A story of two Audis: the A5 saloon goes up in opposition to the A6 Avant e-tron

The political soccer that’s the EV switchover has been booted up and down the pitch extra instances than we care to recollect, particularly within the UK. The knock-on impact on the automotive market is one among confusion and flip-flopping, as fashions as soon as destined for pure electrical drivetrains are quietly revised to take old fashioned ICE energy and different producers get lengthy stays of execution for fashions and engines that may in any other case be on their manner out.

Partly this is because of legislative confusion, however shopper behaviour has additionally performed an element. Most significantly, one results the opposite, with the top outcome being that quantity producers provide a extra numerous and esoteric line-up of various and sometimes conflicting mannequin sorts than ever earlier than.

Take into account Audi. We’ve not too long ago sampled the petrol-powered A5 alongside the A6 e-tron. Don’t even get us began on Audi’s present nomenclative nonsense, however for the needs of this piece, the A5 and A6 are intently associated in scale and objective, with the A5 only a smidge smaller – confusingly, this mannequin was once often known as the A4. A5s can be found as a saloon and Avant (property), in petrol, diesel or hybrid configuration.

The newer A6 is available in saloon and Avant variants with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid choices, whereas the pure EV, the A6 e-tron, is obtainable as an Avant and a ‘Sportback’, basically a sleeker saloon with a bigger tailgate. All credit score to Audi’s product planners for the psychological juggling act they carry out to keep up the 57 variants throughout 14 completely different mannequin traces within the UK market alone.

So what’s it to be, ICE or EV? From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the A6 Avant e-tron wins this one. The design language is just a bit bit developed and dynamic, particularly within the good-looking long-roofed Avant variant. The entrance finish nonetheless feels transitional, with slimmer lights which have developed from the A5’s extra classically Audi ‘face’ but don’t really feel totally resolved. A lot has been fabricated from the novel strategy taken by the 2025 Audi Idea C, and the way which may sign a brand new design aesthetic going forwards.

Each vehicles share the large mild bar on the rear, first seen on the e-tron GT (nonetheless the best-looking trendy Audi, in our opinion), however the A6 e-tron provides unwelcome touches just like the illuminated four-ring emblem on the boot – not very delicate. Inside, the variations are even more durable to differentiate, with a strikingly related structure of screens and HVAC controls.

Dig a little bit deeper and the A5 comes up considerably brief, with bells and whistles saved to a naked minimal. Actually, that is nearly essentially the most vanilla ‘premium’ automotive you should purchase, with out even electrical seats on the check mannequin. Audi’s on-screen graphics are glorious in each fashions, if not fairly the perfect at school (there’s stiff competitors lately), and the pattern in the direction of swooping, curved and floating display screen designs clashes with the sober graphical strategy.

As well as, anybody trying to get into an A5 or A6 will discover recent updates to the HMI system, launched final month. These embody higher cellphone integration and extra show choices, together with some tweaking of the e-tron’s regenerative braking.

To this point, the A5 seems very very like an Audi for EV refuseniks. We haven’t been in a position to examine like for like – and the A5 we drove was very a lot decrease within the pecking order than the A6 Avant e-tron with S line bodykit and efficiency upgrades. Each have the firmness of trip and directness of steering that’s the Audi trademark, but the EV naturally has the acceleration to match, whereas the A5 feels a little bit lacklustre in its normal, 150PS TFSI trim.

The A5’s 4-cylinder engine delivers almost 42mpg on common, giving a spread of 4-500 miles if pushed prudently. The e-tron can’t compete, though the acknowledged vary of 437 miles is spectacular and really a lot next-gen efficiency for an EV (regardless of being much less in actual world situations).

If not fairly chalk and cheese, these two Audis definitely spotlight the present stage of distinction between ICE and EV and the efforts being made to raise the latter, usually on the expense of the previous. For a extra correct comparability, think about that the usual ICE A6 Avant begins at £54,735, that means that going all-in on electrical nonetheless requires a hefty premium. Nevertheless, by way of design, desirability and all-round potential, we reckon the e-tron has the sting.

A6 Avant e-tron efficiency, from £80,455, Audi A5 saloon, from £43,410, Audi.co.uk, A6 Avant e-tron efficiency, from £65,115, Audi.co.uk