Any Audi with RS in the name represents the highest performance levels, and the latest RS 5 Sportback is no exception. With a powerful motor and rakish styling to match, the RS 5 resides at the top of the Audi A5 lineup, as it has since coming to America in 2018.
A look inside the 2024 Audi RS 5 reveals stylish sport seats, carbon fiber trim, and an Alcantara-covered sport steering wheel, all hallmarks of a high-performance car. Starting the engine completes the picture with its pleasing rumble. The RS 5 experience is special, even before getting on the road.
Photo: Perry Stern
But this experience will soon change as the internal combustion engine's (ICE) days are numbered. Audi plans to stop introducing new ICE-powered models after 2026. While I believe the coming high-performance EVs will deliver excellent performance, I'm happy to have experienced the Audi RS 5 before the gas-fueled engines go silent.
The Audi RS 5 received a refresh for the 2021 model year, and for the 2024 model year, the automaker added several features to the standard equipment list. These include adaptive cruise control, Active Lane Assist (lane-keeping and lane-centering assistance), a heated steering wheel, and remote engine start.
The 2024 Audi RS 5 is available as a two-door coupe or four-door Sportback, with prices for both variants starting at around $80,000. The Sportback is just $300 more than the coupe and adds significant practicality. Both RS 5 models feature a powerful turbocharged engine, sporty styling, a luxurious cabin, and Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.
The Audi RS 5 competes in the Compact Premium Car market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, owners of this type of vehicle rated their cars in 10 primary categories.
Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from what they like most about the [model] to what they like least:
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Audi A5 family ranks 7th out of ten Compact Premium Car models.
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2024 Audi RS 5 Sportback equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $93,745, including the $1,095 destination charge.
Photo: Perry Stern
While Audi is a luxury brand, the RS 5 adds a healthy dose of performance styling. This combination is evident from one look in the cabin, which features materials like soft Nappa leather, Alcantara artificial suede, and carbon fiber. The sport steering wheel also gets Alcantara trim with stylish contrasting stitching.
Audi mounts the 10.1-inch touchscreen display high on the dashboard. It's not as nicely integrated as in the Audi Q8 E-tron I recently drove, but it is bright and easy to read. Climate functions are in a separate unit with physical knobs and buttons for easy use. There's also a digital instrumentation display called Audi Virtual Cockpit, which features extensive configuration options, including a full-screen navigation map overlaid with pertinent driver information.
The interior has good storage space, with cupholders and a convenient cubby at the front of the center console. Instead of the typical storage bin under the center armrest, the Audi has an open tray with a wireless phone charger. While this is a handy place to put a phone for charging, it is unfortunate that the glove box is the only place to store items out of sight.
Sport seats are standard in the RS 5, featuring honeycomb-pattern stitching, power side bolsters, and a massage function. Nappa leather is standard, but my test car's optional Competition Package upgraded the seat trim to Pearl Nappa leather with Dinamica, a sustainable microfiber material.
The seats are stiff, but they provide excellent support and remain comfortable even after extended time behind the wheel. The seat massager certainly helps. The rear seat has reasonable legroom and headroom and features the same stylish materials and pattern as the seats up front. Unfortunately, the seatback angle is too upright for my comfort, and they don't adjust or recline.
With a rear hatch rather than a trunk lid, the RS 5 has a wide cargo opening and is easy to load. There's 21.8 cubic feet of space, plenty of room for several suitcases or a week's worth of groceries. Audi does not share a volume measurement with the 40/20/40-split rear seat folded down.
Photo: Perry Stern
The 2024 Audi RS 5 has the latest version of the company's Multi Media Interface (MMI) infotainment system. Features include:
Audi Connect subscription-based services are also standard or available:
In addition, the RS 5 features an impressive Bang & Olufsen premium sound system as standard equipment. My test vehicle also had the Navigation Package, which adds a subscription-based navigation system and Audi Connect Plus.
The infotainment system is easy to navigate, with large, easy-to-read icons on the display. The screen swipes to the left and right, and there are static links on the left for quick access to media, communications, and navigation. While almost everything is available via the touchscreen display, there is a physical volume control knob located on the center console.
Connecting my Samsung Galaxy S23+ via Bluetooth was seamless, and the prompt to operate Android Auto appeared immediately. Once connected, an Android Auto icon appeared on the display. When it's running, Android Auto uses the entire screen but still leaves the shortcuts on the left for an easy return to the native system.
Unfortunately, my RS 5 test car’s native natural voice recognition system wasn’t set up, so I could not evaluate its effectiveness. When I tried using it, I received an error message telling me the subscription to it wasn’t active.
Photo: Perry Stern
The 2024 Audi RS 5 comes standard with a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which delivers 444 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. A smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission powers all four wheels through Audi's Quattro AWD system, providing outstanding traction and helping the RS 5 reach 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, according to the automaker.
Handling is excellent thanks to quick, precise steering, and Audi fortifies the RS-tuned suspension with front and rear sport sway bars. The Quattro-sport rear differential distributes power between the rear wheels, providing additional stability when pushing the Audi on my favorite back roads outside Dexter, Michigan. The intoxicating exhaust note, courtesy of the RS sport exhaust system, adds to the overall enjoyable experience of driving the RS 5.
The optional Competition Package comes with Pirelli P Zero Corsa high-performance tires that supply outstanding grip on dry pavement in warm weather. I drove the RS 5 in Michigan in January, and the pavement was neither dry nor warm. In fact, snow and ice covered the roads much of the time. So, my test vehicle appropriately wore Pirelli Winter Sottozero high-performance winter tires.
With the Sottozeros, the RS 5 was unflappable in winter conditions, proving itself an ideal all-season performance car. On packed snow and ice, the Audi provided the utmost confidence, the stability systems working seamlessly with the Quattro AWD to keep the car stable, even when taking corners or enjoying the robust acceleration.
At the same time, the Audi RS 5 is perfectly at home on the freeway. And as a vehicle built to handle the unlimited speeds of the German autobahn, driving along at 70 mph barely taxes the engine. The ride is a little stiff but not uncomfortable, and the cabin remains calm and quiet.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Audi RS 5 comes standard with the expected advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features include:
In addition, my test vehicle had the Side Assist Package (blind-spot warning, rear-impact occupant collision preparation) and the RS Driver Assistance Package (surround-view camera, semi-autonomous parking assistance, head-up display, and more).
To evaluate the Audi's adaptive cruise control with Active Lane Assist, I drove on I-94 outside of Detroit and set the adaptive cruise control to 70 mph. As I approached slower vehicles, the RS 5 smoothly adjusted to match the speed, then quickly returned to the set speed once I changed lanes to pass.
In addition, the tech did a commendable job of keeping the Audi centered in the lane, even when the freeway curved. However, to use the lane-centering function, you must program the system for Early intervention through the MMI. Otherwise, it works like a lane-keeping assistance system.
While Active Lane Assist and the adaptive cruise control seem to take over all the driving tasks, they do not amount to a hands-free semi-autonomous technology. The driver must pay attention and keep their hands on the steering wheel. Audi's Hands-on Detection steering wheel detects their presence via capacitive sensors.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Audi RS 5 Sportback has a wide hatch opening and low load height for easy loading. While the Sportback has 21.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind its back seat, the RS 5 Coupe has just 10.9 cu-ft in its trunk. Audi doesn't provide measurements with the back seat folded down.
According to the EPA, the 2024 Audi RS 5 Sportback gets a combined fuel economy rating of 20 mpg, providing an overall range of 306 miles. The trip computer indicated a 19.6 mpg average during my time in the car.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has rated the standard A5 Sportback for safety but not the RS 5. Similarly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has rated the A5 Sportback but not the RS 5. Unfortunately, due to differences between the A5 and RS 5, the A5's ratings do not apply to the performance-oriented version of the car.
The 2024 Audi RS 5 Coupe has a base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $79,600, while the Sportback version is slightly higher at $79,900. Those prices don't include the $1,095 destination charge.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Lexus IS ranks highest in the Compact Premium Car segment. The Cadillac CT4 and the BMW 4 Series are the next highest-ranked models. Within this trio, the rivals to the RS 5 would be the IS 500 F Sport Performance, the CT4-V Blackwing, and the BMW M4.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Lexus IS ranks highest in the segment. The BMW i4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class are the next highest-ranked models. The i4 is electric and available in i4 M50 specification with impressive acceleration. Over at the Mercedes dealer, the AMG C43 is currently the hottest version of the C-Class.
Photo: Perry Stern
The 2024 Audi RS 5 combines luxury and performance in a stylish and exciting package. With Audi's legendary Quattro AWD and a powerful turbocharged engine, the RS 5 is enjoyable to drive, whether cruising on the freeway or tackling a twisty country road, rain, shine, or snow. And in RS 5 Sportback specification, this Audi is one of the best sport sedans on the market, albeit with a practical hatchback instead of a trunk lid.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JD Power.com. Recently relocated to southeast Michigan, Perry is still crazy about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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