There’s so much to admire about this car, but its multitronic auto gearbox isn’t one of them.

Yes, it makes driving a doddle most of the time but the financial downsides are many. With diesel now uncomfortably higher than 130p per litre almost everywhere you look, filling up is becoming a pricey business, my last one costing just shy of £75.

The manual beats the auto on several financial criteria: the SE auto is £1525 more expensive (£29,520 vs. £27,995) and unavailable with stop/start (vs. standard stop/start on manual 2.0 TDI versions), which goes some way to explaining its greater thirst (48.7mpg vs. 54.3mpg), higher CO2 (152g/km vs. 135g/km) and greater BIK (22% vs. 19%). As a CVT with a notional ‘fixed’ eight ratios, it’s just not as smooth or as fun to drive as Audi‘s more intuitive double-clutch S-tronic system on six-cylinder models, and currently I’m only getting a 31.4mpg real-world average in my urban-biased manoeuvres (vs. 37.7 official urban). Unless your fleet driver absolutely has to have an A5 auto I’d recommend a manual every time.

Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI SE Multitronic 143hp
Mileage 1152
Claimed combined
consumption
48.7mpg
Our average
consumption
31.4mpg
P11D price £29,310
Model price range £25,455-£38,725
CO2 (tax) 152g/km/22%
BIK 20/40%
per month
£107/£215
Service interval up to 19,000mls/2yrs
Insurance group 22E
Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls
Boot space (min/max) 480/980 litres
Engine size/power 1968cc/143hp
Top speed/0-62mph 127mph/9.7secs
Why we’re running it To see if the A5 really
can combine practicality
with style in everyday living
Positive Great looks, interior
quality and practicality
Negative Auto mpg and
hill-hold issues