I haven’t been this desperate to drive a new performance car in years. Because on paper, Audi Sport have pulled off something that rare in 2026: a car everyone loves. They’ve kept the glorious 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, paired it with a plug-in hybrid system producing 639PS, introduced a world-first electro-mechanical rear axle, thus somehow creating a car that’s been almost universally loved from the moment it was revealed. That’s the new Audi RS5.
But there’s one huge question hanging over it. Weight. At 2.37 tonnes, the new RS5 Avant is around half a tonne heavier than the outgoing RS4 Competition. That’s enough to worry any driver. So has #AudiSport managed to engineer around it, or has the hybrid system fundamentally changed what an RS car feels like? That’s exactly what I’m here in Austria to find out.
In this video I finally get behind the wheel of the all-new RS5 Avant. We put the revised V6 through its paces, hear the optional RS Sport exhaust properly on the road, test launch control, drive in EV mode, explore the comfort, efficiency and day-to-day usability, and most importantly find out whether this new hybrid drivetrain still delivers the character we’ve always loved about fast Audis.
Before that, we take a detailed look around the car itself, explore the stunning new RS design, climb inside the completely redesigned interior, and then open Technical Domain to explain exactly how Audi Sport have reinvented quattro for this generation.
In this video:
Exterior design walkaround
Interior tour and practicality
Exhaust sound and V6 soundtrack
Launch control testing
EV mode and daily driving
Comfort and suspension impressions
Revised EA839 2.9-litre V6 explained
New plug-in hybrid drivetrain
World-first electro-mechanical rear axle
New quattro system explained
Weight versus RS4 Competition
Comparisons with the BMW M3 Touring, BMW M5 Touring and Audi RS6
UK pricing and buying advice
The new RS5 isn’t trying to replace the RS4 Competition. Instead, Audi have moved the RS5 upmarket. It has the refinement, technology and effortless pace to challenge cars like the BMW M5, while still delivering something many enthusiasts thought was disappearing forever — a proper six-cylinder performance estate with a genuinely emotional soundtrack.
It won’t be for everyone. If you want the lightest, sharpest sports estate, the M3 Touring still has a strong argument. But if you want a car that can do almost everything — effortless motorway miles, electric commuting, huge performance and one of the best-looking RS bodies Audi have ever produced — then this new RS5 might just be the sweet spot.
For me… Audi have trusted enthusiasts. Instead of forcing an EV or downsizing to four cylinders, they’ve evolved the formula whilst keeping the heart of what makes an RS car special.
And after driving it… I might have a very expensive decision to make.
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