What is it?

It's Audi's more practical (four-door) coupe in top-spec S5 trim, offering up a balance between genuine luxury and sportiness.

How much does it cost and what do you get?

Audi does a pretty good job creating a range of cars that are virtually identical underneath, and yet charging more as they become narrower in their niche.

The A5 is offered as either a coupe, convertible or four-door Sportback, with all variants sharing the same mechanical underpinnings as the conventional A4 sedan and wagon. But the more stylish body styles come at a price, with the S5 Sportback we're testing costing $105,800 (plus on-road costs), a $6000 premium over the similarly-equipped yet more traditional S4 sedan.

For that, you get almost everything Audi can throw at it, with a leather-lined cockpit with heated sports seats with a massage function in the front, tri-zone air conditioning, ambient lighting and aluminium highlights throughout the dash. There's also a 12.3-inch high-resolution digital instrument display as standard and an 8.0-inch colour touch screen with sat nav, Bluetooth, wifi and smartphone mirroring connectivity as well as digital radio and a 10GB hard drive.

But you can pay for a bit more, with an optional Technik package replacing the conventional LED headlights with Audi's Matrix adaptive headlights as well as a higher-grade Bang and Olufsen audio system with 19-speakers and a head-up display.

What's under the bonnet?

Like its predecessor, the S5 Sportback is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 but the badge doesn't tell the full story as the engine is actually all-new and ditches the previous supercharged induction system for a more modern, and fuel-efficient, turbo set-up.

The end result is increased power and torque outputs – its 260kW and 500Nm is up from 245kW and 440Nm – while consumption is down to a claimed average of 7.7L/100km.

The engine drives a new-generation all-wheel drive transmission via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, allowing it to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds.

What's it like to drive?

The S5 Sportback is one of those multi-dimensional cars that is as good at being an effortless, comfortable luxury car as it is a fun and engaging sports machine.

When driven normally, it is beautifully refined as the suspension is compliant, the cabin is well isolated from the outside world, the steering is light and yet responsive and the engine and transmission work nicely together to give it a leisurely feel.

But switch the Dynamic Drive controller from its Comfort to Dynamic setting – or tailor such parameters like the engine's responsiveness, the weight of the steering, the stiffness of the suspension and the exhaust to your own liking in the Individual model – and the S5 comes alive, as the transmission selects lower gears, the throttle sharpens, the soundtrack bellows louder and the suspension hunkers down into the road.

In typical Audi style, it's not as playful as some of its rivals, like the Mercedes-AMG E43 Coupe and BMW 440i Gran Coupe, when you push it towards it limits, but it is easy and predictable to drive enthusiastically with plenty of grip and a surefooted stance thanks to its all-wheel drive configuration.

What's it like inside?

Audi has long been a leader in terms of interior design, and the latest A4/A5 family sets new benchmarks among the junior luxury class for quality and functionality.

There's an element of Teutonic industrial style to the dashboard's horizontal design, but it's beautifully finished and fuses the cold nature of its aluminium highlights and high-tech screens with the warmth (in our test car at least) of bright red leather seats and ambient lighting.

The Sportback's sleek body is both stylish and practical for a sports car, with a liftback that exposes a generous boot space and rear seats that are big enough to carry a couple of adults without too much trouble. But the sloping rear roofline does limit headroom somewhat, compared to the S4 sedan in particular, and makes getting in and out a little more difficult even though its frameless doors create a larger aperture than conventional ones.

Is it safe?

Apart from its secure road holding, the S5 Sportback is loaded with the latest in crash avoidance technologies such as automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality in heavy traffic, lane keeping assistance, collision warnings, blind spot monitoring, automated parking and a 360-degree camera. In the event of an accident, it has eight airbags and a pop-up bonnet to protect pedestrians in an impact.

Would I buy it?

Yeah, I like the S5 Sportback for its uniquely stylish but practical design, the cabin's excellent blend of technology and quality and the car's on-road manners, whether it's treated as a luxury car or something with a tinge of excitement.

What else should I consider?

If the Sportback isn't quite your style, then the S5 also comes as a two-door coupe or convertible plus there's the S4 sedan and wagon as more conventional options.

Otherwise, there's the Mercedes-AMG C43 in sedan, wagon, coupe and convertible body styles or the BMW 440i as a coupe, convertible or four-door Gran Coupe or the 340i as a sedan or wagon.

Alternatively, the Jaguar XE 3.0 S is a similarly sporty sedan for around the same money.

2017 Audi S5 Sportback price and specifications

Price: From $105,800 plus on-road costs

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol

Power: 260kW at 5400-6400rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1370-4500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive

Fuel use:  7.7L/100km

- Visit our Audi showroom for more details