AUDI A5
Image. The Audi A5 Cabriolet is all about image. In a range filled with niche models, from two-door coupes to five-door Sportbacks to coupe crossovers, a convertible is still the best way to get noticed. After all, remember the fuss about a certain Princess Diana eschewing something British for an Audi Cabriolet, a young William and Harry catching the breeze in the rear seats, back in 1994?
The A5’s actually from the same lineage as that Audi 80-based Cabriolet from the 1990s, and if you squint a bit there are even some visual similarities, from the stocky and handsome proportions, to the way the modern A5 carries over the silver-painted windscreen surround, just as the 80 Cabriolet did.
Like that earlier cabrio, the A5 is also a car for cruising rather than carving corners. It’s not that the A5 is a bad handler – far from it, in fact. But the first generation, 2009-2016 car, which is the one you’ll find most commonly in our budget in both pre- and post2012 facelift forms, prioritises rock-solid stability, abundant grip, and refinement over agile handling and driver feedback.
At the same time, Audi’s sport-orientated trim levels and fashionably large alloy wheels mean it doesn’t ride quite like the cruiser you’re expecting, though it also doesn’t shimmy and wobble anything like as much as open cars used to. In fact, all but the most neglected of A5 Cabriolets should still feel pretty solid, both structurally and in terms of their fixtures and fittings. In true 2000s Audi style, the cabin design itself is chunky and most will have a prominent and now quite outdated infotainment display dominating the driver-focused dash, though upgrades are available. Also as you’d expect from an Audi, the roof is about as well-designed and weather-sealed as they come, and if looked after, most should still look and operate flawlessly.
Engine choice is broad. Skim the used market and you’ll find mostly 2.0 TDI diesels, which isn’t a natural choice for a car you can open to the sights, sounds and smells of the rest of the world, but does keep running costs low and has enough performance for most people. 2.0-litre TFSI petrols are less common but quieter, smoother and quicker, while the 3.0 TDI V6 was a popular choice when new and really gives the A5 an effortless feel. For a more stirring soundtrack, the naturally-aspirated 3.2 FSI V6 does the job, and you may even find one or two supercharged S5 Cabriolets for sale too.
These engines, even the supercharged V6, give little cause for concern even at higher miles, but S Tronic dual-clutch transmissions can be more troublesome – though this should at least be evident on a test drive. Other A5 issues to watch for concern iffy electrical components, from the solenoid failin
