WHAT IS IT? Audi’s all-new, second-generation A5 Sportback sits on the same MLB platform as the excellent A4 and A5 Coupe, merging sedan practicality with fastback looks and carrying the mantle of most popular A5 variant in Oz.

THE WHEELS VERDICT The A5 Sportback is more than just a stylised A4 sedan. It combines genuine practical advantages and added design appeal into a blend of style and substance that will lure design-savvy buyers with a bit of extra money to spend.

THE WHEELS REVIEW FUSE the most desirable bits of Audi’s mid-size model family into one vehicle and the A5 Sportback is what follows. It’s a versatile cocktail of passenger space and cargo room draped in the dramatic, fastback styling of the A5 Coupe, and more than half of all Aussie A5 buyers have opted for the five-door variant since it was added to the line-up in 2010.

Second time around, and unlike the original, the A5 was developed with a Sportback variant in mind from the get-go, and with less packaging compromises diminishing its usefulness the new car is better in about every measurable way. The VW Group’s accomplished MLB platform, shared with the A5’s excellent A4 sedan and wagon siblings, sits beneath beautifully refined bodywork that loses none of its appeal despite an extra pair of doors.

Those who view the Sportback merely as a stylised A4 sedan may find the price premium hard to swallow, but the liftback trumps both it and the Coupe by bringing genuine practical advantages. Its wheelbase is 4mm longer than the A4 and 60mm longer than the A5 Coupe, which opens up 24mm of extra legroom for rear seat travellers. It’s wider in the back, too, with a proper three-seat rear bench allowing for an extra passenger compared with the A5 Coupe’s divided pair of back seats.

Inside, the Sportback carries over the same elegant interior styling as seen in the A4 and A5, including highly considered touchpoints and an overall focus on quality. On the road it’s a composed and controlled drive with the 2.0-litre quattro model offering reasonable driver involvement and satisfying torque delivery without stepping on the toes of its bigger S5-badged brother.

That said, the A5 Sportback’s mixture of style and substance is a compelling alternative to the other Audi B segment models. Audi’s niche-mining seems to have struck a sweet spot for those who can afford it.

SPECS Model: Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI quattro Engine: 1984cc, four-cylinder, 16v, dohc, turbo Max power: 185kW @ 5000-6000rpm Max torque: 370Nm @ 1600-4500rpm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch Weight: 1535kg 0-100km/h: 6.0sec (claimed) Fuel economy: 6.5L/100km (claimed) Price: $81,500 On sale: Now