2022 Audi RS5 Sportback 2.9 TFSI quattro Review

In the luxury performance car market of Malaysia, five-door hatchback models have always been the favorite of users who value practicality and driving passion—they demand sports car-like performance power while also ensuring the flexibility for daily passenger and cargo needs. The 2022 Audi RS5 Sportback 2.9 TFSI quattro is designed for this niche market, featuring 450PS twin-turbocharged power, a quattro all-wheel drive system, and frameless door design as its core selling points. It retains the performance genes of the RS series while reducing the entry barrier through its hatchback design. In this test drive, we aim to verify whether its performance matches the "supercar" designation and see if the five-door design effectively balances track performance with daily practicality.

At first glance, it’s hard not to be captivated by the low and wide stance of the RS5 Sportback. With a total length of 4783mm, width of 1866mm, height of 1387mm, and a wheelbase of 2826mm, it’s wider and lower than the standard A5 Sportback. Paired with 20-inch rims and wide 275/30 R20 tires, it makes a strong visual impact. The front face adopts Audi's signature honeycomb grille design, with the RS-exclusive red trim on the outer edge serving as a direct marker of its high-performance identity. The sharp design of the LED headlights, along with the highly identifiable daytime running lights, leaves a strong impression. Automatic headlights and front fog lights come as standard, ensuring full functionality. The side profile features flowing lines, and the waistline extending from the front fender to the rear highlights its muscular aesthetics. The frameless door design is the essence of the Sportback series—when the door is opened, the glass automatically lowers a little, and then returns to its original position after closing, adding the right amount of ceremonial feel. The rear design is relatively restrained but packed with detailed features: a ducktail spoiler, dual oval exhaust outlets (producing a deep popping sound when starting), and smoked LED taillights create an overall style that's sporty without being ostentatious.

Entering the cabin, the interior of the RS5 Sportback carries forward Audi's consistent sense of technology and luxury. The center console is wrapped in soft leather, accented with metal trims and carbon fiber texture panels. All touchpoints are made of soft-touch materials, conveying a quality feel. The 12.3-inch all-digital instrument cluster (Audi Virtual Cockpit) supports multiple display modes, showing performance data such as RPM and torque in RS mode. The central screen is of moderate size, with a clear operational logic, and supports both CarPlay and Android Auto. The HUD (head-up digital display) comes as standard, projecting key data such as speed and navigation directly, allowing the driver to stay informed without looking down. The front seats are 12-way power-adjustable sports seats, offering excellent support—the lumbar and thigh bolsters are just right for securing the body during aggressive driving while remaining comfortable for daily use. The rear seats feature a 60:40 split design; although headroom is slightly affected by the sloping roofline, passengers up to 175 cm tall may feel a bit constrained at the top. However, legroom is still adequate (around two fists’ worth), and short trips with three adults in the back shouldn’t be an issue. In terms of storage space, the front door panels can fit two bottles of water, and the depth of the central armrest box is enough for a wallet. When the liftback tailgate is opened, the standard trunk space isn’t particularly large, but folding down the rear seats can expand it to a decent cargo area, sufficient for storing a baby stroller or suitcases.

When starting the vehicle, the roar of the 2.9T V6 twin-turbocharged engine gives you a sense of awe — not the kind of noisy roar, but a deep and textured low-frequency vibration. This engine delivers a maximum power of 450PS/5700-6700rpm and a maximum torque of 600N·m/1900-5000rpm, paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the official 0-100km/h acceleration is just 3.9 seconds. During actual driving, when you switch to Comfort mode, the power output is relatively smooth, and the transmission shifts gears actively, making it suitable for daily commuting. When you switch to Dynamic mode, the throttle response becomes immediately more sensitive, and pressing the accelerator deeply provides a strong push-back feeling. The transmission will stay in lower gears waiting for commands, and the downshift speed is extremely fast, with almost no lag during overtaking. The quattro all-wheel drive system performs very steadily, so even on slippery roads with strong acceleration, the wheels do not slip, and the power is directly transmitted to the ground. The steering wheel feels slightly heavy, but there is very little play, and it is precise in direction. During cornering, you can clearly sense the dynamics of the front end. The suspension system in Comfort mode filters out most of the fine bumps, and it’s not too harsh when going over speed bumps. In Dynamic mode, it becomes noticeably firmer, providing better support, with well-controlled body roll during turns. The braking system is linear in feel, with adequate braking force, and the body remains stable during emergency braking without excessive nose dive.

As for daily driving comfort, the RS5 Sportback performs better than expected. Although it is a performance car, the NVH is well-controlled — wind and tire noise at high speeds are not significant, and only during rapid acceleration does the engine sound enter the cabin. However, the engine sound is not harsh; rather, it can boost the desire to drive. The Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system is excellent, with clear treble and deep bass, maintaining good sound quality even with the windows open. Rear air conditioning vents and a 12V power outlet in the front are standard features, ensuring the comfort of rear passengers is also taken care of. In terms of fuel consumption for daily commuting (half in urban areas and half on highways), it averages around 11L/100km. For a 2.9T performance car, this is fairly moderate; with a fuel tank capacity of 58L, a full tank can generally last about 500 kilometers, which meets daily usage needs without issue.

In conclusion, the core advantages of the 2022 Audi RS5 Sportback 2.9 TFSI quattro are very clear: Firstly, its powerful performance, with 450PS of power and quattro all-wheel drive delivering a sports car-like driving experience. Secondly, its outstanding practicality, with a five-door fastback design and foldable rear seats, makes it more suitable for daily family use compared to traditional two-door sports cars. Thirdly, it is fully equipped, with standard features like HUD, Bang & Olufsen sound system, and 12-way electric seats offering a luxury experience. Its value-for-money rating is among the best in its class (compared to models like the BMW M4 Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz C63 S Coupe). Its target demographic is also very clear: those who desire the driving passion of a performance car, need the convenience of carrying passengers and cargo for daily use, and have luxurious feature demands — such as middle-class families aged between 30 and 45, who can take family trips on weekends while occasionally enjoying the fun of driving.

Overall, the 2022 Audi RS5 Sportback is not a pure track-focused car, but rather an "all-rounder" performance car — it satisfies your craving for speed while also taking care of family needs. If you're looking for a balance between luxury performance and daily practicality, it will be a choice you can't go wrong with.