Audi’s 2026 S5 Bets That Restraint Beats the Horsepower Wars

Audi’s 2026 S5 makes 362 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, restrained numbers in a class where rivals now brag about four-digit output. That is nearly the same rating Audi quoted for the outgoing S4, wrapped inside a liftback body carrying a name the automaker has already admitted was a mistake.

Professional testers who pushed the car hard on real roads came back with strikingly similar complaints about how little of that restraint translates into fun behind the wheel. Audi’s own plug-in hybrid RS5, rated at 630 horsepower, is already set to arrive at a starting price near $125,000, a sibling that complicates the S5’s whole argument before it even settles into showrooms.

A Name Audi Already Admits Was a Mistake

The S5 sold today carries a badge that used to belong to a two-door coupe. In 2023, Audi announced that gas-powered models would get odd numbers and electric models even numbers, so the next A4 became the A5, and its hotter sibling went from S4 to S5.

The plan lasted barely two years. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner told Australian media the change was a misstep, saying, “Yes, as we said earlier this year, that was a mistake, and we corrected it.” Marco Schubert, Audi’s board member for sales and marketing, said the reversal followed direct feedback from customers and international dealers.

The clearest evidence came before the switch ever finished. Audi kept calling its next combustion-powered flagship the A6 instead of renaming it A7, breaking its own rule before the ink dried.

It is not the brand’s first about-face on naming. A double-digit system tied to engine output, introduced in 2017, was scrapped in 2024 after confusing customers. Executives have not ruled out reviving the A4 name at the car’s mid-cycle refresh, expected around the 2029 model year.

362 Horsepower, by Design

Under the hood sits a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and quattro, Audi’s all-wheel-drive system. A 48-volt mild-hybrid setup adds an 18-kilowatt electric motor and a small battery, letting the car creep along on electric power alone at parking speeds.

Audi’s own spec page credits part of the gain to a twin-scroll turbocharger tucked inside the V that sharpens throttle response. The figure itself, 362 horsepower, is only a modest step up from the outgoing generation’s 349 horsepower, a gain of roughly 13 horsepower rather than the leap Audi has planned for the RS5.

Audi rates the US car at 4.3 seconds to 60 mph. The European version, which gets a small hybrid boost of about 5 extra horsepower, carries a claimed 4.5 seconds to 100 km/h (62 mph). Fuel economy lands at 23 mpg combined in US testing, 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

Is the 2026 S5 Actually Fun to Drive?

Mostly not, according to the outlets that pushed it hardest on real roads. The S5 posts quick numbers, handles capably, and rides well, but reviewer after reviewer flagged the same gap: it moves fast without stirring much emotion behind the wheel, and none of them came away grinning.

There’s a lot to appreciate about the S5… unfortunately it gets everything going except your heart rate.

That is Top Gear’s verdict after a UK test drive, where the car costs £68,700 (roughly $87,000 at recent exchange rates).

Motor1’s first-drive review, conducted in the south of France, reached a similar conclusion: the new S5 is not as fun as the car it replaces. Edmunds found it quicker than a comparable BMW M340i at the test track but said the S5 “lacks the handling spark of some competitors.”

Reviewers who spent more time with the car flagged the same rough edges:

• Cabin plastics – Carscoops, in reviews of both the S5 and its SQ5 sibling, singled out piano-black trim on the transmission tunnel as a fingerprint magnet that looks cheap for the price.
• A muted V6 – Carscoops said Audi could have worked harder on intake and exhaust sound, since the engine stays quiet even under hard acceleration.
• Harsh low-speed shifts – Exhaust Notes Australia and Carscoops both noted the dual-clutch gearbox gets jerky under launch control, even though it smooths out at speed.

SlashGear reviewer Cameron Aubernon, who tested a Grenadine Red Metallic S5 across the New River Valley in Southwestern Virginia, added a fourth gripe: an overly sensitive cross-traffic detection system that slowed the car down approaching intersections, even in cruise. Aubernon also noted the front seat did not fit his mother’s frame well and that she struggled getting in and out, suggesting Audi’s Q5 crossover as a better fit for less mobile passengers.

Three Trims, One Engine

Every 2026 S5 uses the same drivetrain regardless of trim. What changes is equipment.

• Premium starts at $63,300 before a $1,295 destination charge.
• Premium Plus starts at $66,200 and adds items like an upgraded Bang and Olufsen sound system.
• Prestige starts at $70,900 and can be optioned with a $7,600 package that adds a head-up display, animated headlights, and a dedicated passenger touchscreen.

A fully loaded test car, finished in Grenadine Red Metallic paint (a $595 option) and fitted with the Black Optic package, stickered at $75,075 including destination. Edmunds recommends the Premium Plus as the value pick, since it adds semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control and the upgraded sound system without approaching Prestige-level pricing.

Pricing Against the German (and Detroit) Field

The S5 sits at the upper end of its class, and its closest rivals split between offering more power for similar money or a lower price with less polish.

None of those rivals match the S5’s liftback cargo hold: 22.6 cubic feet with the rear seats up, expanding to 37.5 cubic feet with them folded. U.S. News scores the S5 a 9.1 out of 10 and ranks it third among small sport sedans, while noting it costs more than it used to and trails the Acura and Cadillac on outright value.

Dealer Lots, Longer Waits

The mixed reviews line up with what is happening on actual dealer lots. Independent pricing data point to a car moving slower than the market average, even as Audi and dealers discount it to compensate.

• 4% off sticker is the average discount shoppers are getting across all three S5 trims, according to Edmunds.
• $2,500 is the additional manufacturer rebate currently stacked on top of dealer discounts.
• 1,965 new S5s sit in nationwide inventory, most of them Premium Plus trim.
• 32 days is the median time a new S5 spends on a lot before selling, versus 27 days for the average new vehicle.

Separately, U.S. News’ own pricing tool shows shoppers saving an average of $3,300 off MSRP, enough to shave about $92 a month off a 36-month lease. Neither pricing source explains the softer demand. Audi has not linked it publicly to the naming saga or to reviews describing the car as competent but flat.

A 630-Horsepower Sibling Is Already Waiting

If the S5’s whole pitch is that 362 horsepower is enough, Audi’s next move argues otherwise inside its own showroom. The 2027 RS5 pairs a reworked twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with a plug-in hybrid system for a combined 630 horsepower, according to Jalopnik, which drove the car in Austria and clocked 608 lb-ft of torque.

The gas engine alone makes 503 horsepower, up from 444 horsepower in the outgoing RS5. Audi says the plug-in system delivers 52 miles of electric-only range on Europe’s WLTP cycle.

The added battery pack brings an extra 1,113 pounds of curb weight compared with the outgoing RS5 Sportback. A new Dynamic Torque Control rear differential can shift power between the rear wheels in milliseconds, a feature the S5 does not get.

The RS5 launches in Europe later this year, with US timing and pricing still unconfirmed; its Avant wagon is expected to skip American showrooms entirely, the same way the S5 Avant has. Jalopnik’s own tester came away smiling, writing simply, “man, I love this car,” a reaction none of the S5’s reviewers quite managed to match.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Horsepower Does the 2026 Audi S5 Have?

The turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 makes 362 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. A 48-volt mild-hybrid system adds an 18-kilowatt electric motor and a small battery, letting the car creep along on electric power alone at parking speeds, something testers said takes some getting used to.

Is the 2026 S5 Quicker Than Audi’s Own Claim?

Sometimes. Audi claims 4.3 seconds to 60 mph for the US car, but Edmunds’ own test track run measured 4.6 seconds. Carscoops, testing the European-spec Edition One in Australia, recorded a GPS-verified 4.3 seconds to 100 km/h, beating Audi’s own 4.5-second claim for that market.

Is the 2026 Audi S5 a Sedan or a Hatchback?

Audi calls it a sedan, but Edmunds describes it more plainly: “the S5 is a hatchback by any other name.” For the first time this generation, the S5 badge also appears on an Avant wagon body, sold outside the United States.

What Fuel Economy Does the 2026 S5 Get?

The EPA rates the US car at 23 mpg combined, 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. Under the UK’s official test cycle, Top Gear’s home-market car returned 36.2 mpg (imperial gallons) and 178 g/km of CO2, a reminder that the same drivetrain scores differently depending on the test.

Does the 2026 S5 Offer a Manual Transmission?

No. Every S5 pairs quattro all-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic only. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Acura Integra Type S both still offer a 6-speed manual, one of the few areas where cheaper rivals beat the S5 on driver engagement.

When Does the Audi RS5 Arrive, and What Will It Cost?

The plug-in hybrid RS5 launches in Europe later this year, with US timing still unconfirmed. Robb Report estimates a starting price near $125,000, and unlike the S5, the RS5 Avant wagon is not expected to reach American dealers.