S5 Sportback Delivered
07-29-2017, 10:40 AM
#101
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Hi Glisse, I am a New Yorker new to the forum and am considering trading my beloved 2016 A7 mythos black/nougat for the new 2018 S5 in mythos black. My motivation is to maximize my A7 trade value (55K miles) and get something a bit more sporty, while retaining most of the A7 cache, comfort, and sexiness. What motivated you to move from the A7 to the S5, and do you have any regrets? I just don't want to wait for the 2019 A7 and find the pricing too high and my trade-in value too low. Also, a small point, but do the headrests on the front seats adjust fore and aft as on the A7? I would appreciate your insights as a former A7 owner. Thanks. Tom
Two reasons for the change were age of the car (I change around 5 years or so), and size of the car. In the typical European town (vs city), the A7 is a huge car which makes parking and navigating narrow streets difficult. My wife hated driving it.
It took me 12 months to find a replacement. Tried to get the last of the B8 RS4 Avants, there were 5 left in my market, but none had a suitable spec. Looked at a lot of vehicles: S6, RS3 Sportback, Macan GTS, AMG C43 and E43, BMW 440 GC. All good, but none I considered preferable to the A7 in overall terms. Had already driven a B9 A4, and knew the new MLB Evo platform was really good - more refinement, better front end, better steering. Drove an S5 coupé and then S4 Avant, and was happy how Audi have set that up, although I preferred the feel of the older supercharged V6 with S tronic than the new turbocharged engine with Tiptronic. But not a huge deal.
I think the A7 is the better looking car, but the S5 Sportback is in the same vein. The S5 is much more agile, and whilst the materials quality is not as high as in the A7 (German manufacturers are pretty careful to maintain the pecking order in their model hierarchy, even between model changes), it is much better than any of the competitors. Steering, suspension, brakes all much better in the S5. Obviously a big jump up in technology, in terms of MMI functions and driver aids. For the size / class of the car, the B9 cars are very refined. But you can't beat wheelbase when it comes to highway comfort - the A7 is more comfortable for long distance highway driving.
With the new C8 A7 moving to the MLB Evo platform, it will have all the attributes of the B9 - trading some agility for more refinement. But yes, it will be relatively expensive, and it will also use touch screens, which I don't like. It won't be as sporty as an S5 though.
My A7 had S/line sport seats (not S Sport seats), so yes it had an adjustable head restraint. My S5 has S sport seats, which have a fixed head restraint. I prefer the S sport seats in the S5 - even though they are much firmer than the A7 sport seats, I find them both more comfortable and keep you better located. You can of course get the S5 with sport seats that have adjustable head restraints, although in the US the only option is ventilated seats in black Milano leather.
My only regret is I wanted an RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback
07-29-2017, 12:49 PM
#102
AudiWorld Super User
Tom,
Two reasons for the change were age of the car (I change around 5 years or so), and size of the car. In the typical European town (vs city), the A7 is a huge car which makes parking and navigating narrow streets difficult. My wife hated driving it.
It took me 12 months to find a replacement. Tried to get the last of the B8 RS4 Avants, there were 5 left in my market, but none had a suitable spec. Looked at a lot of vehicles: S6, RS3 Sportback, Macan GTS, AMG C43 and E43, BMW 440 GC. All good, but none I considered preferable to the A7 in overall terms. Had already driven a B9 A4, and knew the new MLB Evo platform was really good - more refinement, better front end, better steering. Drove an S5 coupé and then S4 Avant, and was happy how Audi have set that up, although I preferred the feel of the older supercharged V6 with S tronic than the new turbocharged engine with Tiptronic. But not a huge deal.
I think the A7 is the better looking car, but the S5 Sportback is in the same vein. The S5 is much more agile, and whilst the materials quality is not as high as in the A7 (German manufacturers are pretty careful to maintain the pecking order in their model hierarchy, even between model changes), it is much better than any of the competitors. Steering, suspension, brakes all much better in the S5. Obviously a big jump up in technology, in terms of MMI functions and driver aids. For the size / class of the car, the B9 cars are very refined. But you can't beat wheelbase when it comes to highway comfort - the A7 is more comfortable for long distance highway driving.
With the new C8 A7 moving to the MLB Evo platform, it will have all the attributes of the B9 - trading some agility for more refinement. But yes, it will be relatively expensive, and it will also use touch screens, which I don't like. It won't be as sporty as an S5 though.
My A7 had S/line sport seats (not S Sport seats), so yes it had an adjustable head restraint. My S5 has S sport seats, which have a fixed head restraint. I prefer the S sport seats in the S5 - even though they are much firmer than the A7 sport seats, I find them both more comfortable and keep you better located. You can of course get the S5 with sport seats that have adjustable head restraints, although in the US the only option is ventilated seats in black Milano leather.
My only regret is I wanted an RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback
Two reasons for the change were age of the car (I change around 5 years or so), and size of the car. In the typical European town (vs city), the A7 is a huge car which makes parking and navigating narrow streets difficult. My wife hated driving it.
It took me 12 months to find a replacement. Tried to get the last of the B8 RS4 Avants, there were 5 left in my market, but none had a suitable spec. Looked at a lot of vehicles: S6, RS3 Sportback, Macan GTS, AMG C43 and E43, BMW 440 GC. All good, but none I considered preferable to the A7 in overall terms. Had already driven a B9 A4, and knew the new MLB Evo platform was really good - more refinement, better front end, better steering. Drove an S5 coupé and then S4 Avant, and was happy how Audi have set that up, although I preferred the feel of the older supercharged V6 with S tronic than the new turbocharged engine with Tiptronic. But not a huge deal.
I think the A7 is the better looking car, but the S5 Sportback is in the same vein. The S5 is much more agile, and whilst the materials quality is not as high as in the A7 (German manufacturers are pretty careful to maintain the pecking order in their model hierarchy, even between model changes), it is much better than any of the competitors. Steering, suspension, brakes all much better in the S5. Obviously a big jump up in technology, in terms of MMI functions and driver aids. For the size / class of the car, the B9 cars are very refined. But you can't beat wheelbase when it comes to highway comfort - the A7 is more comfortable for long distance highway driving.
With the new C8 A7 moving to the MLB Evo platform, it will have all the attributes of the B9 - trading some agility for more refinement. But yes, it will be relatively expensive, and it will also use touch screens, which I don't like. It won't be as sporty as an S5 though.
My A7 had S/line sport seats (not S Sport seats), so yes it had an adjustable head restraint. My S5 has S sport seats, which have a fixed head restraint. I prefer the S sport seats in the S5 - even though they are much firmer than the A7 sport seats, I find them both more comfortable and keep you better located. You can of course get the S5 with sport seats that have adjustable head restraints, although in the US the only option is ventilated seats in black Milano leather.
My only regret is I wanted an RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback
07-30-2017, 07:41 AM
#103
agreed...
Nothing wrong with Daytona Grey! Rest of my family banned me from it as my previous A7 S/Line was Daytona. I still regard Daytona as one of the best greys ever made - the pearl effect produces such a rippling effect of light and shade depending on the angle of light it always looks more 3D than just about anything else. And the angles and curves of the A5/S5 Sportback should really enhance that.
Manhattan does get some of that pop when the lighting is oblique enough, which I am happy about. Other Audi darker greys, such as Oolong or Meteor, always look a bit flat to me.
I prefer Daytona with bright trim, not black optics, whereas with Manhattan I find the contrast with bright trim too strong and fussy, so black optics worked better for me. Same with Magma Red interior - liked it with Manhattan, but would find it a bit too light/strong with Daytona. I would have gone black rather than red in that case.
All personal choices of course, but worth spending time chewing over.
Manhattan does get some of that pop when the lighting is oblique enough, which I am happy about. Other Audi darker greys, such as Oolong or Meteor, always look a bit flat to me.
I prefer Daytona with bright trim, not black optics, whereas with Manhattan I find the contrast with bright trim too strong and fussy, so black optics worked better for me. Same with Magma Red interior - liked it with Manhattan, but would find it a bit too light/strong with Daytona. I would have gone black rather than red in that case.
All personal choices of course, but worth spending time chewing over.
I just ordered mine in Daytona Grey, and it is the subtle changes in colour under different light that appeals to my photographer's eye. On the other hand the car has a compact inertness in Manhattan which is also very appealing.
Either way, this is the most appealing iteration for Audi since the TT Mk2 - which I bought for my wife - to my eye, and succeeded in luring me away from BMW after 23 years.
07-30-2017, 04:40 PM
#104
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Yes, I like to think of myself as brand neutral, and have had BMW and Mercedes in the past. With the exception of the Porsche Macan Turbo, I really enjoyed driving every one of them. Each had some unique pros, and cons. The challenge was working out which one will keep the enjoyment going over the longer term. So far, with the S5 SB, the longer I have had it the more I like it, so heading in the right direction
07-30-2017, 04:59 PM
#105
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
I just ordered mine in Daytona Grey, and it is the subtle changes in colour under different light that appeals to my photographer's eye. On the other hand the car has a compact inertness in Manhattan which is also very appealing.
Either way, this is the most appealing iteration for Audi since the TT Mk2 - which I bought for my wife - to my eye, and succeeded in luring me away from BMW after 23 years.
Either way, this is the most appealing iteration for Audi since the TT Mk2 - which I bought for my wife - to my eye, and succeeded in luring me away from BMW after 23 years.
07-31-2017, 05:37 PM
#106
Drove once today
Tom,
Two reasons for the change were age of the car (I change around 5 years or so), and size of the car. In the typical European town (vs city), the A7 is a huge car which makes parking and navigating narrow streets difficult. My wife hated driving it.
It took me 12 months to find a replacement. Tried to get the last of the B8 RS4 Avants, there were 5 left in my market, but none had a suitable spec. Looked at a lot of vehicles: S6, RS3 Sportback, Macan GTS, AMG C43 and E43, BMW 440 GC. All good, but none I considered preferable to the A7 in overall terms. Had already driven a B9 A4, and knew the new MLB Evo platform was really good - more refinement, better front end, better steering. Drove an S5 coupé and then S4 Avant, and was happy how Audi have set that up, although I preferred the feel of the older supercharged V6 with S tronic than the new turbocharged engine with Tiptronic. But not a huge deal.
I think the A7 is the better looking car, but the S5 Sportback is in the same vein. The S5 is much more agile, and whilst the materials quality is not as high as in the A7 (German manufacturers are pretty careful to maintain the pecking order in their model hierarchy, even between model changes), it is much better than any of the competitors. Steering, suspension, brakes all much better in the S5. Obviously a big jump up in technology, in terms of MMI functions and driver aids. For the size / class of the car, the B9 cars are very refined. But you can't beat wheelbase when it comes to highway comfort - the A7 is more comfortable for long distance highway driving.
With the new C8 A7 moving to the MLB Evo platform, it will have all the attributes of the B9 - trading some agility for more refinement. But yes, it will be relatively expensive, and it will also use touch screens, which I don't like. It won't be as sporty as an S5 though.
My A7 had S/line sport seats (not S Sport seats), so yes it had an adjustable head restraint. My S5 has S sport seats, which have a fixed head restraint. I prefer the S sport seats in the S5 - even though they are much firmer than the A7 sport seats, I find them both more comfortable and keep you better located. You can of course get the S5 with sport seats that have adjustable head restraints, although in the US the only option is ventilated seats in black Milano leather.
My only regret is I wanted an RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback
Two reasons for the change were age of the car (I change around 5 years or so), and size of the car. In the typical European town (vs city), the A7 is a huge car which makes parking and navigating narrow streets difficult. My wife hated driving it.
It took me 12 months to find a replacement. Tried to get the last of the B8 RS4 Avants, there were 5 left in my market, but none had a suitable spec. Looked at a lot of vehicles: S6, RS3 Sportback, Macan GTS, AMG C43 and E43, BMW 440 GC. All good, but none I considered preferable to the A7 in overall terms. Had already driven a B9 A4, and knew the new MLB Evo platform was really good - more refinement, better front end, better steering. Drove an S5 coupé and then S4 Avant, and was happy how Audi have set that up, although I preferred the feel of the older supercharged V6 with S tronic than the new turbocharged engine with Tiptronic. But not a huge deal.
I think the A7 is the better looking car, but the S5 Sportback is in the same vein. The S5 is much more agile, and whilst the materials quality is not as high as in the A7 (German manufacturers are pretty careful to maintain the pecking order in their model hierarchy, even between model changes), it is much better than any of the competitors. Steering, suspension, brakes all much better in the S5. Obviously a big jump up in technology, in terms of MMI functions and driver aids. For the size / class of the car, the B9 cars are very refined. But you can't beat wheelbase when it comes to highway comfort - the A7 is more comfortable for long distance highway driving.
With the new C8 A7 moving to the MLB Evo platform, it will have all the attributes of the B9 - trading some agility for more refinement. But yes, it will be relatively expensive, and it will also use touch screens, which I don't like. It won't be as sporty as an S5 though.
My A7 had S/line sport seats (not S Sport seats), so yes it had an adjustable head restraint. My S5 has S sport seats, which have a fixed head restraint. I prefer the S sport seats in the S5 - even though they are much firmer than the A7 sport seats, I find them both more comfortable and keep you better located. You can of course get the S5 with sport seats that have adjustable head restraints, although in the US the only option is ventilated seats in black Milano leather.
My only regret is I wanted an RS4 Avant or RS5 Sportback
07-31-2017, 08:13 PM
#108
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Your S5 looks great. I have a 2015 S3 in Daytona Grey and it also looks great. I am planing to order an S5 Sportback and have some questions. What is your interior trim? It looks like carbon or wood. In USA the base trim is polished aluminum which looks cheap. Carbon is an option. Do you experience any wind noise around the windows when traveling on the no speed limit autobahn? My S3 has none but my TTS does at 100mph. Last how do you rate road noise low – moderate – loud? My S3 and TTS are loud. Is the road noise in your S5 similar to your prior S7? Thanks and your car looks great.
08-01-2017, 05:07 AM
#109
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Thanks for the helpful insights. I drove one at my dealer today, and was very impressed with its performance. It took a little while to adjust to the smaller greenhouse and more sculpted seats, but the cardigan to grow on me. The tech and aesthetic design cues are top notch. Interestingly, when I returned to my A7 for the ride home, it felt stodgy and aging after my S5 test drive. Am ready to order one in Mythos black with black leather sport seats, sport package, 19" tires, Nav, carbon. Trying to decide between Premium Plus and Prestige packages. Tom
My market is the same as Germany, in terms of ordering (and paying for ) the car piece by piece. My car has every option except a sunroof and a tow bar provision. When ordering a new S5 cabriolet, I originally left a few things off. My wife, who will normally drive the cab, prefers the traditional (large) twin dial layout to the centre S tacho display. So the VC in her set up would look the same as using the real instruments, just slightly fake
But then I was concerned about resale without VC, so added it back in. Same with the HUD, on which I was originally ambivalent. But I now find whenever I get back into our B8 S5 that I find it quite distracting to have to look down to check the speed, so have added that back in. I have always ordered MMI Plus, and every test car I have driven had MMI Plus, so don't know how compromised the basic system is, specifically on navigation. The price in the US for the Premium level upgrade seems very reasonable, but only if the included items are ones you would have wanted, and it fits in the budget. None of them are going to change your fundamental enjoyment from driving the car.
08-01-2017, 05:53 AM
#110
red brake calipers?
My car is similarly equipped, but the red brake calipers are $500 extra in Canada. Am I right in assuming that they are just red, and otherwise no different from the regular calipers?