There was a time when the Audi A4 was the anchor of the Four Rings — the dependable metronome in a world of shifting automotive tempos. A car with pedigree, purpose, and that quiet, Teutonic confidence from which badges such as the S4 and RS4 sprung forth. So when the A5 Sedan eventually took its place, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of loss. Like walking into your favourite café only to find the reliable barista replaced by someone new — competent, sure, and it least it isn’t AI. For now.
That was the headspace I was in when the Audi A5 Sedan TFSI 146 kW Black Edition arrived on my driveway. White, with black contrasts, sharp as a tailored suit, and very much a modern Audi. Which is to say: cool, precise, and about as dramatic as a well-produced German thriller — engaging, but never unhinged.
Sedans, of course, have been having a rough go of it. Once the default choice for anyone who fancied themselves even vaguely sophisticated, they’ve now been mugged in a dark alley by SUVs — and left looking around wondering where their lunch money went. China didn’t help matters; in fact, their SUV market exploded with such ferocity that it reshaped global line-ups, design priorities, even entire brand strategies. And so the humble sedan, graceful and low-slung, is now a rare sight in a world obsessed with towering ride heights and swollen proportions.
My concern for Audi goes a bit deeper than that. This is a brand that quietly killed off the TT — an icon — and then switched off the life support for the R8 — a halo car that did so much emotional heavy lifting. When a company starts pruning its legends, you start to worry. Are the suits tightening their grip? Has the spark faded?
Yet I wandered through Audi’s showing at the recent IAA Mobility show, and there — somewhere between the LEDs and the concept-car idealism — were embers. Glimmers of a brand remembering how to be a little bold again. Not a full-on blaze just yet, but a warm promise that Audi hasn’t forgotten how to stir the senses.
None of that, however, is present in the A5 Sedan I drove. And that’s not a criticism. If anything, the A5’s steadfast refusal to be dramatic is almost… comforting. It feels like the Audi formula distilled: clean lines, a cabin hewn from the usual vault-like materials, technology that doesn’t shout, and a drivetrain that prefers smoothness over theatrics. It is, in many ways, the ghost of the A4 wearing a slightly different suit.
And let’s talk about that “A5” badge for a second. Because, despite the marketing department’s attempts to convince us this is a more coupe-like proposition, it’s only marginally swoopier than the A4 it replaces. This isn’t the dramatic profile of the original A5 coupe — that perfect three-door sculpture that turned driveways into galleries. Nor is it the sleek, stretched silhouette of the five-door Sportback that made practicality look sexy. No, the A5 Sedan is more of a gentle nod than a sweeping bow.
Still, as I settled into the Black Edition — its 146 kW quietly eager beneath my right foot — I found myself appreciating its honesty. No pretence. No gimmicks. Just a very well-executed sedan in a world that’s forgotten how much we used to love them. Maybe that’s the point. In an era where everything is trying too hard to stand out, the A5 stands firm by being confidently familiar. Typical Audi. And sometimes, typical Audi is exactly what you want.
At R1,166,800 (sans options), the Audi A5 Black Edition TFSI S tronic (full name) is a pricy front-wheel drive Audi. Add an extra R80k to the sticker price and at R1,281,800 you have the more compelling 200kW Quattro version which while bereft of an RS badge, might make us forget the A4 badge just that much quicker.
