Incoming Audi A5 PHEV to be competitively priced

AUDI Australia has launched its A5 entry grade and S5 flagship models this month ahead of an expanding range it says will include identically priced petrol- and plug-in hybrid electric variants from later this year.

Offering customers price parity on ICE and PHEV powered models with comparable equipment levels is a strategic move Audi says will remove the barrier often presented when shopping new energy vehicle technology.

Speaking with GoAuto at the Australian launch of the A5 and S5 in Trentham, Victoria, Audi Australia head of product Matthew Dale said he expects the mid-tier TFSI quattro 200kW (petrol) and e-hybrid quattro 270kW (PHEV) to conquer the lion’s share of A5 sales, suggesting the plug-in hybrid variant’s value advantage may win it a majority vote.

“What we will see, once the remainder of the range arrives, is that the majority of buyers will opt for models in the mid-tier, being the 200kW option and the PHEV,” he noted.

“The bigger question for us, is around that 200kW and the PHEV (given the similarities in price). Because we haven’t had a PHEV in that space before, it’s been the 200kW car, at around 50 per cent, that has been quite strong for us.

“The new A5 PHEV has a very strong set position – there is a lot of customer value in that car. We think it will form a healthy part of the model mix moving forward.”

Mr Dale said Audi Australia had purposefully positioned the mid-tier A5 duo to tempt traditional segment buyers toward a vehicle they may not have previously considered, and that the removal of the price impost will draw buyers chasing not only a greener alternative – but one that very nearly competes with the sportier S5 in terms of performance.

“Our customers will tell us what they would like to purchase, but we’ve positioned both vehicles accordingly in that mid-tier to really speak to those more traditional customers who prefer a 200kW quattro or a slightly more the-focused PHEV,” he added.

“It (the PHEV) has extremely great customer value, and to get it to that price has taken quite a large strategy move on our behalf. But the main benefit of course is that customers are benefitting from S model levels of performance with PHEV levels of efficiency.”

While segment sales numbers might indicate the A5 range will face significant headwinds, given Australian preferences for SUVs, Mr Dale insists the premium share of the market is more stable than its mainstream counterparts.

“The premium market has been quite stable for a number of years. It’s not as volatile (as the mainstream passenger car market), which gives us confidence in offering one of the broadest model portfolios that we’ve had in the segment,” he told GoAuto.

“That broad range means we can bring in not only the powertrain variants our buyers want, it gives us the confidence to offer body styles that Australian consumers want. We will offer the majority of them (available variants and body styles), and we will position these cars extremely well.”

For now, the A4 replacing local A5 range will include the 2.0 TFSI front-wheel drive Sedan (from $79,900) with turbocharged four-cylinder petrol power delivering 150kW/340Nm, and the S5 flagship in both Sedan (from $99,900) and Avant (from $102,900) body styles combining 48-volt electrical assistance with a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine developing 270kW/550Nm.

The A5 TFSI 150kW, S5 edition one, and S5 will be joined toward the end of the year by additional model variants Mr Dale mentioned, including the A5 TFSI quattro 200kW and A5 e-hybrid quattro 270kW – both available from an identical $89,900 as a Sedan or from $92,900 as an Avant.

The pricing structure gives Audi a competitive advantage over traditional rivals including the BMW 3 Series (from $92,900 + ORC), Jaguar XE (from $80,450 + ORC), and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (from $89,990 + ORC), while leaving sufficient wriggle room for competitors like the Alfa Romeo Giulia (from $69,950 + ORC), Genesis G70 (from $80,265 + ORC), Lexus ES (from $62,140 + ORC), and Volvo S60 (from $69,990 + ORC) to make their mark.

Visit GoAuto again soon for our local launch review of the 2025 Audi A5 and S5 range.

2025 Audi A5 and S5 pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.