Audi RS5 Sportback Performance Edition 2024 review – Is it worth £14k more than the BMW M4?

Once you take that speed into the corners you really start to appreciate the support and control of the coilovers. There is calmness and precision in the movements of the body, which naturally increases your confidence and commitment. So are the standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes, which have excellent power and progress. But push harder and you’ll find yourself covering ground more quickly rather than discovering a wide range of adjustability to play with. We drove a car RS6 GT It’s the same day as the RS5, and although the former was a stiffer, heavier car, it felt somehow more positive in corners, with a much stronger turn-in feel when pressing the throttle. In contrast, the RS5 is calmer and more reserved, but ultimately less exciting, which feels like it should be the other way around.

But there’s no doubt that the Performance’s extra grip and control make fast driving more satisfying than the standard RS5, and if you can live with a more engaged drive, it can still be used on a daily basis. It comes in the more practical five-door Sportback body style, and although the cabin isn’t particularly cutting-edge these days, we like the fact that it’s not a complete feast of displays. The fit and finish are superb, the switchgear operates with tactile precision, and although there are fewer pixels than you’ll find in the new M4, you still get a fully digital instrument cluster and a crisp, easy-to-use central touchscreen.

Have the Performance Edition upgrades transformed the RS5 into a highly compelling M4 rival? Not quite, but it comes closer than you’d expect. The problem is that the BMW remains the benchmark in this class for around £14k less, and the xDrive system means Audi no longer holds all the cards when it comes to year-round usability. To spend more than £100,000 on an RS5, you have to really, really want it.

Price and competitors

The £101,645 Performance Edition attracts some serious competition. Besides the mentioned M4, there is also a more modern and comfortable, but less interesting Mercedes-AMG CLE53 (£73,075) to tackle and the awesomeness of the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio (£79,495).

There’s BMW’s 840i in the class above for £83,990, but this looks more like a GT than an outlandish sports coupe. For something more purposeful but still usable on a daily basis, porsche It will also sell you the base 992.2 Carrera for just under £100k.