This week I’m behind the wheel of something familiar in concept but brand-new in execution: the 2025 Audi S5 Edition One Prestige. Audi has rolled out an all-new generation of its luxury lineup, and the S5 now exists strictly as a four-door liftback. Coupe and convertible fans may grumble, but the upside is real: more space, more comfort, and a better-rounded package for everyday life. My test car is the range-topping Edition One with the Prestige Package, finished in an eye-popping Ascari Blue. It carries an MSRP of $73,940, which puts it right in the heart of the “luxury sport sedan” battlefield.
If you listen to the Car Pro Show, you know I am a sedan guy. For my driver, I do not want an SUV, so this S5 hit me perfectly. I am who Audi went after by combining the A4/S4, and the A5/S5 into one vehicle. It simplifies the Audi lineup greatly. Just for me, they combined a great luxury sedan, gave it beautiful wheels, a nice rumble, and made the driving engagement just right. It’s not as rough as the BMW suspension feel, and I know because I have a 5-Series personally. As much as I love the Porsche Panamera, the S5 actually checks more boxes for your friendly car reviewer in Texas.
Exterior
In the melding of 4 cars into one, this new generation S5 is longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor, and that is good news, you see the evidence in the back seat.
I am a big fan of the liftback design, not only for convenience, but for that fastback look in a sedan. I love the sharp lines, the quad exhaust, the gloss black exterior and the 20” multi-spoke wheels wrapped with Bridgestone tires.
Being this is an Edition One, my review vehicle comes in Ascari Blue.
Edition One
The Edition One treatment marks the launch-year for the redesigned S5, bundling together exclusive touches you won’t find on the regular trims. It brings unique wheels, darkened exterior accents, special interior stitching and inlays, and limited-availability colors like this Ascari Blue one I have, giving early buyers a one-year-only configuration that stands apart from the standard Prestige. The extra cost to get the Edition One is a very reasonable $1,800.
Performance
Under the hood, power comes from a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that puts out 362-horses and 406 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from the outgoing model, and Audi pairs it with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and standard Quattro all-wheel drive. It’s a smooth, eager powertrain that can get you from 0-to-60 in just over four seconds. The dual-clutch delivers incredibly crisp shifts, though it behaves more politely than aggressively. There’s no drama here — just clean, confident acceleration and a wide, usable torque band. Floorboard it from a dead stop and it will throw you against the seat with determination. The Quattro all-wheel system, one of the best in the industry, keeps the Bridgestone’s firmly planted for just such takeoffs.
Audi’s new Premium Platform Combustion architecture gives the S5 a larger footprint, and you feel that in the cabin more than you do from behind the wheel. Steering is light and accurate and for me, very likable, but enthusiasts will wish for more feedback. The ride leans toward refined rather than razor-sharp, soaking up rough pavement without sacrificing control. In everyday driving, the S5 feels composed and sure-footed.
Interior
The cabin is modern and high-tech, with Audi’s new dual-screen setup dominating the dash and is the first thing you notice when you open the door. The Prestige Package adds everything most buyers want: head-up display, upgraded audio, a 360-degree camera system, and more screens and features than you can keep track of without a cheat sheet. Materials are really good, with diamond pleated bolstered seats that are heated, cooled, and will massage you.
Screens are abundant with an 11.9” colorful driver display, then center dash is the famous Audi MMI system screen that is 14.5” that operates virtually everything quickly and efficiently. The 3D navigation screen is the best I’ve ever seen.
There is a full page of apps to control everything including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, and Alexa. The front passenger has his or her own 10.9” screen that allows them to see much of what the driver does, plus they can watch YouTube videos and play games.
The new single screen layout allows for a much more useable center console that houses a wireless phone charger, stop/start OFF button, traction control, the ignition button, a nice volume control knob for the sound system, and you can choose the drive modes. Your choices are balanced, dynamic, or comfort and there are big differences in each setting. I spent most of my week in dynamic, which should come as no surprise.
Rear-seat room is improved over previous generations thanks to the longer wheelbase, and the liftback design gives you a surprisingly usable cargo area and the design still gives you plenty of backseat headroom. The backseats will fold down if you need to haul something long, and the rear occupants get their own air vents, the seat is heated, and there are two USB-C ports. The large rear hatch opens to a wide, easy-to-load space that beats most sedans in the segment.
Standard features include the sport suspension, LED front and rear lights, a power tilt and telescoping wheel, digital cockpit with dual screens, tri-zone climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather-trimmed heated power sport seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel with paddles, and the versatile liftback cargo area.
It also includes power-folding mirrors, LED exterior lighting, and keyless entry, giving the S5 an impressively complete standard package before you ever add a single option.
Audi loads the S5 up with advanced driver-assistance systems, and the Prestige model benefits from the full suite.
Adaptive cruise, lane keeping, front and rear parking assistance sensors, blind-spot monitoring, vehicle exit warning, rear cross traffic alert, a crystal clear backup camera, and intersection-assist tech all come standard at this trim level.
Besides the Edition One package, my tester has the Prestige package for $7,550 and you get full lighting and comfort upgrades — including animated exterior LED headlights and OLED rear taillight signatures, upgraded interior ambient lighting, and heated rear seats for added passenger comfort. It tacks on high-end infotainment and convenience features like built-in navigation, expanded connected-services (WiFi/cellular, live traffic, etc.), the 14.5-inch central touchscreen plus full Digital Stage instrumentation, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system. For ease and flexibility, it includes a head-up display, automated parking assistance, power-folding mirrors, keyless entry/start, and a hands-free lift-gate/hatch operation. It also has a really cool panoramic glass roof in this package, although I am not sure how it would be in the Texas summers.
The panoramic glass variable-light sunroof uses an electro-tinting film that can shift from clear to shaded at the press of a button, allowing you to control how much light and heat come into the cabin without needing a conventional shade. It’s pretty cool to hit a button and watch the glass change in stages from clear to dark. The only other item you pay for is $595 for the paint on this one.
My Edition One Prestige test model carried an MSRP of $73,940. That's right in the pocket for its class, especially when you consider the performance, feature set, and the Edition One’s exclusivity. Ascari Blue is one of those colors that photographs well but looks even better in person. Fuel economy is good at 19 city, 28 highway, and 22 combined.
The 2025 Audi S5 Edition One Prestige is a smooth, handsome, and well-rounded sport sedan that puts daily livability right at the center of its mission. It’s not the sharpest or most communicative driver's car in the segment, but it’s quick, comfortable, loaded with tech, and more practical than ever. Always a stickler for interior quietness, Audi nails it with sound deadening and acoustic glass.
If you want a luxury performance car that won’t punish you in traffic, weather, or long trips — and you appreciate a clean, refined personality — this new S5 delivers.