The Audi A5 Avant is a hybrid diesel electric – but aren't diesels supposed to be a dying breed?

Is Diesel Back From The Wilderness?

By Jeremy Taylor & Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby

2 hours ago

We drive Audi’s latest TDI estate to Britain’s retro music fest in Oxfordshire

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The Audi A5 Avant is a hybrid diesel electric – but aren't diesels supposed to be a dying breed?

Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby explain how Audi’s A5 Avant TDI, a hybrid diesel-electric, might be music to your ears.

Car Review: Audi A5 Avant TDI

JT-P: Hold on, aren’t diesel cars supposed to be a dying breed? Bad for the environment and destined for the scrapheap? Definitely not the car to be seen in at the ultra-green Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire last weekend.

Set in Cornbury Park near Charlbury, Wilderness Festival is often billed as the UK’s poshest festival

JT: Well, you might think so. Sales of all combustion-engined vehicles will be banned from 2035. Purchases of dastardly diesels, also known as oil-burners, plummeted by almost 14 percent in the UK last year.

Of course, there was a time when diesel cars were hugely popular with long-distance drivers, then regarded as the greener choice compared to petrol. How things have changed!

Since VW’s ‘dieselgate’ scandal in 2015, when some TDI cars were found to have sidestepped emission standards, diesel has fallen out of favour still further.

Audi is a headline partner at Wilderness Festival

What’s the story with our Audi TDI Avant estate then?

The new A5 range now has the option of a state-of-the-art, 3.0 petrol engine, or a 2.0-litre TDI, both partially electrified with a mild-electric system. Neither are plug-in hybrids but the battery helps increase performance at lower speeds and boosts fuel economy even further.

I noticed our TDI claimed a range of over 600 miles when it was delivered – that’s staggering compared to a pure battery car. But why is Audi persisted in building diesels?

They are still very popular in Germany and other parts of Europe, so why not sell a few in the UK too? Estate cars are also on the decline here, thanks to the ubiquitous SUV, but the latest A5 Avant looks very chic and should tick a lot of boxes for long-distance family drivers.

Our Launch Edition TDI is fully-loaded with extras and costs £58,425. It’s zippy too and has all kinds of bonus kit, like a B&O premium sound system, head-up instrument display and a rather lovely, comfortable cabin made from premium materials.

And not forgetting a BIG boot, just what you need for a festival in the fields on a weekend of unpredictable weather. Coats, wellies and anything else you can cram in to stay warm and dry.

I was happy with a heated seat and steering wheel. Bliss.

The Car In Numbers

Acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of 146 mph.
The latest Audi A5s are powered by a 2.0 litre, four-cylinder TDI engine with a mild hybrid system for enhance efficiency.
The engine delivers 204 PS (201 bhp) and a robust 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.
The standard offering is a 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission, though Audi’s renowned quattro all-wheel drive for superior traction is also available.
Fuel economy is a top selling point: you’ll find the A5’s fuel consumption figures in the range of 52.3-56.5 mpg.
The car is around 4.8 metres long and just over 2 metres wide.
Boot capacity is 448 litres, or 1,396 litres with the rear seats folded down.
The digital cockpit screen boasts a 14.5-inch MMI touchscreen display and a 10.9-inch passenger display on some models.

DISCOVER