Used Audi A5 Cabriolet 2009-2017 review

There’s a certain phrase that would apply perfectly to the Audi A5 Cabriolet: airs and graces. You see, you could be the least classy person in the world, yet still look like you belong to royalty if you drive around in an A5 Cabriolet because of its impeccable image. Plus, with early ones only costing a few grand, you can definitely enjoy Champagne motoring for lemonade money.

That theme of inexpensive motoring continues with the smaller, more economical four-cylinder engines, such as the 158bhp 1.8-litre and 208bhp 2.0-litre petrols, as well as the 148bhp and 168bhp 2.0-litre diesels. The bigger 187bhp 2.7-litre and 242bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesels aren’t too bad on fuel either, and the latter option is very smooth and refined. Then there are the rare 261bhp 3.2-litre V6 and turbocharged 328bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrols. There’s also the slightly bonkers 444bhp 4.2-litre V8 of the Audi RS5.

Even when fitted with an engine of huge power, the A5 is best thought of as an urban boulevardier rather than a sports car. Neither the handling nor the steering ever encourage you to drive with vigour, and unless you go for one with firmer S Line suspension, it tends to lean over quite a lot through the corners. Trouble is, if you do go for sportier suspension, the ride is very hard, which does little to remedy the rattle and shake you experience when going over lumps and bumps in the road.

The interior is of impeccable quality, though. Dense, soft-touch plastics adorn most surfaces and there are tasteful chrome highlights throughout. The only major disappointment is its offset driving position – a particular issue in examples equipped with a manual gearbox. Meanwhile, the folding roof mechanism means there isn’t room for a fifth seat, so the A5 Cabriolet is a four-seater only. However, the boot is still a decent size and the rear seats fold down to allow you to load longer items.

Standard equipment on SE cars is decent with an electric roof, 17in alloy wheels, leather, climate control and rear parking sensors. S Line models have sportier exterior styling, bigger 18in alloy wheels, sports suspension, sat nav, Bluetooth connectivity, xenon headlights, automatic lights and wipers, heated front seats and a quieter acoustic hood.

A high-mileage, early A5 Cabriolet can be found for as little as £4500, but we’d suggest you spend £6500 for something with fewer miles on it.

A facelifted example from 2012 onwards will cost you around £11,000, while a late model from an Audi franchised dealer should be around £20,000.

A tidy Audi S5 can be found for £13,000, but a more specialised Audi RS5 is at least £23,000 for a higher-mileage example, or £30,000 for something fresher.

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The four-cylinder engines are the best to go for if saving money is what you’re after. The 1.8-litre TFSI petrol kicks off the range with a combined NEDC fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg and 172g/km CO2 emissions. However, the bigger 2.0-litre TFSI petrol does better at 41.5mpg and 159g/km, but not as well as the least powerful diesel. The 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI achieves 57.6mpg and 124g/km, while the 168bhp version manages 51.4mpg and 144g/km.

The six-cylinder range starts with a 2.7-litre diesel that returns 43.5mpg and emits 169g/km, while the more potent 3.0-litre engine is only slightly thirstier at 41.5mpg, emitting 179g/km. Petrol six-cylinder engines are much less efficient, with the 3.2-litre engine managing only 29.7mpg and 219g/km.

The turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol in the S5 isn’t too bad for a performance car, with an economy figure of 33.2mpg and 199g/km, but the 4.2-litre V8 in the RS5 will hurt your bank balance; it returns just 26.4mpg and emits 249g/km.

All versions of this generation of A5 should have been registered before the revisions in the tax systems that occurred on 1 April, 2017. This means that the amount you’ll be charged will be based on the CO2 output of the car.

Audi servicing is much more reasonable than most other premium rivals, whether you decide to pay for it upfront under a fixed price scheme, or set up a monthly plan to pay for two services over the course of 18 months. For A5s with engines that are 2.0-litres or under, it’ll cost £26.67 per month or £180 for a minor and £345 for a major. Larger engines cost £30 a month or £210 and £399, respectively. High-performance models will cost more, however. An S5 will set you back £220 for a minor service, or £485 for a major one. RS5 models presently cost £350 for the smaller minor check-up, or £675 for a more intensive major one.

Standard SE spec is probably the best way to go because you get all the luxuries you’ll need without having to resort to the rock-hard ride of S Line cars.

We also prefer the automatic S tronic gearbox over the manual; the offset driving position mentioned earlier makes the latter's clutch pedal awkward to use. The S tronic gearbox is also far nicer than the Multitronic CVT that's teamed exclusively with the 2.7 TDI.

Regarding engines, because of the oil consumption issues of 2.0-litre TFSI engines and the thirst of some of the larger petrols, we’d suggest you go for one diesels instead. The 2.0-litre is the most popular and economical, while the 3.0-litre is a worthwhile upgrade, so long as you can afford the higher running costs.

Our favourite Audi A5 Cabriolet: 2.0 TDI SE S tronic

Premium convertibles aren’t great in number, but the BMW 3 Series Convertible (2007-2014) and later BMW 4 Series Convertible (2014-2020) are amongst the most popular. These two are ideal for those who prefer a fine driving experience and both offer an excellent mix of economical four-cylinder diesel engines and sonorous six-cylinder petrols.

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