Finished in Ascari Blue Metallic in the case of our test vehicle, the 2026 A5 Avant e-hybrid Quattro S Line has a mouthful of a name, but the look is clean, sharp and legitimately Audi. It’s sleek, understated and handsome, but with enough edge to remind you it's got a bit more seasoning.

We spent a week with this wagon, or Estate if you prefer, using it for all kinds of driving, including to and from work, grocery runs, and fair-dinkum sending it on curvy mountain roads at the back of Mulgoa in Sydney’s west. Seriously impressive is the most apt description.

Despite being a 2,000kg offering, it’s a tonne of fun. Visually, the A5 Avant lands in a sweet spot of mature and cool. The blue paint suits the car beautifully, showing off the long wagon profile and the curvy bodylines.

From the big front grille to its sharp Matrix LED headlights, it looks modern, yet classic. The 20-inch alloys enhance its design. Stepping inside feels special, with a pastel silver trim that’s paired with metal and black highlights.

It gives the cabin a bright, premium and almost concept car-esque feel. Paired the digital heavy dashboard layout, with an 11.9-inch instrument cluster and 14.5-inch infotainment setup, the whole thing feels like a spaceship.

2026 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid Quattro S Line

That being said, that trim has a downside, and you might have already guessed that it gets dirty easily – a fact worth considering when selecting your interior colours. The passenger side screen is a unique feature too.

Easily dismissible as a gimmick designed to sell cars off the showroom floor, the reality is that it really works. It gives the front passenger the opportunity to run maps, change music and assist from their side of the car.

The “gimmick” turns your passenger into more of a co-pilot, which has plenty of upside, with the only downside being the fact they can see your speed. The huge panoramic glass roof, which at a click of a button changes transparency, is a God-send.

Removing the traditional blind is a smart choice on Audi’s part, because it still allows light to flow through the cabin, without the sun burning a hot spot on your head. All-in-all, the cabin offers a nice, almost exciting experience.

Audi’s connect plus setup provides navigation, while the smartphone interface delivers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. DAB+ digital radio and a cord-free phone charger are provided. Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection heads a list of safety tech.

2026 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid Quattro S Line

You'll also find lane change assist, exit warning, rear cross traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control with emergency assist, lane departure warning. Park assist plus adds front and rear parking sensors and there’s also a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring and an AC charging port.

And then there’s the practicality. Fuel efficiency, ample leg room and a cabin space that is truly designed to haul your family make it near perfect. The e-hybrid does sacrified a little space, but the boot remains quite usable at 361-litres.

Lay down the 40:20:40 split fold rear seats and you get 1,306-litres. It’s the sort of car that can do the weekday commute, weekend road trips and the occasional spirited drive, without ever feeling like it’s making excuses.

Performance is strong, and impressively so. On-road handling is agile, there’s plenty of shove when you ask for a punch of torque, and driving feels effortless. Going from 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds means there are moments when the A5 feels better than a Golf R.

That’s not something you expect to say about a PHEV wagon, but while it doesn’t have hot hatch attitude, it delivers smooth power in a more mature way. Producing 270kW and 500Nm through the all-wheel drive quattro system provides excellent traction as well.

2026 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid Quattro S Line

Along winding roads, the A5 Avant feels nice and tight, planted and properly sorted. In S-line e-hybrid form, it brings a genuinely usable wagon formula. Audi claims up to 101km electric only driving, mean short commutes can be handed by battery alone.

That’s providing you keep it charged of course. Once that’s gone, the 1.9-litre petrol engine steps in to give the Audi proper long-distance flexibility. The only catch: if you drive it with a heavy right foot, that battery range does disappear quickly.

Now for the awkward dinner conversation one has to have with their significant other when you’ve fallen in love with the press car; the price. The 2026 Audi A5 Avant S e-hybrid, in S-line trim, isn’t cheap, but it does represent value.

You’ll need to part with $108,140 before on-road costs. That includes the Premium Pack on our test vehicle, which adds a head-up display, high-power USB charging ports, a Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system and front acoustic glazing for the windows.

You also get an upgraded ambient lighting package. Sure, the interior is high maintenance, and yes, if you drive it like you stole it, you will find yourself constantly wanting to charge it, but that’s a fair trade. This car is that good to drive.

2026 Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid Quattro S Line

Through the winding roads of NSW, the A5 Avant felt tight, planted and genuinely enjoyable, which is not something you usually say about a two-tonne plug-in hybrid wagon.

This review first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.


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