MSRP: From ~$110,000
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Overview
The 2027 Audi RS5 compact high-performance sedan is a new take on an RS-badged Audi. It abandons the pure-combustion formula in favor of the RS division’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbocharged V6 engine with an electric motor and a battery pack for 630 hp and near-silent electric driving. The Quattro AWD features electromechanical rear torque vectoring for the first time, ensuring sharp handling. It’s the next-gen electrified Audi RS for the enthusiast who wants everyday usability, zero-emission city driving, and high performance in a compact package.
What’s New for 2027
The 2027 RS5 is the brand-new RS-badged variant of the 3rd-generation A5 that’s been around for two years. Like the Mercedes-AMG C63, it’s a PHEV now. It uses a revised version of the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, an electric motor integrated into the 8-speed automatic transmission, and Dynamic Torque Control, which is claimed to be the world’s first electromechanical torque-vectoring rear transaxle. It’s also bigger, while the coupe is gone; we only get the 4-door sedan-style hatchback, not the Europe-only Avant wagon.
Exterior
The new RS5 is unmistakably an RS, with bulging wheel arches widening the body by more than 3.5 inches, with blisters above them harking back to the box arches of old Quattros. You get a 3D Audi Singleframe grille, air curtains channeling air around the front wheels, darkened Matrix LED headlights, checkered-flag DRLs, OLED taillights, matte oval RS sport exhaust outlets, and a finned diffuser to complete the effect. The 20-inch wheels can be upgraded to 21s.
Interior
The RS5’s driver-focused interior combines a curved freestanding OLED panel that incorporates the 11.9-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.5-inch MMI touchscreen, while a 10.9-inch passenger display is standard. The various available interior themes include a leather-free option using recycled materials, but heated, cooled, and massaging power front seats with honeycomb quilting and aggressive bolstering are standard, alongside a flat-bottomed RS steering wheel with buttons for drive modes and the boost function. The Audi Sport package adds new Serpentine green and brass accent stitching..
Price Range and Best Value Trim
The 2027 Audi RS5’s price has not yet been confirmed for the local market, but based on the European €106,200 starting price, we’re looking at nearly $124K in U.S. dollars, though many factors may affect this, and a price range of between $110,000 and $120,000 has been suggested. Here is the current European pricing:
| Trim | Price |
| Base trim: RS5 Sedan | €106,200 |
| Top trim: RS5 Avant | €107,850 |
| Best value trim: RS5 Sedan | €106,200 |
The RS5 Sedan should offer the strongest price-to-features ratio, since it has the same powertrain and standard technology as the Avant for less money; the wagon is not expected to be sold here anyway.
2027 Audi RS5 Specs Overview
The 630-hp PHEV powertrain drives all four wheels through an 8-speed transmission and a new Quattro system with electromechanical torque vectoring. Twin-valve RS sport suspension is standard, and carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.
Powertrain and Battery Options
| Engine | Horsepower | Torque | Transmission | Drivetrain |
| 2.9L twin-turbo V6 TFSI (combustion only) | 503 hp | 442 lb-ft | 8-speed tiptronic | Quattro AWD |
| Electric motor (PHEV component) | 174 hp | 339 lb-ft | Integrated in 8-speed | Drives via transaxle |
| Combined PHEV system output | 630 hp | 609 lb-ft | 8-speed tiptronic | Quattro with Dynamic Torque Control |
The powertrain is supported by a 25.9-kWh battery pack, of which 22 kWh is its usable capacity.
Range and Efficiency
EPA figures are not yet available, and the European WLTP figures are usually optimistic. For what it’s worth, the RS5 is claimed to achieve about 54 MPGe in hybrid mode and 23.5 MPG on gas alone; expect these figures to be around 41 MPGe and 19 MPG here if we assume the EPA figures to trail the WLTP figures by 20%. The RS5 should be able to cover around 44 miles on electricity alone.
Performance and 0-60 MPH
Audi claims a 0-62 MPH sprint of 3.6 seconds in Europe, which should bring 3.5 seconds within reach for the 0-60. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, but you should be able to upgrade it to 177 mph with the Audi Sport package. In electric mode, up to 87 MPH is possible. A boost button on the steering wheel provides full system power for ten seconds, while the electric motor smooths out the power delivery and gearshifts, and fills in low-rev torque.
Audi has mitigated the bloat by placing the battery in the rear for a near-ideal 49/51 front/rear weight distribution and giving the car the first-ever electromechanical rear-axle torque vectoring, so it still handles incredibly well and turns in very sharply, despite the weight.
Dimensions
Preliminary dimensions are as follows, pending confirmation by Audi USA:
| Dimension | Range |
| Length | 192.8 in |
| Width w/o mirrors | 76.9 in |
| Height | 56.2 in |
| Wheelbase | 114.3 in |
| Curb weight | ~5,200 lbs |
Interior Space (Front and Rear)
| Measure | Front | Rear |
| Seating | 2 | 3 |
| Headroom | ~38.0* in | ~37.0* in |
| Legroom | ~41.3* in | ~36.1* in |
*These figures are for the regular A5; RS5 figures were still pending at the time of writing.
Cargo Space
The regular A5 Quattro models have 22.6 cu-ft of cargo space behind the rear seat and 36.6 cu-ft with it folded, and we don’t expect the RS5’s figures to differ much from these. The image below shows the regular A5.
Audi
Ground Clearance
The Audi RS5’s ground clearance is expected to be around 6.5 inches at most, which is quite generous for a sports car, but pending confirmation once the official figures are available.
Warranty
The 2027 Audi RS5 is expected to ship with the same warranty coverage as other 2027 Audi models, and the electric components should be covered for at least the minimum federally required period:
| Coverage | Term |
| New-vehicle limited | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Powertrain | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Hybrid/high-voltage battery | 8 years / 100,000 miles |
| Complimentary maintenance | 3 years / 30,000 miles |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Massive 630 hp combined output
- Innovative torque-vectoring Quattro
- Genuine electric-only commuting
- Dharper, wider styling
Cons:
- Heavy curb weight of around 5,200 pounds
- U.S. pricing and many specs still unconfirmed
- No coupe
- Wagon unlikely in the U.S.
Verdict
The 2027 Audi RS5 is boldly reinvented as a powerful plug-in hybrid, and it certainly looks the part with its aggressively flared wheel arches and RS detailing. With 630 hp on call, it’s rapid too, though it’s also ballooned in weight to beyond 5,000 pounds due to the electrickery under the skin.
With more than 40 miles possible on electricity, the new RS5 successfully takes the RS5 formula forward into an electric era, while still offering a sonorous V6 soundtrack. It’s fast, practical, and versatile, with a roomy cargo area, but we’d have to give our final verdict once U.S. prices and specs have been confirmed.
Competitors
About the author
Cobus F. Potgieter
Reviews and Features Editor