Many automakers are moving away from cars to producing more SUVs, which are in demand and offer better profit margins. While Audi offers several SUVs, the company also makes a variety of cars, many of which push the performance envelope. The swoopy S5 Sportback four-door is one of them, offering snappy performance, razor-sharp styling, and fairly decent value in the premium European sports sedan space.

Audi gave the S5 Sportback more features and updated tech for the 2021 model year, but changes for 2022 are less impactful. That said, the S5 should remain a competent performer with a reasonable price tag that can hold its own with cars from BMW and Mercedes-AMG costing thousands more.

The S5 Sportback gets a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that produces 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed Tiptronic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) are also standard. Audi says the powertrain is good for a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.

Standard exterior features include 19-inch wheels, S Sport suspension, S-Model quad exhaust tips, a power tailgate, and a panoramic sunroof. The 19-inch wheels replace the previous model’s 18-inch wheels, which could impact the S5’s already sporty ride quality. That said, it's done well in past model years, maintaining comfort while providing excellent handling and driving dynamics. Adaptive suspension is available, which will allow the driver to dial in the level of stiffness or comfort they prefer.

The S5’s cabin gets standard features that include LED lighting, leather and Dinamica upholstery, heated front seats, carbon fiber inlays, stainless steel sport pedals and footrest, a tri-spoke sport steering wheel with S badging and paddle shifters, and tri-zone automatic climate control with a digital rear display. Because of its sloping roofline, the S5 isn’t the most competent family hauler. Rear-seat headroom is noticeably reduced from a traditional sedan, which can make carrying kids in car seats an annoying experience for everyone involved. The nearly identical Audi S4 sedan offers the same sporty driving experience with more rear headroom.

Every S5 gets a 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen display that runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The rotary controller seen in the 2020 model-year S5 is gone, and controls are now handled through the touchscreen, which should prove to be more intuitive for most people and will likely require less of a learning curve to operate out of the box. Navigation and wireless smartphone charging are available.

Some advanced safety features are available, but most require added-cost options packages. Audi Pre-Sense City and Pre-Sense Basic are standard, which pre-tension seatbelts, close windows, and close the sunroof if a collision is detected. The cars also get lane-departure warning, a rearview camera system, and Audi Connect assistance and security services (with a subscription).

The 2022 Audi S5 Sportback can be configured on the automaker’s website now. The base S5 Sportback Premium starts at $54,945 after destination, while the S5 Premium Plus starts at $58,545. The top-of-the-line S5 Prestige starts at $62,300.