2012 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI Quattro MT6 Coupe (920)

Overview:

This week we’re looking at the 2012 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI (Turbo fuel stratified injection), Quattro MT6 (Manual Transmission 6 speed) Coupe was first introduced in 2007 and remains a beauty.

I’m guessing you too would have the same reaction I did when it came to giving the car back. I was looking forward to the Jeep Patriot I would be testing next, but I really warmed up to this Audi. How I feel after the test says a lot if I really want to drive it longer. It says the experience was nearly perfect.

First of all the Audi has made some marvelous advances over the years and I believe Volkswagen has been a great influence in that improvement. That fact has been the case with so many other car companies that found it necessary to join forces. Ford’s takeover of Jaguar, Daimler / Mercedes-Benz’s takeover of Chrysler and others have all been positive.

You may know that I owned a foreign car repair shop for many years. I have to tell you in those early model years for Audi I wouldn’t give you 2 cents for the car. BMW was junk then too, to be fair, and FIAT (fix it again Tony) was a frequent visitor. But Fiat was cheap to fix, while Audi and BMW were pricey to keep running. That being said, Audi has made huge improvements and I was forced to rethink my opinion of the brand.

It reminds me of how America has influenced economic policy to the world generally. When you bring peoples of the world together you get the best of each ethnic group to be better in the end to the whole. I think it has as much to do with how stagnant one view of solving problems is as compared to how diversity of thought makes us better.
General Information:

Parts from the US/ Canadian 1%; Germany 75%, Engine – Hungary; Transmission – Germany. Classification is SUV. Cars from Audi: A3, A4, A4 Avant, A5, A6, A6 Avant, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, R8 S4, S5, S6 & TT.
Opinion:

Driving demands that you pay attention all the time and keep your speed consistent. Cruise control helps a lot in this area and will help you make lane changes slower rather than quick / fast movements. Signaling also helps you hesitate in changing lanes and helps those around you to know what you intend to do.

Speed, in itself, does not cause accidents but rather erratic movement coupled with traveling at much faster speeds than the normal flow of traffic. Be aware of traffic around you constantly and be considerate of others when you are thinking of cutting in front of another car that forces them to brake. That is irresponsible driving.

Finally if you plan ahead and give yourself more time to get to your destination you will avoid stress and eliminate the chances of causing or being involved in a traffic accident. Remember, driving at break-neck speed will save very little time for all the dangerous movements needed.

Handling & Performance:

Wonderful – simply wonderful. This is one of the few cars that earned me a speeding ticket because it is so easy to exceed road limits beyond the ability of the average car. Performance cars like this Audi handle the road like a pro! For sure it makes a better driver out of all of us.

And speaking of performance, the 211 hp with a 6-speed manual transmission will take you from 0-60 mph in just 6.4 exhilarating seconds.

Styling:

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I found most folks I spoke with felt it is one beautiful example of what a car should look like. The model I tested was painted a bright white that is striking and the interior was a linen beige color … really cool.

Fit and Finish:

Excellent.

Cost:

Well, we’re in the high rent district but the competition makes this Audi A5 appear to be a bargain in class.

Conveniences and comfort:

The A5 includes features I appreciate, but there are a few more it doesn’t include, like adaptive cruise control, sensors for blind spot detection of approaching traffic.

One negative that I’ve noticed that I wonder about is the HD Radio. It automatically kicks in but I found it to be annoyance because of static and volume and reception fluctuation. If there is a fix to that I shouldn’t have to figure out how to eliminate the odd noises and poor reception.

Consumer Recommendation:

If you are a performance motivated driver, you gotta love this Audi. Relatively speaking it is affordable. I like it better than the others noted here for many reasons there isn’t enough print space to explain. In summary, it just does what all the others can do, but better.

Recognized Competition:

Audi A5 $37,000, BMW 3-Series $45,000, BMW 6-Series $74,000, Cadillac CTS $36,000, Chevrolet Camaro $23,000, Chevrolet Corvette $50,000, Volvo C70 $40,000, Hyundai Equus $59,000, Infiniti EX $36,000, Infiniti G Convertible $47,000, Infiniti G Coupe $38,000, Lexus IS C $41,000, Mercedes-Benz E-Class $50,000.

Good News:

Well priced luxury in class, good warranty, fast.

Bad News:

Standard Equipment:

2.0 TFSI Quattro inline 4-cylinder 211 hp engine, 6-speed manual transmission, Quattro permanent all wheel drive, 18” 10-spoke wheels, power assist ABS disc brakes, stability control, speed sensitive power steering, tire pressure monitor, tilting glass sunroof, power heated mirrors, rain and light sensors, leather seating, 8-way power front seats, trip computer, climate control, audio with SIRIUS Satellite and CD, front side curtain and drive knee airbags, anti theft alarm and LATCH system. 4-year / 50,000 mile warranty with 12 year corrosion protection.

Gas Stats:

$3.99/ Gal avg. April 27, 2012
www.fueleconomy.gov
for more information.

21 City and 31 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $37,100.