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2009 Audi S5 Safety Review

December 20, 2008

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

LED daytime running lights
Cars.com

A blind-spot warning system is also available.
Edmunds

Though neither NHTSA nor the IIHS have crash-tested the 2008 or 2009 Audi S5, the S5 shares its underlying body structure with the new Audi A4 sedan, which has garnered top marks in crash tests from both the federal government and the insurance-industry-supported IIHS. And the 2009 Audi S5 is packed with safety features.

Cars.com notes that there have been no published crash-test ratings for the 2009 Audi S5 by the government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, "but Audis generally do well in both such tests."

Crash-test scores aside, the 2009 S5 comes with an alphabet soup of safety features: ABS, ESP, ACC, AWD, and so on. Edmunds catalogs the standard safety features that come on the Audi S5: "Antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags"--a good selection. Additional features include an optional "backup camera and Audi's Side Assist blind spot warning system," says Cars.com. A new adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance from the car ahead is optional this year.

According to MyRide.com, the 2009 Audi S5's "four-wheel antilock disc brakes [are] bolstered by electronic brake force distribution and a stability control system," keeping you safe on the road. "That's in addition to Quattro all-wheel drive," says MyRide.com, which praises the "sure-footed technology standard on every model." For those who "like to push the limits of adhesion during spirited driving," ForbesAutos reports, "the electronic stability program can be deactivated in two stages," depending on whether you plan to drive your S5 more enthusiastically or just want a little wheel slip to power through a snowy driveway.

Conclusion

A crash in the 2009 Audi S5 is probably more likely to bruise your ego than your body.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:LED daytime running lightsCars.comA blind-spot warning system is also available.Edmunds Though neither NHTSA nor the IIHS have crash-tested the 2008 or 2009 Audi S5, the S5 shares its underlying body structure with the new Audi A4 sedan, which has garnered top marks in crash tests from both the federal government and the insurance-industry-supported IIHS. And the 2009 Audi S5 is packed with safety features. Cars.com notes that there have been no published crash-test ratings for the 2009 Audi S5 by the government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, "but Audis generally do well in both such tests." Crash-test scores aside, the 2009 S5 comes with an alphabet soup of safety features: ABS, ESP, ACC, AWD, and so on. Edmunds catalogs the standard safety features that come on the Audi S5: "Antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags"--a good selection. Additional features include an optional "backup camera and Audi's Side Assist blind spot warning system," says Cars.com. A new adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance from the car ahead is optional this year. According to MyRide.com, the 2009 Audi S5's "four-wheel antilock disc brakes [are] bolstered by electronic brake force distribution and a stability control system," keeping you safe on the road. "That's in addition to Quattro all-wheel drive," says MyRide.com, which praises the "sure-footed technology standard on every model." For those who "like to push the limits of adhesion during spirited driving," ForbesAutos reports, "the electronic stability program can be deactivated in two stages," depending on whether you plan to drive your S5 more enthusiastically or just want a little wheel slip to power through a snowy driveway. ConclusionA crash in the 2009 Audi S5 is probably more likely to bruise your ego than your body.  2009 AUDI S5 STYLING | [9 out of 10] Kelley Blue Book: "undeniably well-proportioned" Automobile Magazine: "interior is as beautiful as its sculpted exterior" Edmunds: "upscale interior" Cars.com: "The car seems downright angry thanks to a grille with vertical chrome bars and angular ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The natural competition for the Audi S5 is BMW's M3 coupe, and the two are near equals in performance in price--though TheCarConnection.com's car experts prefer the Audi's sleeker styling and standard all-wheel drive. Mercedes-Benz offers a slightly more sedate coupe, the CLK550; it's powerful, and a Black Series edition can be had with ungodly amounts of power and torque. It may not seem like a cross-shopped car, but the Dodge Challenger SRT8 can play musclecar even better than the Audi S5, though it's much larger, heavier, and cheaper.

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See the Audi S5 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008

Comments (3 total)

  1. By Rob #1, Posted: 8/23/2009

    Marty - just a heads up on an inconsistency in your review. Your dislikes indicate a "tight trunk", but the text of the article states that "on the plus side, the trunk is large...".

  2. by Marty Padgett #2, Posted: 8/25/2009

    You're right Rob, I don't suppose I was clear enough. The actual trunk space is decent--it's the small opening that makes it a tight squeeze.

  3. By Blue #3, Posted: 10/2/2009

    Marty, thanks for the article! I found it more balanced and on-point than the "truth about cars" review which suffered many errors and horrible grammar.
    I am considering the automatic, and have driven it. I can tell you; I found the automatic (Tiptronic) in this car to be very quick and precise, without any of the abruptness mentioned in other articles. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to force the transmission to "hold" a gear as long as I wished - so long as I didn't approach the rev-limiter. Likewise the shifts in manual mode were very precise and easy to control; with the paddles attached to the wheel, not the column. In automatic mode I found the transmission to be very comfortable when I was driving sanely and very quick and lively when I was driving more aggressively. I also did not notice any of the understeering antics other reviews mention, though I was driving on a hilly, winding road in a spirited fashion to the extent that I was able to judge the car's ability to be controlled at the limit of adhesion, from either end. This car is supremely controllable and balanced beyond any plausible expectation. I would never have guessed (after driving it) that this car weighs as much as it does. Finally,, I agree with KBB.com that there is no reason to doubt the factory's 5.1 second 0-60 claim...This car is very quick!

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