Audi's new 2018 A5 Sportback is cheaper than the coupe
But not by much.
Coupes and convertibles aren't enough for Audi. It also has the Sportback, which carries the same badges as its two-door brethren, but with a lower price tag. And no, it's not the same as the sedan.
The 2018 Audi A5 Sportback will start at $42,600 for the Premium trim, which rocks a 2.0-liter I4 good for 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Standard equipment includes all-wheel drive and autonomous emergency braking. That's $200 cheaper than the A5 coupe, which starts at $42,800. The convertible starts at $49,600, which is a fair bit more expensive.
It's called Sportback because the back is supposed to be sporty. I think. Maybe. Who even knows anymore?
Move up to the Premium Plus or Prestige trims, and the story stays the same. The Sportback starts at $45,600 and $50,200, respectively. Again, the comparable coupe trims are $200 more, and the convertible tacks $7,000 on top of the Sportback's MSRP.
If that's not enough to get you goin', perhaps the S5 Sportback is more up your alley. That one sports a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, putting out 354 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is again standard, as is a whole bunch more kit, including LED headlights, a leather and Alcantara suede interior, heated power front seats and three-zone automatic climate control.
Of course, you'll have to pay more to play more. The S5 Sportback is only offered in Premium Plus or Prestige trims, and it starts at $54,400. It's $200 more expensive than the S5 coupe, and a whopping $7,900 cheaper than the S5 convertible. You're going to have to really want that drop-top.
While that might seem silly, it isn't, really. Coupes are regularly more expensive than the sedans that live alongside them in the lineup, because folks are willing to pay more for 'em. Also, they sell fewer coupes than sedans, and thus must bump the price to make up for that. So it shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise that the Sportback is a bit less money than a comparable coupe or convertible.
All the A5 and S5 variants mentioned here will be in dealerships this year.
