Meeting customer demands means taking aim at a constantly moving target, which can often lead to some interesting crossbreeding between the established automobile segments. The Audi S5 Sportback is one good example. Offering a nice mix of attractive exterior design, practicality, luxury, and performance, the S5 Sportback appeals to a sort of “jack-of-all-trades” mentality, circumventing a singular focus in favor of a broader charm. While European audiences have enjoyed this balancing act since 2010, those of us residing in the U.S. have been left out in the cold. Now, there’s a second generation arriving, and it might actually come stateside. Maybe.

Essentially a sportier take on the A5 lineup, the S5 is offered in three body styles, with a two-door coupe and two-door convertible joining the aforementioned five-door liftback. We last saw the new S5 Sportback in camo as it braved the cold in Sweden and hit the apexes at the Nurburgring, but now, Audi has released full specs ahead of the second-gen’s public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

According to Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Audi S5 Sportback., it’s still undecided whether or not Audi will be bringing this thing to U.S. shores, but either way, we’ve given it the full rundown in this review.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Audi S5 Sportback.

Exterior

In case you were unaware, the “Sportback” (a.k.a. liftback) body style basically boils down to four doors for passenger entry, and an elongated, fastback roofline (sort of like a four-door coupe profile), plus a large rear hatch. The hatch on the Sportback is heavily angled and flat, unlike the more vertical hatch of a wagon or hatchback. You could also call it a five-door, if you wanted.

The design adds a dash of practicality to the more attractive and sporty coupe style, creating an interesting middle ground in the process. It’s an effective combination already used to great success in the U.S. by Audi’s chief rival (check the Competition section for more info).

The new S5 Sportback presents an updated look, but the differences are subtle –unsurprising, considering Audi’s proclivity for gradual aesthetic evolution. Dimensionally, the car is slightly larger than before.

Let’s start in front, where the fascia was tweaked with reshaped headlights, new corner inserts for the fog lamps, and a Singleframe grille that’s now wider and flatter. The hood line also benefits from added muscularity thanks to lengthwise creases running towards the windshield.

In profile, we find the same handsome roofline, plus a double-wave shoulder line that plumps the car’s wheel arches. The side-view mirrors are still covered in an aluminum-look finish, complemented by polished surrounds for the windows.

In back, we find lots of horizontal lines that help to emphasize the car’s visual width. Like the previous model, there’s a small lip spoiler attached to the trunk lid, but the taillights are now longer and slimmer. A diffuser was added to the bumper, trimmed in aluminum and neatly framing the quad oval exhaust tips.

While not a significant departure from the previous generation, the styling update does add to the car’s visual performance. The new S5 Sportback now looks bolder and badder, with crisper lines and more aggression. The influence of the Audi Prologue concept is obvious, and that’s a good thing.

At the same time, the car is still quite subtle in its approach, with classy details like aluminum inlays and greyed out details throughout. It’s sharper, no doubt, but it’s still very much an Audi.

Standard features include xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, and LED taillights. The wheels measure in at 19 inches in diameter.

Side-by-side comparison

Interior

As expected, the cabin in the new S5 Sportback takes its cues from the new A4. There are once again lots of horizontal lines, high-end materials, and a selection of cutting-edge technology.

Let’s start with the driver’s seat, where we find a three-spoke, flat-bottom, multifunction steering wheel clad in leather. Behind the wheel is Audi’s virtual cockpit display, which is essentially a 12.3-inch TFT monitor that replaces the old-school analogue needles. A heads-up display is optional, as is ambient lighting offering 30 different hues to choose from.

Infotainment comes courtesy of Audi’s MMI system, with 10 GB of storage, a DVD player, three free years of Audi connect services, navigation with five free updates, and a 8.3-inch display screen stuck high on the dash. Both iOS and Android smartphone integration is supported, and users will find their cell reception boosted thanks to the car’s onboard antenna. There’s also Qi wireless device charging and Bluetooth connectivity.

Per tradition, tunes come from a Bang & Olufsen stereo offering 3D sound, 755 watts of power, and 19 speakers.

The new-gen also includes extra space, with an extra 17 mm (0.7 inches) added to the cabin length. Front passengers will enjoy an extra 24 mm (0.9 inches) of knee room, plus an extra 11 mm (0.4 inches) in the shoulders. Under the rear hatch, you’ll find 480 liters (17 cubic feet) of space for luggage, which expands to 1,300 liters (45.9 cubic feet) with the rear bench folded down. If you just need a little extra space, the bench also folds in a 40:20:40 split. There’s a meter of load space, and the electric trunk lid comes with optional sensor control.

Like the car’s exterior, the cabin is handsome and functional, with less glitz and swank compared to rival products from BMW and Mercedes, even when it’s equipped with the carbon fiber trim pieces shown in these press shots. And although the rear won’t accommodate tall items like an SUV might, the S5 Sportback’s cargo capacity is actually surprisingly close to that of the Audi Q3, which offers 16.7 cubic feet with the rear seat up, and 48.2 cubic feet with the rear seat down.

Side-by-side comparison

Drivetrain

Behind its large Singleframe grille, the Audi S5 Sportback packs a new turbocharged TFSI V-6 engine. Pilfered from the recently updated S4, the new powerplant is a replacement for the old model’s 333-horsepower supercharged V-6, although displacement remains static at an even three liters.

Output, however, jumps up to roughly 350 horsepower, while peak torque is rated at 369 pound-feet between 1,370 rpm and 4,500 rpm. Properly applied, that’s enough grunt to propel the new S5 Sportback to 62 mph in just 4.7 seconds – the same as the two-door coupe. Top speed is electronically limited at 155 mph.

Included is quattro AWD as standard, plus an eight-speed tiptronic transmission. There’s also the option for a sporty differential that helps to reduce the terminal understeer commonplace amongst high-powered AWD car.

Elsewhere in the A5 line, you’ll find a selection of gas-burning TFSI engines and diesel-burning TDI engines, but out of the lot, the turbo 3.0-liter V-6 is the one you want. There’s also a six-speed manual and seven-speed gearbox offered elsewhere, and I would have liked to see the three-pedal option for the S5 Sportback. However, if this thing does come stateside, I’d expect the drivetrain and powerplant configuration to remain unaltered from the above-stated Euro spec.

Chassis And Handling

Under the sheet metal is the Volkswagen Group’s MLB architecture, the same underpinnings used for models like the Q5, A8, Bentley Bentayga, and Porsche Macan.

In conjunction with the S5 Sportback’s lighter body (33 pounds lighter, to be exact), the model’s total curb weight is reduced to 3,241 pounds, a reduction of 187 pounds compared to the outgoing model.

Managing the mass in the corners is a newly redesigned five-link suspension set-up in front. In back, the old trapezoidal-link is tossed in favor of a complementary five-link.

And of course, the suspension settings were appropriately tuned for the performance appeal needed in a model like the S5 Sportback. Tunability is offered by way of the standard drive select handling system, which offers multiple modes for whatever the situation might be. Paired with the optional adaptive dampers, the S5 Sportback offers myriad electronic handling solutions.

Speaking of which, the car’s direction is controlled by a recently updated electromechanical steering set-up, while a variable ratio (dynamic steering) is offered an available option.

Safety And Convenience

No modern luxury car would be complete without the inclusion of the latest safety and convenience technology, and the S5 Sportback delivers with all the systems you’d expect. There’s Audi pre-sense, multi-collision braking assist, and variable speed limiter all as standard.

Other highlights include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, which automatically manages the throttle and brakes in a traffic jam and at speeds up to 40 mph. The system will even steer your car on “better roads.”

Speaking of steering, Audi is also including a collision avoidance feature, wherein the car will automatically steer around obstacles in the road, plus the car will offer “specific driving advice” on upping your efficiency, basing the advice on info pulled from the GPS and various sensors.

Rounding out the list of safety and convenience features, you’ll find turn assist, park assist, cross-traffic warning, exit warning, traffic sign recognition, and lane-keep assist.

Prices

For the moment, we don’t know if the S5 Sportback will make it to the U.S., so pricing info is obviously unavailable. However, we do know how much the car will cost overseas – 62,500 euros before options. That’s $70,244 at current exchange rates (09/07/2016), which seems a bit steep to me, but it might work with the right assortment of standard features.

Competition

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

BMW is already ahead of Audi when it comes to U.S.-spec four-door coupe liftbacks. It’s called the 4 Series Gran Coupe, and there are four trim levels to choose from. Engine options include a turbocharged four-cylinder good for 240 horsepower, as well as turbo six-cylinder making 300 horsepower. That makes the Bimmer slower, but it’s also significantly less expensive, starting at $41,650.

Read the full review here.

Mercedes-AMG C 450

While not as well equipped for hauling cargo, the AMG C 450 is definitely good for hauling other things. Making the go is 362 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to the pavement via a seven-speed automatic transmission and 4Matic AWD system. A sprint from standstill to 60 mph takes 4.8 seconds, which means this is the one Audi owners will need to look out for when it comes to performance activities.

Read the full review here.

Conclusion

All is well with the updated S5 Sportback. The look is traditional Audi, but with a splash of aggression that’s much needed across the make’s performance-oriented lineup. The technology is on par for the price point, and the more powerful turbo V-6 makes the right amount of power to justify the car’s intentions.

The problem is we still don’t know if it’s coming to the U.S. While there’s plenty of competition in these parts to keep the S5 Sportback relegated to Europe, I think there’s also plenty of interest in something that looks this good and goes this fast. Add in the extra practicality, and I could see this thing at school drop-off in the morning, and in the canyons in the afternoon.

Stay tuned for the car’s official debut in Paris next month.

Update History

Update 08/29/2016: A new video of the Audi S5 Sportback has made its way to the internet. Check out the new video in the review below.

Spy Video

As you can see from the video, the car hasn't dropped any camo from the last photos we've got, but now you get to see it in action. Hear the smooth and mellow sound from the engine? An absolute delight.

Spy Shots

April 13, 2016 - Audi S5 Sportback caught testing around Nurburgring