2022 Audi A5 Trim Levels, Configurations & Comparisons.

Variety is indeed the spice of life, and the 2022 Audi A5 is a spicy little number. You can take your pick from three trim levels and three body styles: the chic coupe, a the versatile Sportback (which is Audi's name for this nifty four-door hatchback), and a the Cabriolet - a soft-top (power-folding at that) convertible. Based on the A4 sedan, the A5 imbues a lot of class into something that is, at its core, pretty darn practical by luxury standards. And you'll be hard-pressed to find an automaker that offers a coupe and convertible along with its hatchback since the former two styles aren't quite as popular anymore. But Audi recognizes that there is still a market for them, hence their presence in this line-up.

Depending on which body style you choose, you will end up with one of two 4-cylinder turbo engines: the 40 TFSI or the 45 TFSI. Both are paired up with a 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission and have Audi's quattro four-wheel drive system tacked on as standard mechanical equipment. For the purposes of this review, we will focus on the Sportback, which offers either engine option on any of its three trim levels (the Premium, Premium Plus, and the Prestige). Each engine packs in quite a bit of power, but the 45 TFSI definitely has the stronger feel to it.

The A5's interior is upscale yet understated. It doesn't smack you in the face with a bunch of high-tech, high-end gadgetry; instead, it offers a relaxed and luxurious feel that many of its competitors miss the mark on. But, of course, this is just typical Audi for you.

Audi doesn't skimp on the standard technology though. Oh no, far from it. Audi includes a long list of features that includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen display with an easy-to-use interface. The 7.0-inch digital instrumentation cluster also looks nice and is easy to follow. While Android Auto is wired-only, you do get wireless Apple CarPlay as a standard feature - a real bonus for all you iPhone users out there.

The A5 does have one clear drawback: interior storage areas. You're going to have a difficult time finding places to stash your small items and will have to get a bit creative if you like to keep a lot of things stored inside your vehicle.

Overall, the 2022 Audi A5 is a front-runner in its segment. It faces some stiff competition from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but the A5 keeps itself at the front of the pack with its powerful performance, sleek design elements, and user-oriented nature. To give you a clearer view of what to expect, we will go through the A5's three trim levels and discuss what each one has to offer. Does one hold more value than the others? Which one will be the right fit for you? Time to find out.

Compare the Premium vs Premium Plus Trim. What is the difference?

The 2022 Audi A5's base trim level is known as the Premium, and it is followed up by the mid-tier trim level called the Premium Plus. Both can be powered by either the 40 TFSI or 45 TFSI. These are both 2.0-L 4-cylinder turbocharged engines, but the 40 TFSI gets 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque whereas the 45 TFSI puts forth a power output of 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Each engine has a cast-iron engine block, an aluminum-alloy cylinder head, and the Audi valvelift system on the 16-valve DOHC valvetrain. The 40 TFSI is able to get the A5 from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.4 seconds, but the boost in power on the 45 TFSI shaves that time down by an entire second.

As already mentioned, both engines come paired to a 7-speed automatic transmission, which delivers power to all four wheels via Audi's quattro system. The steering is an electromechanical power steering system. The Premium comes with a five-link front suspension and five-link rear suspension, but on the 45 TFSI models, these are Sport-tuned. There are also larger brakes on the 45 TFSI models. Fuel economy does drop a little bit though, as the 40 TFSI pulls 29 mpg combined while the 45 TFSI manages 27 mpg combined.

As far as standard safety features go, you get a good amount from Audi. Both trim levels are equipped with dual-stage airbags for the driver and front seat passenger, and there is an advanced airbag protection system built into the A5. There are electronic child locks, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, the HomeLink universal garage door opener, and keyless engine start/stop. The Premium Plus does upgrade you to an adaptive cruise control feature that has a built-in traffic jam assist. You also get the Audi advanced key for easier access into the vehicle.

On the outside, these two trim levels look somewhat similar. You will see the same dual exhaust tips, LED taillights with their integrated dynamic turn signals, side and rear windows made of heat-insulating glass, and aluminum surrounds around the outsides of the windows. Of course, the Premium Plus does set itself apart by adding a few more things. First, it makes its side mirrors power-adjustable, heated, auto-dimming, and electrically-folding - and it gives them memory settings for good measure. The Premium's LED headlights get swapped out in favor of matrix-design LED headlights with built-in headlight washers. Also, the Premium's standard 18-inch 5-V-spoke Y-design wheels are exchanged for a set of 5-double-spoke-star wheels done in the same size.

Now, let's move to the interior and go over the similarities and differences. Both the Premium and Premium Plus are outfitted with a power tailgate on the Sportback models, making for quick and easy access to the cargo area. The Storage package gives these trims a storage net on each front seatback, storage on the driver's side, a locking glove box, and a network of luggage storage that includes a net and straps in the cargo area. A power panoramic sunroof lets in some extra daylight, and a digital rear display accompanies the tri-zone automatic climate control system. There is a toll module built into the auto-dimming rear-view mirror, which also houses a digital compass and the HomeLink feature. You will find LED lighting throughout the cabin, and the front center armrest is foldable. The driver's and front passenger's extendable sun visors come with illuminated vanity mirrors. Leather upholstery is found on all of the seats, and the front seats have a heating function. In the Sportback's rear, you get 40/20/40-split folding rear seats.

Now, the Premium Plus does see a few nice upgrades to the interior, one of which is the leatherette covering the door armrests and center console. Natural gray oak wood adorns the inlays instead of the brown walnut wood found inside of the Premium trim level. The light cloth headliner gets swapped out for a black one, and there are illuminated S line aluminum door sills added to the design.

Both trim levels share the user-friendly 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen infotainment system. Audi pre sense city and pre sense basic also come equipped. You also get a limited subscription to Audi connect CARE assistance and security services. High beam assist, the standard Audi sound system, and the Audi smart phone interface (for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) are also shared across the board.

Here's where the Premium Plus kicks things up a notch though. Audi adds on Audi pre sense rear instead of just pre sense basic, and the rear-view camera gets switched to a 360-degree top-down camera view around the A5. Audi virtual cockpit plus replaces the Premium's 7-inch color driver information display. Also, lane departure warning gets upgraded to active lane assist. Bluetooth configuration is upgraded to have the Audi phone box with its built-in signal booster and the wireless device charger. The parking system plus, a 90-day all-access trial to SiriusXM, and Audi side assist with a rear cross-traffic assist function and a vehicle exit warning round out the list of additions to the Premium Plus.

Compare the Premium Plus vs Prestige Trim. What is the difference?

The line-topping Prestige seems to live up to its name, offering a few more luxury and comfort features to the A5's design. On the exterior, the Matrix LED headlights are given the cool Audi laser light function. The headlights and taillights also gain an animated function.

The interior lighting gets a boost as well, as the interior lighting plus package adds door trim contour and a handful of color options. There are some other noteworthy additions to the cabin too, such as heated rear outboard seats, WPT, ventilation for the front seats, and a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system that features 3D sound.

Navigation gets added to the infotainment system for a major tech upgrade. Park assist comes standard, as does a head-up display (which projects vehicle information onto the windshield in front of your eyes), a feature that recognizes traffic signs, and a 6-month trial period to Audi connect PRIME and Audi connect PLUS online services.

There are some options that get bundled into packages. If you add the Convenience package to the Premium trim level, you get a heated steering wheel, side mirrors that are both auto-dimming and power-folding, keyless entry, front and rear parking sensors, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. These features do all come standard on the Premium Plus and Prestige trims. Leftover options include the Black Optic package (which slaps on bigger 19-inch wheels, black and aluminum accents, and red brake calipers), ventilated front seats (which do come standard on the Cabriolet and Sportback versions of the Prestige trim), the 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system (which, again, comes standard on the Prestige), and rear side airbags (only on the Sportback).

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the 2022 Audi A5 has a lot to offer regardless of which trim level you buy. Of course, you want to invest your money wisely and get the best value possible. And that is why we recommend checking out the mid-tier Premium Plus trim. It offers a massive smattering of upgrades without jacking the price tag up too high. We like that this trim level standardizes the virtual cockpit, which is truly one of the coolest and most functional digital cockpits out there. This trim level also offers access to multiple available interior and exterior design packages. It also lets you opt for that stellar 19-speaker sound system by Bang & Olufsen and the ventilated front seats.

The A5 offers a lot of options, and it can be fun to configure. With three trim levels, three body shapes, and two engines to choose from, you can have fun playing around with the design. And, after all, isn't the fun of buying a luxury vehicle being able to customize it until your heart is content? And fun is something the 2022 Audi A5 nails.