2026 Audi RS5 review

On paper, the 2026 Audi RS5 makes for troubling reading. In a segment where weight and complexity are the enemy, this latest version of Audi’s iconic fast wagon is a whopping 700kg heavier than the model it replaces. It is also, without question, the most complex road car Audi Sport has ever made thanks to a new plug-in hybrid powertrain – Audi Sport’s first-ever PHEV – and a slew of new systems like electro-mechanical torque vectoring, which Audi calls a world first.

So has Audi ruined one of its best RS cars? Far from it. In fact, after driving the new RS5 for two days on road and track, we left feeling that it’s one of the best RS models in years. 

How much does the 2026 Audi RS5 cost?

Before we get to the price, we should clear up the name. This new RS5 is essentially a replacement for the old RS4, which has long been Audi’s rival to the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63 and the ageing, but still excellent, Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio. That was until Audi decided to reserve its even numbered cars for EVs, meaning all combustion models had to become odd. Ergo RS4 becomes RS5.

Happily the new RS5 range is refreshingly simple. There are two body styles to choose from: a wagon (or Avant in Audi-speak) for $182,900 or a sedan for $179,900. Both score the same plug-in hybrid powertrain which combines a redeveloped version of Audi’s 2.9-litre ‘hot-vee’ twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor and 25.9kWh battery pack. Total outputs are colossal at 470kW and 825Nm, while 0-100km/h takes just 3.6 seconds.

Audi expects the wagon to be the more popular body style but both look sensational in the metal. Flared wheel arches, aggressive aero elements, RS-specific matrix lights and cavernous dual exhausts (the largest on any RS model ever) give the RS5 a menacing and sculpted appearance.

The RS5 is covered by a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and comes with five years of roadside assistance. The PHEV system’s high-voltage battery carries a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty. Service intervals are every 15,000km or 12 months, while a five-year service package costs $3630. 

What’s the 2026 Audi RS5 like inside?

In a word, beautiful. Audi is a master at interior design and all of the brand’s usual hallmarks are on full display in the RS5. Fit and finish are excellent (Audi trounces Mercedes in this area currently), and most of the touchpoints are a pleasing blend of aluminium, leather, carbon fibre and suede. Aussie cars also score Nappa leather sports seats as standard, while the driving position is bang-on thanks to a low hip point and ample steering wheel adjustment.

The dash is dominated by a suite of OLED display screens, but Audi has integrated them better than most. Angled towards the driver are an 11.9-inch instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, while front passengers also score an additional 10.9-inch display as standard. The screens are relatively easy to use and there's a host of RS-specific touches, like unique graphics for the head-up display (also standard) and additional performance data that allows drivers to see their tyre pressures and temps, G-force readings and lap times.

The RS5 is a much larger car than the old RS4 – 77mm wider, 114mm longer and 8mm taller. Sadly, though, boot space is now a weakness. Squeezing the battery and other electrical gubbins under the boot floor means the RS5 wagon now only has 361 litres of boot space. That’s 134 litres less than the old RS4 and actually less than you get from a Volkswagen Golf, which has 381 litres. The boot in the RS5 sedan is even tighter at 331 litres.

What equipment does the 2026 Audi RS5 come with?

Audi Australia has thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at the RS5’s list of standard inclusions. Exterior highlights include 21-inch alloys available in four selectable finishes, privacy glass, matrix headlights, OLED tail lights, acoustic glazing and the aforementioned basketball-sized dual exhausts.

Inside, owners will find illuminated RS door sills, heated seats front and rear, ventilated/massage seats for front passengers, a panoramic glass sunroof with switchable transparency, and three-zone climate control.

The tech offering includes a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with speakers in the head restraints, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging and numerous USB ports.

Optional packages include a Carbon Styling Package for $6350, which brings a host of carbon finishes inside and out, plus an Audi Sport Package for $4400 that increases the top speed to 285km/h and brings subtly different bumper styling front and rear. A $9300 Carbon Camouflage Matte styling package is also available.

There are eight standard colours to choose from, ranging from multiple hues of grey, white and black, to more vibrant shades like Progressive Red, Ascari Blue and Bedford Green.

RS5 owners also get a Type 2 charging cable, a 240-volt home charger, and a wall-mounted bracket for the charging cable. 

How safe is the 2026 Audi RS5?

Although the RS5 does not have an ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash rating, the regular Audi A5 it’s based on does have a five-star score. Standard safety equipment on the 2026 RS5 includes Audi pre-sense with AEB and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane change assistance with rear-cross traffic alert. A 360-degree surround-view camera also features, as does rear occupant detection, speed sign recognition and a tyre pressure monitoring system. 

What powers the 2026 Audi RS5?

The heart of the RS5’s powertrain is a 2.9-litre ‘hot-vee’ twin-turbo V6. While it’s broadly the same V6 that powered the previous RS4 and RS5 Sportback, Audi’s boffins told us it has been “heavily revised”. On its own, the V6 creates 375kW and 600Nm, which is a 44kW jump over the previous engine. Supplementing the V6 is a 130kW/460Nm electric motor and together the V6 and e-motor produce a sizeable 470kW and 825Nm.

The 25.9kWh battery (22kWh is usable) provides the ability to drive in ‘pure EV mode’ up to speeds of 140km/h. EV range is 78km for the RS5 sedan and 76km for the wagon. With the petrol engine engaged in hybrid mode, Audi says the RS5 will drink just 4.4L/100km on the combined fuel cycle.

An eight-speed automatic takes care of the gearshifts but it’s what’s lurking between the RS5’s rear wheels that’s really worth exploring. Officially Audi calls it ‘quattro with Dynamic Torque Control’, which is a fancy way of describing a torque vectoring rear differential. Torque vectoring isn’t new – essentially the car’s brain can divide how much torque is sent to each rear wheel to help the car turn – but Audi’s innovation is to squeeze a small electric motor into the differential itself. This means torque can be sent left or right much faster, in as little as 15 milliseconds, even when the driver is off throttle or braking. The promise is a system that can alter the car’s behaviour more quickly on the way into, through, and out of corners.

What is the 2026 Audi RS5 like to drive?

All of this means nothing if the RS5 feels cumbersome and complex to drive, and Audi knows it. “We won’t shy away from the weight in the vehicle,” said Audi Australia’s head of product Matt Dale, “but the new technology and new differential means it will shrink around you.”

Happily, Audi couldn’t have picked better roads for us to test that claim. Our test drive took place in Tasmania, starting in Launceston to tackle some of the best Targa Tasmania stages available before looping back to finish up with some track time at Symmons Plains Raceway.

On the road, the RS5 is deeply impressive. Tyre noise is nicely suppressed, despite massive 285/35 Pirelli tyres, and the adaptive suspension does a fine job of ironing out the lumps and bumps of Tassie’s gnarled tarmac. It’s quickly apparent that there’s genuine bandwidth to the RS5’s character, with enough comfort and refinement for long journeys and ample power and performance to make swift and effortless progress.

It’s just as convincing when things get twisty. There are a host of drive modes to choose from, including ‘RS torque rear’, which is designed to promote tail-wagging shenanigans, but on Tassie’s tight technical roads we opted for Individual which allows you to put the powertrain in its most aggressive setting but keep the suspension in comfort. So equipped, the RS5 is hugely capable. It goes, stops and steers with surprising accuracy and agility and it does an incredible job of disguising its weight. It’s composed and confidence-inspiring, but more importantly, it’s communicative too, which hasn’t always been the case with fast Audis.

The same traits come to the fore on the circuit, where the RS5 can truly stretch its legs. Symmons Plains has a mix of long straights, high-speed sweepers and slower technical turns, and in the high-speed sections the RS5 is mighty fast. It leaps out of corners thanks to the instant response from the battery and the way the powertrain switches between petrol power and electrons is virtually seamless.

Surprisingly, though, the RS5 is actually more fun in the slower turns. Here you can lean on the accurate steering and feel the torque vectoring diff help to rotate the car as you bounce over the kerbs through a tight left-left-right sequence. The braking performance is strong, too. Despite its extra heft, the RS5 can stop from 100km/h to 0 in 32.25 metres. The old, far lighter, RS4 does the same stop in 33m.
As for weaknesses? Well, despite the RS5’s pace and engagement, we suspect a BMW M3 Touring might be more fun dynamically. And the Audi’s soundtrack is also a touch disappointing. Given the promise offered by those huge exhaust outlets, we were expecting a rich V6 soundtrack but the result is more of a subtle backing track.

Open Road’s verdict on the 2026 Audi RS5

Audi Sport’s first attempt at a plug-in hybrid is a successful one. The new RS5 pairs eye-catching looks with a premium interior, but its real magic lies in how it deploys its electrified powertrain and clever differential to create a performance car that’s genuinely fun. It’s comfortable and refined, too, with enough bandwidth to use every day – although its surprisingly small boot is a letdown.

 

What we liked 

• Engaging dynamics
• Potent performance and powertrain response
• Quiet and comfortable on long trips

 

What could be better? 

• Boot space is smaller than a VW Golf’s
• V6 soundtrack is too quiet
• Dynamics aren’t as playful as a BMW M3 Touring