guidance as a single string. Paddles behind the wheel control the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
35446285_SS11_1.jpg
14 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The center LCD in the instrument cluster shows useful information, from route guidance to the currently playing music track to a digital readout of the car's speed.
35446285_SS13_1.jpg
15 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The console holds the shift lever and Audi's MMI controller, buttons, and a dial used to control everything on the LCD. This car lacks the touch pad Audi has begun to roll out in its newest models.
35446285_SS14_1.jpg
16 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The Drive Select feature lets you choose different performance profiles for the car. The Individual profile lets you program in such things as steering, suspension, and engine response.
35446285_SS41.jpg
17 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The rear-view camera includes trajectory and distance lines.
35446285_SS21.jpg
18 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi's latest menu screens use this elliptical format, which lets you use the dial on the console to select an icon.
35446285_SS19.jpg
19 of 29 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Audi integrated Google Earth with its navigation system, giving you satellite views of the car's location.
35446285_SS18.jpg
20 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Route guidance overlays the satellite imagery.
35446285_SS24.jpg
21 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
One of the most useful destination entry features is Google online search, which can be accessed through the MMI or voice command.
35446285_SS25.jpg
22 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi also uses the car's data connection to bring in gas prices and weather.
35446285_SS26.jpg
23 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The Travel Information feature shows all the nearby locations from Wikipedia, complete with photos and a write-up.
35446285_SS29.jpg
24 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The S5 uses traffic data to dynamically program congestion-free routes.
35446285_SS30.jpg
25 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The phone system works very easily, pairing with your Bluetooth phone to show contacts on the LCD and let you access them through voice command.
35446285_SS33.jpg
26 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Among its media sources, the S5 includes Bluetooth audio streaming and an onboard hard drive for music storage.
35446285_SS34_1.jpg
27 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi's Bluetooth audio streaming implementation shows full track information on the play screen.
35446285_SS36_1.jpg
28 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
Audi's iPod integration screen lets you browse by artist, album, and genre.
35446285_SS38_1.jpg
29 of 29 Josh Miller/CNET
The Bang & Olufsen audio option in the S5 is not as robust as the A7's, but it still sounds extremely good.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos