Test drive

Audi A5 Avant e-Hybrid quattro, the road test of the plug-in hybrid wagon that does 100 km on electric power

Generously sized and equipped with the new generation of phev powertrains with two power levels and a range in EV mode of up to 105 kilometres

9 June 2025

4' min read

Audi A5 is also a plug-in hybrid. The German car, available in saloon and Avant versions, has picked up the baton from the A4, becoming the first model from the four rings to be built on the premium thermal PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) platform, offering different fuels, including the e-Hybrid version equipped with plug-in hybrid technology, the protagonist of our test drive through the picturesque roads of the Langhe.

Platform and dimensions

The new Audi A5 is the first model from the four rings based on the innovative PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) modular platform dedicated to models with a longitudinal front combustion engine. An evolution of the Audi A4, icon of the four-ring mid-range, the Audi A5 Avant e-Hybrid quattro has more generous dimensions: 4.83 m long, 1.86 m wide and 1.46 m high. Specifically, compared to the Audi A4 it is 6.7 cm longer, 1.3 cm wider and sees the wheelbase increase by 7.2 cm to 2.89 metres.

In functional terms, the luggage compartment capacity of the Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid quattro is 361 litres with five people on board. Folding down the rear seats (which can be divided 40:20:40) increases the capacity to 1,306 litres. Different values for the saloon version which, on the other hand, has a capacity of 331 litres, reaching a maximum of 1,175 litres.

In terms of weight, the Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid 220 kW quattro S tronic weighs in at 2,085 kg.

The e-Hybrid system, the heart of the car

The heart of the Audi A5 Avant/saloon e-hybrid quattro is the system consisting of the heat engine, electric motor and battery. In detail, the A5 e-Hybrid comes in two power levels: 299 and 367 hp. The cars combine the 4-cylinder 2.0 TFSI (turbocharged with direct petrol injection) Miller cycle engine with a permanent magnet synchronous (PSM) electric motor. The electron unit is integrated into the 7-speed S tronic gearbox, which is equipped with an electric oil pump to ensure smooth gear changes even when the TFSI is not active.

Audi A5 e-hybrid quattro, le foto della versione ibrida plug-in
Photogallery15 foto

The 367 hp variants sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, while the 299 hp configurations accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. For all, top speed is limited to 250 km/h (140 km/h in pure electric mode).

Another key element of the e-Hybrid system is the high-voltage battery with a nominal capacity of 25.9 kWh (20.7 kWh effective), which achieves a range in electric mode of 105 kilometres in the Wltp homologation cycle (104 km for the Avant version).

The star of our test was the less powerful, 299 hp version with Avant bodywork, a sprightly and comfortable station that can only be recharged at the 11 kW AC plug (for weight and space reasons), reaching 100 per cent of its power in 2.5 hours.

CO2 emissions, on the other hand, already comply with the new Euro6eB standard, effective from 1/01/2026, and are between 45 and 61 g/km.

While the declared consumption is 2.1-2.6 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres.

Battery Charge mode: charging while driving

In addition to the now customary Battery Hold function, which saves energy for the benefit of a later stage of the journey by setting the charge level (SoC) limit, the Audi A5 e-tron quattro also debuts the Battery Charge function: if the set state of charge is higher than the available energy, the combustion engine alone acts and, at speeds above 65 km/h, helps to recharge the high-voltage accumulator until the 75 per cent threshold is reached.

Also standard is the progressive power-assisted and variable-geared steering and the quattro ultra all-wheel drive, where the kinematic chain operates particularly efficiently by activating torque distribution to the rear axle only when necessary.

Chassis-wise, the plug-in variants, like the rest of the Audi A5 range, make use of a body with high torsional strength. An advantage to which the large-section anti-roll bars, generous control arms and attachment of the steering rack to a specific auxiliary frame contribute.

All characteristics that made driving during the test drive enjoyable and gave a high driving feeling among the curves and scenic landscapes of the Langhe.

Interior dominated by the Audi digital stage

On board the Audi A5 Avant e-Hybrid quattro, you are welcomed into a comfortable and spacious environment. The driver's seat is quite low, giving a sporty driving feel even with the engine switched off.

What is striking on board is the 'digital stage', as it is called in Audi. That is, the set of three screens: the 11.9-inch virtual cockpit plus, the 14.5-inch panoramic Oled display and the 10.9-inch passenger-side display.

A showcase of well-organised information that allows the driver and passenger to be kept up-to-date with all necessary information.

Finally, Audi A5 Avant/saloon e-Hybrid quattro is equipped with E3 1.2 electronic architecture, AI and Android Automotive OS. Similar to the rest of the Audi A5 range, the advanced digitisation of the plug-in saloon and Avant contributes to the advanced digitisation of the E3 1.2 electronic architecture, which has five 'computer platforms' controlling vehicle functions and is characterised by high computing speed. The innovative platform makes possible the interaction between artificial intelligence (ChatGPT) and the voice assistant as well as the adoption of the Android Automotive OS.