2026 Audi RS5 Avant | UK Review

B roads of Britain, beware - there's a new fast Audi estate in town

By Matt Bird / Sunday, 9 August 2026 / Loading comments

Depending on your perspective, hybridisation is likely to be the very best or very worst thing that’s ever happened to Audi RS wagons. Middle ground is surely impossible to come by. On the one hand it means a very clever electrified rear axle (with the oversteer histrionics to show for it), some useful zero emissions range for errands (and a nicer tax bill), plus performance to blow your Rapha socks off. Broadening the bandwidth, basically. On the other side of the argument (and speaking of broadening), the inclusion of a battery and motor makes for the heaviest, most expensive RS5 ever. With a smaller boot than an A3, and less range than an e-tron SUV. Easy to see why it’s proved divisive.

But in a world besieged by boring cars, it’s really nice to drive something people at least have an opinion on. That extends even to casual passers-by, in fact; those that know nothing of the 639hp will have something to say about how the RS5 looks outside their house (or in their rear-view mirror). This B10 is genuinely remarkable to behold, not necessarily pretty (the three-quarters are cool; head on not so much) but with that bodybuilder aesthetic that’s impossible to draw your eyes from. It’s so exaggerated, so swollen, as to seem almost unbelievable, like it must be a very early aftermarket creation rather than something factory grade. Those who like their Audis with attitude - the popularity of the last RS6 would suggest they do - are going to love this. Just as importantly, the RS5 is a nicer thing to look at than the equivalent M3 Touring.

Where it isn’t, however (and expect to hear plenty more about the BMW) is inside. Even by modern standards, there’s simply too much going on inside to ever feel comfortable and confident as a driver. Being able to see the passenger display so clearly has to be a big no-no; that it appears so tacked on is especially jarring. A driving environment like this, with a busy dash underneath a busy HUD, a central screen swimming with icons and features seemingly for the sake of features, feels like exactly the sort of one that would benefit from a Concept C-style overhaul. It’s cluttered and it’s not very well made. Even when running on electric, the inside of an RS5 is noisy and distracting.

So the showroom assessment is mixed, especially for those with lanky teenagers who might be a bit squeezed in the back. Fortunately, the RS5 is immediately much more convincing on the road. The old RS4, before it became a coilovered Competition, was about as memorable as your last haircut - and consequently tricky to justify over an S4 that also had a turbo V6. No such danger this time around: even when running on electric, there’s a purpose and grit to this RS that eluded the last one. It’s tight, taut and responsive, the absence of much noise freeing up focus for the crispness of the steering and discipline of the body control, which is really impressive given it weighs the same as a Range Rover. Even when showing off very little of its performance, the RS5 demonstrates some hallmarks of a first-rate performance car. We all know that isn’t always the case with a fast Audi.

The V6 and the electric motor work together as well as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, always on the right wavelength and capable of incredible things (and serving to make the M5 look a bit clumsy). The introduction of combustion can be as imperceptible as a tailwind, or exploded into life courtesy of RS Sport mode. Where once drive modes could feel a bit gratuitous, the advent of electrification means totally different experiences are but a frustrating screen prod away.

While the noise of the turbo V6 is never inspirational - it would be easy to argue none are, Alfa Romeo included - the rasping, rousing sound certainly fits the aesthetic. And the RS5’s performance truly is exceptional: while the numbers indicate a car comparable with the M3, what the stats don’t show is the immediacy and relentlessness of electrified combustion. From no revs to the limiter the RS4 is urgent, fierce, fast and furious. With short ratios and a responsive auto on top, there are certainly no issues with a next gen powertrain as far as emotion and excitement go.

And you know what? The chassis has benefitted from hybridisation, too. The 2.3-tonne RS5 is a more capable car to drive than the 1.8-tonne RS4 was. While certainly not beyond improvement, and while always feeling like a large car doing great things (rather than magically seeming lighter than it is), what Audi Sport has done with battery power here deserves praise.

The e-torque vectoring rear axle, which can accelerate and brake each wheel independently, makes for an Audi wagon willing to turn unlike any other. While there’s obviously an abundance of outright purchase (on the larger 21-inch wheels they’re 285-section tyres at each corner!), this isn’t a binary experience. Well below the smoking silliness of a press launch, the rear can be felt helping the RS5 turn, hints of both outside and inside wheel contributing to a pleasing willingness to rotate into a bend.

It actually means adjusting driving style to suit, with a little less steering application and throttle sooner than expected, particularly in modes like RS Torque Rear. Perhaps not the most natural, authentic experience, but certainly entertaining - and another facet of the RS5 to learn and appreciate over time. The old RS4 held your attention for about as long as a paper aeroplane; this one offers enthusiasts much more to be enthused about.

Even a lot of the usual hybrid gripes are addressed here. Regen is smartly calibrated and easily adjusted, with decent enough brake pedal feel for the majority of applications. The EV range looks good, with both filler caps sitting smartly on those broad shoulders like epaulets (see Mercedes E-Performance cars for how not to put a plug flap on).

Nevertheless, the RS5 is hardly an unmitigated triumph. The observation that seems most pertinent for now is the simple fact that, for all the power and technology, it does not offer the same righteous degree of driver reward as the M3 Touring. You’d struggle to call the BMW the purist’s option, though it is a much easier car to get a read on, thanks to superior control surfaces and (yes) hugely lower mass. And who needs a complete rework of quattro for oversteer when there’s 530hp and rear drive on offer?

There are other concerns, too. However cool this is going to look with a roofbox, there’s no escaping the fact that the boot is too small for a car of this stature, at 361 litres. With the range concerns on top (the fuel tank is too small, as well) those great RS Avant escapades - the Highlands, skiing, the Nurburgring - feel more out of reach than before with a new car. Which doesn’t seem right. The build quality just isn’t good enough at this money, either.

Which means leaving the RS5 potentially even more conflicted than approaching it. Because as something to drive, this is a more convincing opening gambit than the first plug-in M cars and AMGs, which shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s more capable and interesting out of the gate than its predecessor was. If the future is PHEV (though BMW would argue it’s pure combustion and EV, going off the M3), then the RS5 is a great demonstrator of what the tech can bring, from usable everyday electric miles to a magic rear axle.

The trouble is what’s been sacrificed from the fast Audi package in the process. Despite two power sources, it can’t travel very far, while throwing up too much road noise from those giant tyres. Despite costing so much, it’s not a great place to spend time. And for all the technology, its ride and handling is not superior to the M3. So it’s an encouraging base to build upon, the RS5, but ultimately too compromised for the moment to be wholeheartedly recommended. At least all that filling up will give you plenty of chances to look at it…

SPECIFICATION | 2026 AUDI RS5 AVANT LAUNCH EDITION

Engine: 2,894cc, twin-turbo V6, 22.0kWh Lithium-ion battery, electric motor
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, Quattro permanent four-wheel drive with self-locking centre diff
Power (hp): 639 (total system output; engine 510@6,300-6,800rpm)
Torque (lb ft): 609 (total system output; engine 443@2,000-5,000rpm)
0-62mph: 3.6secs
Top speed: 155mpg (177 for performance Vorsprung)
Weight: 2,370kg (DIN)
MPG: 67.8-72.3 (RS5 range, WLTP weighted combined. 28.5-29.3 battery discharged)
CO2: 89-95g/km, 49-51 miles EAER
Price: £99,135