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QUALITY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
great materials inside, and ergonomics are first-rate
Automobile
sport seats...embrace occupants [like] Dr. Heimlich
Motor Trend
In either guise, the Audi A5 is a boulevard cruiser--what we used to call a grand touring car--at its heart, and that means that the priority is clearly toward front-seat comfort, not for whomever ends up in back for short stints.
For a couple and a weekend's worth of baggage, the 2012 A5 is an ideal companion, with a well-laid-out cabin and a quiet, refined ride.
Front seats have excellent support and are mounted to grant good leg and head room. With rather strong bolstering, as well as an underlying firmness, they're good for covering long distances, though the more heavily bolstered buckets from the sporty S5 coupe and convertible should be more widely available in the A5. Headroom can be a bit snug with the optional panoramic sunroof.
In back, entry and exit can be tough, even with the A5's long doors. And you shouldn't plan on putting adults there for very long, as there's nearly no legroom or headroom. The Cabriolet cuts out even more space back there, so it's for kids only.
The rear seats are split to fold down in equal portions, or together, which boosts access to the trunk. Even in the Cabriolet, the cargo hold has space for a fair amount of luggage; it hangs on to 11.3 of the Coupe's 16.3 cubic feet of trunk space, even when the top is folded down.
Materials are a high point in the A5, no matter which model. Surfaces have a low-gloss luster, and the cockpit shows the company's mastery of mixing plastic, leather, and wood in the right proportions. A superb ride—firm but just absorbent enough—plus excellent insulation from road and wind noise altogether make the A5 a joy for covering long distances.
Conclusion
The 2012 Audi A5 is a great weekend getaway machine, given its excellent front-seat comfort, decent trunk space, and lavish, quiet interior.
