2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

Episode 2935
Lucas Oil "Keep That Engine Alive"Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Convertible season is here! And leave it to Audi to be ready with a new droptop, the A5 Cabriolet. Visually, it’s just as stunning as the coupe, but now for the real test. Let’s put on our Ray-Bans and head out on the highway. Cars don’t always make the transition from tin-top to convertible gracefully, but Audi has managed to keep their four-seat 2010 A5 Cabriolet beautifully proportioned.

Audi’s now familiar front end formula-big, rectangular LED-rimmed bi-Xenon headlights and a deep, drop jaw Nuvolari grille-is indistinguishable from the A5 hardtop. In profile, though, the power softtop makes for a longer, flatter trunklid. Whether you’re basking in the sun or keeping the rain at bay, the A5’s lines are pleasing from every angle.

Audi chose fabric over a metal droptop to save weight and bulk. It includes a glass rear window with defroster, and uses Audi’s new Acoustic Roof insulation to keep the cabin remarkably quiet. Top operation takes less than 20 seconds, even when driving up to 30 miles-per-gallon hour. Our tester’s burnt orange leather interior was trimmed tastefully in aluminum and wood. It proved comfortable for four adults, and as user-friendly as it was attractive.

The dash caters to driver ergonomics. Gauges are clear and easy to read, and the thick-rimmed, multi-function, tilt-and-telescoping wheel is leather-wrapped. An array of airbags includes knee airbags for front-row occupants.

Audi’s Drive Select integrates operation of throttle, steering, and suspension, offering four distinct driver selected settings- Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, plus Individual. Feedback from Audi’s latest MMI hard-drive disc infotainment system is via the seven-inch screen mounted high in the center stack.

Our A5’s curvy, heavily-bolstered power front bucket seats featured neck-level heat vents. With the top up, there is of course sizable C-pillar blind spot. Luckily, our tester came equipped with Audi Side Assist, a useful blind-spot monitoring system in the side mirrors.

Thanks to the less bulky softtop, second-row occupants get a surprising amount of legroom, plus a wind diffuser, and rollover protection. Unusual for its class is a split folding rear seat that gives this Cabrio functional versatility. Filling all the seats still allows for a practical 10.2 cubic foot trunk, top up or top down. Most hardtop rivals have a fraction of that with the top down.

Like the Coupe, standard power is a direct-injected, turbocharged 2-liter I4. In the Cabrio it’s good for 211 horsepower and a stout 258 pound-feet of torque. For more power you’ll have to move up to the S5 Cabriolet with its supercharged 3.0-liter V6 rated at 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet.

The 2.0, with standard front drive, transfers power through a CVT automatic. Our all-wheel drive Quattro uses a six-speed Tiptronic automatic with paddle shifters. There is no pure manual. With Quattro, this is a year-round convertible. Torque splits 40 percent front, 60 percent rear in routine driving.

At the track, traction was in no short supply: zero to 60 took just 6.6 seconds. Turbo lag was almost non-existent, and shifts were well-spaced, if a little soft. The droptop A5’s relaxed demeanor didn’t hurt its quarter mile time: 15 seconds flat, at 90 miles-per-gallon hour.

Through the low-speed slalom, the car’s heavily front-biased weight was apparent, but it still proved to be a nimble handler. Turn-ins were quick, and the car felt unusually solid for a convertible.  We detected little cowl twist and shake. Body roll was present, but manageable.

Switchable ESP stability control, as well as ABS, are standard-issue. Four-wheel disc brakes stopped the A5 from 60 in a short average of 122 feet. Mild fade increased the distances slightly over six runs, and the pedal was soft, but stops remained smooth and straight.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for our Quattro A5 Cabrio are 20 city, 26 highway. The front-drive droptop is rated at 23 city, 30 highway. On our test loop, the Quattro delivered an unsurprising 23.2 mpg on premium gas. Plus, with an Energy Impact Score of 14.9 yearly barrels of oil, and a Carbon Footprint of 8 tons of CO2, our A5 Cabriolet is relatively eco-friendly.

More so than prices, which start at $42,825 for the front-drive A5 Cabrio, and $44,925 for the all-wheel drive variant. But, go easy on options, the 60 grand mark is not hard to breach. Indeed, at that level it makes sense to upgrade to the S5 Cabriolet.

Still, even with the base 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet, you’re getting a droptop that is easy on the eyes, with a sumptuous interior, and nearly impeccable road manners. Oh, and it will turn a few heads too. And, that test, like all the rest, this ragtop passes with ease.

 

Specifications

  • Engine: Direct-injected, Turbocharged 2-Liter I4
  • Horsepower: 211
  • Torque: 258 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 6.6 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 15.0 Seconds @ 90 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 122 Feet
  • EPA: 20 MPG City/ 26 MPG Highway
  • Mixed Loop: 23.2 MPG
  • Energy Impact: 14.9 Barrels Oil/Yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 8.0 Tons/Yr
2024 Mazda CX-90 Front Quarter 1

2024 Mazda CX-90

A Force To Be Reckoned With

Episode 4238
Lucas Oil "Keep That Engine Alive"Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

If you’ve been following Mazda lately, you’ll know they’ve been fielding some serious new designs; you could even say, they’re latest efforts are 10-times better than before. After all, the CX-3 became the CX-30, then CX-5 became the CX-50, and now it’s the CX-9’s turn. So, let’s find out if this all-new CX-90, their largest SUV yet, is a real multiplier or if it’s all just a numbers game.

Don’t think of this 2024 Mazda CX-90 so much as an updated version of the CX-9, as it’s more of a complete rethink of their 3-row crossover, the first built on an all-new, large vehicle platform for the brand. And this platform carries a host of surprises. Not only does it make the CX-90 bigger by every dimension, but it’s a rear-drive architecture, and features all-new powertrains, including the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, and even an inline-6 engine.

Why an inline-6 to replace the CX-9’s turbo-4? Well, in general terms, I6s are better balanced, run smoother, and can deliver more torque at lower RPM. Just ask the BMW faithful, or any of the truckers you see going down the road hauling more than 20-tons of cargo with their inline-6s.

There are 2-versions of the longitudinally mounted 6, both assisted by turbocharging and a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Output for the base Turbo is 280-horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque; this Turbo S cranks it up to 340-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. The PHEV, on the other hand, is based on a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I4, working with a 100-kW electric motor to deliver 323-horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. A 17.8-kWh battery delivers 26-miles of EV driving.

2024 Mazda CX-90 3
2024 Mazda CX-90 Side Profile
2024 Mazda CX-90 Quarter Rear
2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine Cover
2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine
2024 Mazda CX-90 32024 Mazda CX-90 Side Profile2024 Mazda CX-90 Quarter Rear2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine Cover2024 Mazda CX-90 Twin-Turbo I-6 Engine

It’s not the prettiest SUV, but it does have very smooth body work; plus, the longer hood and 7½-inches of wheelbase stretch over the CX-9, give it more stately proportions. All CX-90s come with i-Activ all-wheel drive and the brand’s first 8-speed automatic transmission; the longer wheelbase allows tow ratings to step up from 3,500-lbs. to 5,000.

At the test track, our Turbo S launched effortlessly with good grip on the way to a 6.4-second 0-60. The smooth vibes continued throughout the ¼-mile, with refined power delivery, seamless shifts, and a noticeably more solid and stable feel at speed than the CX-9. Our best time was 14.7-seconds at 98 miles-per-hour.

Through the cones, it still behaves like a Mazda, with very good steering feel and a solid presence in corners at low to moderate speeds. Some understeer and body roll will show up when pushed hard, but Mazda’s Kinematic Posture Control uses subtle selective braking to help the vehicle rotate, and safety systems will step in well-before it gets out of sorts.

There’s a nice firm feel to the brake pedal, delivering good stopping results of 118-feet from 60 miles-per-hour. You can feel a lot of weight transfer, but nosedive was well contained.

images: Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [image] => 11459
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [image] => 11458
        )

)

Another unique element the CX-90 brings is seating arrangements for 6,7, or 8. It’s the 8-seater that’s standard with 3-across bench seating for 2nd and 3rd rows. 7-seaters get either captain’s chairs in the 2nd row, or more contoured seats for the 3rd; 6-seaters sport 2nd row captains and the contoured 3rd row. Cargo capacity varies with seating, but is at best 15.9 cubic-ft. behind the 3rd row, 40.1 behind the 2nd, and 75.2 with all seats folded.

As far as what it’s like to actually live with, the CX-90’s cabin is a clear step up, including on some trims suede-like materials, intricate stitching, and real wood, all consistent with what we’ve seen from the brand lately. A 10-inch dashtop touchscreen is standard for infotainment, with upper trims getting a larger 12.3-incher. We applaud Mazda’s inclusion of plenty of old-school manual controls for radio and climate, which keeps menu diving limited to secondary functions. PHEVs get a few unique controls and readouts to monitor drive modes and battery level.

Overall, the CX-90 is highly functional, entertainingly sporty to drive, and will be more competitive in the ever growing 3-row family crossover segment; and its posh interior may even attract luxury buyers on a budget.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Turbo S are 23-City, 28-Highway, and 25-Combined. We averaged a good 26.5 miles-per-gallon of Regular.

Pricing begins with the base Turbo at Select trim for $40,970, PHEVs are available in Preferred trim and above starting at $48,820, and the Turbo S starts at $53,125.

Force multiplier is a military term for when strategic elements come together to produce results greater than would have been possible without them. Well, no high-level math skills are necessary here to see that the 2024 Mazda CX-90 is clearly more than just a much better CX-9; it’s now a force to be reckoned with in the 3-row family crossover segment.

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.3-liter I-6
  • Horsepower: 340
  • 0-60 mph: 6.4 seconds
  • 60-0 Braking: 118 feet (avg)
  • MW Fuel Economy: 26.5 MPG (Regular)
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 369 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 14.7-seconds at 98 mph
  • EPA: 23 City / 28 Highway / 25 Combined
  • Starting Price: $40,970