2015 Audi S5. Is it worth it?

[AS4]

Sup guys!

I currently own a '12 A4 and I will be trading it in June.
Im currently in the market for an S5 or a BMW 435i.

Im stuck between those two.
I also owned a '07 A4 as well so I'm always for the Audi family but maybe I want to change it up? idk.
Can you guys convince me why I should go with the S5?


This is my current A4

[doug97gxe]

Based on the fact you're in CA i can't sell you on the drive it all year round factor, however if you like the looks of the 435 being that it is the current model and won't change for a while it gets the nod over the S5

The S5 however is more fun to drive, better steering feel, has more power and has a better interior ..

here is an article with some good reading http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...omparison-test

[LINDW4LL]

Buying the last model year of a car is never a good financial decision IMO, when considering that you can buy a heavily discounted, low mileage, pre-owned 2013 which is the same exact car.

[SLU_S5]

The S5 however is more fun to drive, better steering feel, has more power and has a better interior ..

here is an article with some good reading http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...omparison-test

I agree. I've driven both the 2014 S5 and 435 and the S5 won hands down. S5 was much more fun, had a far better interior, and more responsive feel. It felt much more solid in every aspect too- the BMW felt kind of cheap. The 435's AWD system was good but I was really disappointed in the car's lack of power.

[GSS5]

Buying the last model year of a car means there's probably great dealer incentives and aggressive pricing to make room for newer models. There's no reason to go cpo if you're set on buying brand new.

The s5 is simply a better car than the 435. It wasn't really even a question for me when i was in the market. Buy the s5, there will be nothing to regret.


Sent from my iPhone

[rasetsu]

BMWs are a dime a dozen, especially in CA. I think the S5 is a lot better looking than a 435 too which is subjective though. If you plan on doing performance mods, the 435 probably has a lot more aftermarket support.

[Nastybutler]

Personally, I'm not a fan of BMW's interiors. I think they're hideous, especially when compared to an Audi or Mercedes. Buuuut, if I were you I might wait to see what the new 5 model looks like before making any decision.

[JimWB]

It was between the 435/S5 for me, but once I test drove the S5 and did a walk around I knew the Audi won. After 6 months I still enjoy admiring my car as I walk towards it.

[MilesM]

I had a '10 A4 full bolt on etc., now in a '14 S5 (full bolt on again but even stock). Do it. You will wonder why you waited so long.

/thread

[Avantmaniac]

If you asked on Audi forum, I bet majority will vote for Audi. My personal own experience never really like BMW handling and the interior is too crowded.
But to each of their own, it will go back to you, your own personal preference, taste, etc. Each has the plus and minus, and oh yes buying new latest model car unless you don't really care about it, it will depreciated more than buying a year before model.

[Lexura]

I am on the same boat. Test drove the 2015 S5 and I am now hooked. My Sepang Blue S5 will be delivered on Dec. 29.

[ians]

I have a E92 335i RWD & S5 3.0T and both are MT. May I tell you, if I can choose again, I will buy 2 S5 or 1 S4 & 1 S5 and will never buy BMW again. If you plan to get MT then no doubt, stay away from BMW. BTW, I been owning MT BMW for the past 16 yr.

[u2nelson]

I still look forward to driving my S5 every time I go out to the garage, and I always sneak a look at it after I park because it looks amazing. The power and driving dynamic feel is so intoxicating. BMW is a fine car, but dime a dozen, and I'm not a fan of the interior design.

[jrabakker]

I still look forward to driving my S5 every time I go out to the garage, and I always sneak a look at it after I park because it looks amazing. The power and driving dynamic feel is so intoxicating. BMW is a fine car, but dime a dozen, and I'm not a fan of the interior design.

+1 on all said!

Silly how I keep looking back every time I walk away from it, but can't help it.The only thing I don't like about the 2015 lineup is the fact that they got rid of my 2 favorite colors: estoril blue and panther black. Why Audi, why did you do this? :(

[jasonlitka]

Personally, I'm not a fan of BMW's interiors. I think they're hideous, especially when compared to an Audi or Mercedes. Buuuut, if I were you I might wait to see what the new 5 model looks like before making any decision.

That's interesting. The reason my wife went looking at BMW was because she hated the interior of the Audi A4/Q5. We ended up with her in a X3 because she wanted a higher ride than the 3-series.


Jason Litka
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[S5DUBAI]

From experience, 435i are fun but nothing compared to the S5 I hated my Audi S5 until I drove a 435i which I wanted in the first place, but thanks god me working for the police got me a discount for around 10,000 USD so I went for the Audi and I cant be happier now. Here are few reasons :
1- BMW brakes got a lot of fade when braking hard
2- BMW interior is good but few crapy bits specially the dashboard.
3- power delivery is much better in the S5, 435i seems to always hesitate before giving you 100% of its power
4- seats are not as comfy as the Audi a bit hard
5- the rear seats in the Audi are far better than BMW specially the leg room.

[The Outrage]

I cross-shopped the Audi S5 and the BMW 435i xDrive. I primarily went with the Audi due to its higher-quality and roomier interior. Certain aspects of the BMW's interior are clearly designed to meet the price point of the 320i (which is roughly half of the price of a well-optioned 435i). The optional Dakota Leather used on the 435i seems rough and cheap. The optional Nappa Leather used on the S5 feels higher quality (I previously owned a Lexus with semi-aniline leather so my expectations are a bit high in this regard). I also feel as though I have more shoulder room in the Audi than I do in the BMW.

I much prefer the appearance of the Audi S5, and I feel that it will age well over time. IMO, Audi has done a better job distinguishing the A4 and A5 in styling. The 4 Series, on the other hand, looks like a two-door 3 Series with a little bit of extra width. I'm not a fan of a few of the styling elements of the 4-Series such as the cheesy-looking fender vent which is only available in a contrasting black or chrome depending on the trim selected.

Drivetrain-wise, I would be fairly happy with either one. The 335i's 3.0 liter I6 turbo engine has pretty good response even with the turbocharger (I assume this is due to the turbocharger's unique design). Only in comparison to the immediacy of the 3.0 liter V6 supercharged engine of the S5 are any deficiencies noted. The Audi's supercharger creates an engine which feels like it's of a higher displacement. The BMW's ZF eight-speed transmission is among the best automatic transmissions out there. The Audi S tronic is probably the only transmission on the market I'd rather have over it since it's a dual clutch design.

Infotainment-wise, I prefer the 435i's iDrive interface to the S5's MMI. It feels more up to date. I think both systems are acceptable, however.

Honestly, if the Audi S5 didn't exist, I'd own a BMW 435i xDrive instead. I thought the same things other have: The Audi is such an old platform, it must be behind the times. This does show up in a few missing features like the automated parking, head-up display, and side and top view cameras found in the BMW. One more thing, the 435i will lease for significantly less money than the S5 since BMW leases are heavily subsidized. Despite this, I still feel the S5 offered more of what I deemed important than the 435i. At the time, I felt as though if I had bought a 435i I'd always wish that I would have purchased the S5 instead. Having actually purchased the S5, I don't feel like I made the wrong decision. The biggest competitor to the 2015 Audi S5, in my mind, is the 2016 Audi S5. Still, I wouldn't fault anyone for choosing a BMW 435i instead.

[DiamondEyes]

I went through the same thing myself. I was so excited to test drive the 435i at the dealership .. I was with my girlfriend and she fit nicely in the backseat. I got into the car all gitty, the interior was clean and crisp, the engine sounded good.

As soon as I got onto the highway I pulled the trigger ..... my smile turned dull real fast. The acceleration felt so computerized, sure it was fast but there was no character to it and I couldn't feel much of the road. I took it around a few times and still .. My girlfriend could tell my balloon had burst.

Then I test drove a S5 .. Different story. The interior was much nicer, I felt like I was in a tank compared to the 435i. I felt the road more, the engine/exhaust had character with the "fart" noise when it shifted gears and the rev matching noise .. it felt alive.

I ended up ordering a 2015 S5 .. hope that helps.

[jrabakker]

I ended up ordering a 2015 S5 .. hope that helps.

And in Daytona with Black Optic and rotors, such an awesome combo!

[ModdedEuros]

All depends on what you really care about. Looks, power, handling. BMW's are great cars that handle well but the interiors leave a lot to be desired.

[DiamondEyes]

And in Daytona with Black Optic and rotors, such an awesome combo!

Thanks :) cant wait. estoril blue would be my next choice but I didn't want an all black interior .. I went with grey/red .. blue/red would of looked to much IMO aka superman.

[jrabakker]

Thanks :) cant wait. estoril blue would be my next choice but I didn't want an all black interior .. I went with grey/red .. blue/red would of looked to much IMO aka superman.

Would you do Estoril as an exclusive color then? Because it was removed from the original lineup, same as the Panther black (bad move on Audi's part in my opinion).

[teky929rr]

I would go with the 435 since you bought VMR's for your A4. j/k S5 for sure!

[BoostEasy]

A lot of what is said up above is true. I bought an S5 DSG after having two 335XI sedans primarily because the exterior looks of the S5 are so much better than the 435.

After owning the S5 for a year I can say:
1) Love the Alcantara seating surfaces, they way they look is cool but I wish they had adjustable headrests
2) The interior has grown on me. It's a different approach vs BMW's Porsche-like clean, minimalist design and I appreciate it more now for what it is and like it
3) The programming of the DSG supposedly changed on the B8.5s and it's really not that hot. No bad stuff but it shifts really early and drops the RPM to just above 1000rpm whenever it can. Makes for a really dull driving experience unless you either drop into S mode (murders gas mileage) or shift yourself in M (ugh). It really needs 3 modes: ECO (D currently), Normal and "S". The BMW F80s I drove were a lot livelier because the new ZF 8-spds are programmed awesome and shift as fast or faster than the DSG. I literally would rather than the ZF over the DSG.
4) The S5 body rolls less than the S4s I test drove and a little less than the 335s I owned. In all, the steering feel on the BMW was about the same as the S5 or perhaps a little better on-center but the BMW suspension takes bumps harder and feels a little more bouncy. The S5 just feels more planted/heavier.
5) I like the S5's sport diff option. The 335XIs I owned previously would start understeering when gassing it in turns but the diff in the S5 just bites in and rotates the car. Unexpectedly nice feeling and worth the $1400.
6) BMW's premium sound is a little better. Subs under the seats are awesome. B/O in the S5 is good, bass just isn't the same.

[alexza4]

I was in the same decision boat not too long ago. I'm also not as biased as some since I own both Bimmers and Audis, most recently coming off a B6A4 and e46M3. LEt me just say that decision lasted about all of 10 minutes after I drove a 435 and having previously driven an S5.
Looks, Handling, interior.... QUATTRO, S-tronic shifting (in S mode only though), power delivery, overall expensive feel. Did I say looks? S5 wins on all hands down maybe except DSG, I do tend to agree on the Boost Easy summary above.

That's why I'm now driving a 2015 S5 and loving every second of it.

[TRNG]

Winter driving was a big factor for me in the decision for S5 over 435

[Nastybutler]

6) BMW's premium sound is a little better. Subs under the seats are awesome. B/O in the S5 is good, bass just isn't the same.

Totally agree. The under seat subs are a fantastic idea that more OEMs should "steal." However, for $65 (a bit more with a roll of Dynamat) you can get a Pioneer Champion 10" sub that is a direct swap with the crappy B&O "subwoofer." All you lose is a little bit of upper trunk space, but the bass is how it should have been from the factory. About the best bang-for-buck mod you can do.

[dgszweda]

I have been driving an M5 for the last few weekends (I also own an RS5). While both of these cars are a step above what you are looking for, I would give this opinion.

AWD rules. I think at the end of the day car magazines have ruined cars, because all they test on are racetracks. While the Audi's may understeer, if we are all honest, for what you are doing on the road, you will not reach the understeer limit. I have once and I was going seriously crazy. The Audi AWD is way more confident inspiring. Driving these BMW RWD cars, are a pain. The M5 is nice on power, but what good is it every time you step on it, you are going all over the place. Even when comparing the M5 interior, I prefer my S4 and RS5 interior. The iDrive looks more updated, but it is confusing as heck and not that intuitive. Plus you get nickel and dime on every option with BMW. They are about the same price fully loaded, but the Audi will hold its value much better.