Audi A5 Quattro heck of a ride

Take a look at the 2018 Audi A5 luxury line. There is the completely revised Audi A5 coupe, a two-door, all-wheel-drive wonder driven for this week's column. And there is the A5 Cabriolet - great, when the weather is mild and the top can be lowered.

All new for 2018 is something called the A5 Sportback, a hatchback with four doors and nearly double, according to early reports, the 11.6 feet of cargo space in the A5 coupe.

The Sportback might seem odd to Audi fans who are wedded to the sleek, just-for-fun two-door styling of the coupe and cabriolet. But people with growing children, or aging parents in need of transportation, will appreciate those two extra doors and the better rear-seat access of the Sportback.

I began yearning for the Sportback midway through my week in the A5 coupe, the latter of which proved an absolute pleasure to drive - until I pulled into a shopping center with passengers in tow. The joy disappeared in the effort to accommodate people and their stuff.

But, in solo motoring, nothing beats the fantasy of the open road, assuming you can find one, like the A5 coupe. It is such a beautiful car.

It comes with a stronger, turbocharged four-cylinder engine for 2018 - 252-horsepower, 273 pound-feet of torque vs. 220-horsepower, 258-pound feet of torque in the 2017 model. Front interior ergonomics are remarkably simple and accommodating. Safety offerings have been improved - rearview camera, blind-side monitoring and a "city braking" device, operable at low speeds, to reduce the risk of hitting pedestrians.

But this is where Audi upsets me. The A5 line comes in three trim offerings: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. I drove the Premium Plus trim in the coupe and was miffed. If I wanted all of the advanced electronic safety items - much of the same equipment available on the less costly 2018 Fiat 500X - I would have to buy the much more expensive A5 Quattro/Prestige coupe.

I don't want "prestige." But I would appreciate something like rear cross-traffic alert, which I can get on the Fiat 500x for far less money.

Nuts & Bolts

2018 Audi A5 Quattro

Bottom line: The 2018 Audi A5 Quattro coupe is one heck of an enjoyable cruise for driver and front-seat passenger. But if you have real-world transportation needs, like children and their stuff, check out the four-door, hatchback Sportback.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent in all categories.

Head-turning quotient: High "Wow!" factor.

Engine/transmission: It comes with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged (forced air), in-line 16-valve gasoline engine with variable-valve timing (252-horsepower, 273 pound-feet of torque). The engine is linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission that also can be operated manually. A traditional six-speed manual is available.

Capacities: Seating is for four people. Access to rear seats is difficult for large or elderly people, some of whom complain that the seating is uncomfortable. Cargo capacity is 11.6 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 15.3 gallons. Premium grade is "recommended" for best performance.

Mileage: Pleasant surprise for such a high-performance car! I averaged 32 miles per gallon on the highway.

Safety: Standard equipment includes front and rear ventilated disc brakes; four-wheel anti-lock brake protection; pre-collision and post-collision safety systems; blind-side monitoring; stability and traction control; side and head air bags.

Pricing: The 2018 Audi A5 coupe with all-wheel drive starts at $42,800. Price as tested is $52,950 including $9,175 in options (Premium Plus trim, on-board navigation, Bang & Olufsen sound system, 19-inch wheels) and a $975 factory-to-dealer shipment charger.