Audi makes up its mind: Carmaker to sell A5 and S5 Sportback models in the U.S.

By Stephen Edelstein Published November 16, 2016

When it unveiled Sportback five-door hatchback versions of its A5 and S5 at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Audi said it hadn’t made a final decision on whether these models would be sold in the U.S., alongside existing coupe and convertible versions. It seems Audi has made up its mind.

At the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show this week, Audi announced that the A5 and S5 Sportback will be sold in the U.S.. They’ll arrive this spring as 2018 models. While mechanically identical to the A5 and S5 coupe and convertible models, the Sportback variants offer more practicality, in a package that’s still more stylish than the average SUV.

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The Sportback models feature the same evolutionary version of Audi’s current design language as their coupe and convertible cousins. They combine that with a sloping roofline and steeply-raked rear hatch adapted from the larger A7 and S7 models. This is part of the trend among German manufacturers to try to sell vehicles with more than two doors as “coupes” based on expressive styling.

Powertrains are shared with the coupe and convertibles, meaning the A5 Sportback gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Audi says it will do 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The sportier S5 Sportback gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with 354hp and 369 lb-ft, enough for 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, according to Audi.

The A5 Sportback uses a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the S5 uses a conventional automatic with eight forward gears. All Sportback models come standard with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive, and Audi will offer an array of tech options, including the “Virtual Cockpit” digital dashboard display, MMI infotainment system with handwriting recognition, and 4G LTE connectivity.

Pricing information for the 2018 Audi A5 and S5 Sportback will be released closer to the cars’ springtime launch.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Uber partners with May Mobility to bring thousands of autonomous vehicles to U.S. streets

uber may mobility av rides partnership

The self-driving race is shifting into high gear, and Uber just added more horsepower. In a new multi-year partnership, Uber and autonomous vehicle (AV) company May Mobility will begin rolling out driverless rides in Arlington, Texas by the end of 2025—with thousands more vehicles planned across the U.S. in the coming years.
Uber has already taken serious steps towards making autonomous ride-hailing a mainstream option. The company already works with Waymo, whose robotaxis are live in multiple cities, and now it’s welcoming May Mobility’s hybrid-electric Toyota Sienna vans to its platform. The vehicles will launch with safety drivers at first but are expected to go fully autonomous as deployments mature.
May Mobility isn’t new to this game. Backed by Toyota, BMW, and other major players, it’s been running AV services in geofenced areas since 2021. Its AI-powered Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) tech allows it to react quickly and safely to unpredictable real-world conditions—something that’s helped it earn trust in city partnerships across the U.S. and Japan.
This expansion into ride-hailing is part of a broader industry trend. Waymo, widely seen as the current AV frontrunner, continues scaling its service in cities like Phoenix and Austin. Tesla, meanwhile, is preparing to launch its first robotaxis in Austin this June, with a small fleet of Model Ys powered by its camera-based Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. While Tesla aims for affordability and scale, Waymo and May are focused on safety-first deployments using sensor-rich systems, including lidar—a tech stack regulators have so far favored.
Beyond ride-hailing, the idea of personally owned self-driving cars is also gaining traction. Waymo and Toyota recently announced they’re exploring how to bring full autonomy to private vehicles, a move that could eventually bring robotaxi tech right into your garage.
With big names like Uber, Tesla, Waymo, and now May Mobility in the mix, the ride-hailing industry is evolving fast—and the road ahead looks increasingly driver-optional.

Cars

The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

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You Asked

On today’s You Asked: What's to come with the new Slate Truck and its potential availability? Is it worth the hype? Why does it feel like smartphone design and innovation has stalled recently? And why do directors think that ultra wide 21:9 is a good ratio for movies?
Slate Truck breakdown with John McCann
Some of you have been in touch to ask about the availability of the new Slate Truck. I'll go through the preorder process in a moment, but first, let's get everyone up to speed on this newly unveiled EV. What is it? What makes it stand out? And why is it generating so much buzz?
This is being touted as a sub-$20,000 electric truck after government incentives, and you’ll be able to customize it to your heart’s content. It stands out not so much for what it offers, but for what it doesn’t offer as standard. There’s just one trim and one paint color. No touchscreen, no stereo, no Bluetooth, no electric windows.

So, what do you get? There are two seats. There's a five-meter bed, good for payloads up to 1,400 pounds. There's AC, steel wheels, and hand-cranked windows, plus all the standard driver safety assists you’d expect from a modern vehicle. There’s a rear-mounted electric motor, a roomy frunk, and a battery rated for about 150 miles, according to Slate.
That isn’t great in the world of EV range, but a larger battery will be available to push that figure up to a more reasonable 240 miles. That bigger battery is just one of over 100 add-ons Slate is making available. These will be offered not just at the point of purchase but also at any time during your ownership, allowing you to swap and upgrade as your needs evolve.
Want to add a splash of color? Check out the vast range of vinyl wraps you can apply and remove from the truck at will. There’s also an SUV upgrade kit that converts your two-seater truck into a five-seater car. Inside, infotainment is strictly “bring your own device.” There’s no touchscreen, no built-in CarPlay, not even a stereo. Instead, you get a universal phone mount and a few USB ports. You can also add holders for a tablet if you want a bigger display, and a Bluetooth speaker if you want to listen to music while out for a drive.