2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet
by Jim Prueter -06/2010

A5 adds a cloth top convertible

We fell in love with the Audi A5 coupe when it was first introduced for the 2008 model year, naming it a AAA Top Pick in its class for three consecutive years. For 2010, Audi adds a convertible to the A5 lineup, replacing last year’s A4 convertible.

If you love ragtops, the A5 might be your choice, since most manufacturers are moving to retractable hard-tops for a quieter “top up” ride and body rigidity. But retractables need more space to fold down, and the sacrifice comes in trunk and backseat space, an advantage Audi keeps with the cloth top.

While we favor the folding metal tops, the ragtop on the A5 is a triple layer roof that fits well and is superbly finished in the up position. The top has a glass rear window and even a dome light. Lowering or raising the lid takes less than 20 seconds, and can be done while the vehicle is in motion (up to 30 mph), without ever leaving the driver’s seat. Once lowered, the top is concealed beneath a well-finished tonneau cover.

While the A5 is technically a four-passenger convertible, only small children are able to fit in the rear seat; in order for front passengers to be comfortable, the backs of the front seats bump up against the fronts of the back seats.

And while we’re talking about the seats, our test vehicle came with the optional Comfort package ($2400), with vents on the top of the front seats to blow warm air on your neck. We first experienced this feature in the Mercedes-Benz SL and readily admit that it does extend top-down driving season well into the fall, even in colder climates. The package also includes heated and cooled ventilated front seats, but we didn’t think the cooling part worked well on our test car.

Front wheel drive is standard on the A5 convertible. All convertibles are powered by a 211-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Quattro all-wheel drive uses a six-speed automatic transmission.

This is the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that powers several Volkswagen products, including the Tiguan crossover, Golf and Jetta. It worked better in those vehicles and we felt a premium car like the A5 Audi should employ a V-6, at minimum. Audi does offer the S5 convertible that’s powered by a 333-horsepower supercharged V-6 with a manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The CVT offers a sport mode that turns it into an eight-speed automatic, but not without a small drop in fuel economy. We were unimpressed with the performance and noise level of the four-cylinder and CVT transmission combination and always wished for more power — especially when passing or accelerating from a traffic light, when we felt annoying torque steer pulling the vehicle to one side.

We’ve always loved the handling of the A5 and the convertible is no exception —predictable, agile and secure. The ride is a bit on the firm side; some love it and for some it’s a deal breaker. Include me in the former group.

As expected, Audi build quality and premium materials are classy with state-of-the-art fit and finish.

Inside, the A5’s cabin is consistently luxurious and impressive with well-thought-out features like a single switch to raise and lower all four windows simultaneously with just the touch of a button. The center armrest is adjustable up and down to accommodate different sized drivers. Some find the seats too firm; I found them just right but could have used more side-to-side legroom up front.

Still, as we’ve mentioned in other Audi product reviews, we find the multi-media interface (MMI) joystick knob on the center console to be overly complicated and frustrating to use. MMI operates several functions like audio and climate control.

The A5 Cabriolet is offered in six different engine and transmission combination: CVT or six-speed automatic, front wheel or all wheel drive, Premium, Premium Plus or Prestige packages. Base prices start at $42,000 and rise to $52,400 for Prestige with six-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive.

The panoply of standard safety equipment includes front, side, and seat-mounted head and thorax side airbags, driver and front-passenger knee airbags, roll-over protection system, electronic stability control and antilock brake system. The A5 has not been crash tested by either the U.S. government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

We drove the top-of-the-line Prestige with six-speed TiptronicÒ transmission and all-wheel drive QuattroÒ with a base price of $52,400. The Prestige package included 18-inch spoke alloy wheels with all-season tires, keyless start/stop, Bang & OlufsenÒ premium sound system, navigation, Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, LED tail lamps, BluetoothÒ hands free phone interface, three-zone climate control, and a few other convenience items. It also included the Comfort package, and $400 almond beige ash wood inlays. Select a few other options and the price quickly jumps to over $60,000. A lot of money, we think, for a four-cylinder convertible.

For that money we would recommend jumping to the 333-horsepower 3.0-liter, seven-speed S-tronicÒ transmission A5, with fewer options checked.