2020 Audi A5 Coupe

For 2020, the Audi A5 Coupe has a starting MSRP of $42,900 for the base Premium model. Opting for the Premium Plus will cost $46,700, while the top-end Prestige is priced at $52,600. This excludes a $995 destination fee, as well as any taxes, title, and other miscellaneous charges. Interestingly, the cost of the two lower trims is less than the 2019 pricing, with only the Prestige costing $300 more than last year.

Coupes are often seen as laid-back vehicles with more focus on comfort than anything else, but as already mentioned, Audi has managed to tick this box - and the box for agility and fun-to-drive factor - in one go. By no means a sports car, the A5 Coupe still handles admirably, really showing off precise steering and a competent suspension when thrown into corners at speed - the coupe remains unruffled with a solid sense of gravity and grip. Although there's no thrill of track-inspired machinery here, the A5 Coupe allows for even novice drivers to feel competent and confident by being an agile yet composed drive. The optional sport suspension also tightens things up a bit and allows for a bit more adventurous driving, although comfort in city driving will suffer a bit - especially if you stray from the standard 18-inch wheels for larger units. The standard setup, however, provides for a soft ride that isolates road-surface abrasions from the cabin quite well.

Where the A5 falters is in its lack of engagement. It's comfortable and competent but never thrills, and that's where the 4 Series and C-Class Coupe have the upper hand.

The rivalry between the three German greats has always been tense, and in this segment, there's no love lost between coupe rivals either - each brings its own two-door delights to the table. Truthfully, each vehicle has its own strong points, with Merc's C300 dominating the luxury and comfort department easily. BMW, historically, offers the best in terms of driving pleasure, and the 4 Series Coupe bests the A5 in terms of superior handling. So, where does that leave the A5 Coupe? With an excellent quattro AWD system, a responsive turbocharged engine working seamlessly with its auto 'box, and an ergonomic, comfortable cabin, the Audi A5 Coupe excels at covering both bases - so, while it doesn't necessarily beat either at any one thing, it does both comfort and driving style really, really well. For all-round enjoyment, the Audi A5 Coupe deserves to be on your shortlist.

With three models in the range covering a price range from $42,900 to $52,600, the Audi A5 Coupe represents great value for money even at the entry point to the range; comprehensively equipped, it is cheaper than both the BMW 4 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe in base form. However, the A5 Coupe really comes into its own at the top-end of the range, and the Prestige trim offers a prime mixture of luxury and comfort, although in its fully-loaded form, it will set you back quite a bit more than the Merc C300 4MATIC - this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the Audi Coupe offers a much better drive, although the C300 has much more opulence inside. The sweet spot in the A5 Coupe range is the mid-spec Premium Plus, which is priced similarly to the top-of-the-range C300. It ships with Audi's virtual cockpit, additional parking sensors, side assist and pre sense rear over and above the stock features of the base-line model. Navigation and more safety features can be added to sweeten the deal, and you will have a brilliant, tech-laden luxury Coupe.

The Merc C-Class Coupe is available in two models that both share a powertrain and the standard features list, but it can be had in either RWD or AWD, with a price ranging from $45,950 to $47,950. The Audi A5 Coupe undercuts the entry-level price of the C300 and is equipped with an engine that makes seven less horsepower than that of the Merc. Still, the Audi offers much more efficiency from its powertrain with EPA figures that beat the 21/30/25 mpg of the C300 in 4MATIC configuration. Although the interior of the C300 is assuredly more posh and luxurious than that of its four-ringed rival, the exterior styling of the 2020 A5 Coupe is undoubtedly more distinctive, more aggressive, and more noticeable. This carries through to the way the cars drive, too, with the A5 being the more planted and agile drive - make no mistake, the C300 is polished and urbane in its performance, but we like the sass of the Audi much more.

The third part of the German trinity, BMW's champion in this segment comes in the form of the 4 Series Coupe. Available in two powertrain options, and as either RWD or AWD, the Bimmer also offers the purist approach of having a manual gearbox on its RWD models. 430i trims have a similar powertrain to that of the Audi A5 Coupe, making similar horsepower, but less torque. In 440i guise, however, this is upped to 320 hp and 330 lb-ft, which many will appreciate as an added option before having to head over to M derivatives for performance-oriented driving. While both cars are excellent drivers, soaking up minor road abrasions and handling corners with ease, it's the BMW that wins us over with its dominance in the handling department. We do prefer the Audi's new infotainment system, but the A5 Coupe has to keep up with what the BMW sends coursing through our veins on the open road.