A5 with ECU tune vs S5

[JD15]

I don't doubt your mileage; my point is that city driving is so variable that it is difficult to draw conclusions when comparing different cars. If I had to guess, the 4.2 would get 10-12 mpg on my city driving route during the winter, due to the low speed limits, high number of lights, and cold starts that encompass my driving. Highway mileage is better for comparisons because the conditions are much more consistent. How does the 4.2 do on the highway?

[Muray]

When I drove in the city with my S4, sometimes I never went on a highway for the whole month. I never got more than 200 miles per tank at 15 gallon fill-up with the S4, and I usually had it in Auto/Comfort mode and did full throttle once once a day. The Q5 and the GLK did much better. I think it was mostly the way I drove though. I am feather-footing the GLK, which is rated for the worst MPG among the three, and I am getting the best gas mileage out of all three of them.

[ayap]

How's your MPG on the highway for the A5? 24 MPG is my best so far with the V8, with moderate (75-85mph cruise) to some spirited driving (95-105mph). Maybe after 5,000 miles on the odo and my first oil change, I could get to 25-26 MPG as other S5 owners have reported.

Originally Posted by JD15

I don't doubt your mileage; my point is that city driving is so variable that it is difficult to draw conclusions when comparing different cars. If I had to guess, the 4.2 would get 10-12 mpg on my city driving route during the winter, due to the low speed limits, high number of lights, and cold starts that encompass my driving.

Highway mileage is better for comparisons because the conditions are much more consistent. How does the 4.2 do on the highway?

[Huey52]

Noted, but the Cabrio weighs ~400 lbs more than the Coupe at present, and the new Coupe may be aluminum space-framed as well, so we shall see.

As some others have also cited, I don't need pull at high speeds.

Originally Posted by ayap

You will be disappointed with the S/C V6 if you are concerned about fuel economy.
Some owners of the Supercharger V6 engine already are reporting 12-14 MPG for mostly city driving. I get 18.5 - 19 MPG city driving on my V8 and I ain't driving like granny.

One owner mentioned he owned the 2009 V8 S5 and now traded it for the 2012 V6 S5 Cab, he felt being screwed over both ways - 1) with the low MPG of the V6 (14 MPG) as oppose to 18-19 MPG on the V8 and 2) the lack of pulling power of the V6 at higher speeds.

[DHH]

Originally Posted by JD15

For 2010 or 2011, the A5 comes with a back-up camera as long as you get the navigation package - same as with the S4 or S5.

Once you start looking at used 2010 S5s, I think you will see that the prices are so high that you will have saved little to no money when downgrading from your previous S4.

The 2012 A5s also come with a backup camera with the nav package.

I have a 2012 Cab with the STaSSIS chip, and it has plenty of giddyup. I only have 2400 miles so far, so I haven't pushed it to comment further. The engine is quite smooth and quiet (almost too quiet), before you notice, you're going very quickly. So I'm thinking of getting an upgraded exhaust as well - just need to find the funds. The ride is also quite smooth, though I drive mostly well-paved roads. Hope this helps.

[JD15]

Originally Posted by ayap

How's your MPG on the highway for the A5? 24 MPG is my best so far with the V8, with moderate (75-85mph cruise) to some spirited driving (95-105mph). Maybe after 5,000 miles on the odo and my first oil change, I could get to 25-26 MPG as other S5 owners have reported.

I can get right about 31 mpg on pure freeway trips when dividing miles driven by gallons filled at the pump. The overly optimistic trip computer reports somewhere between 32.5mpg and 33mpg on freeway trips.

[lalith]

I don't track my cars but I have a 2012 A5 with the APR ECU mod. Never timed it but it's got a TON of getup-n-go if it's not from total standstill. Night-and-day difference...REALLY...vs. stock. I love the V8 sound in the S5 but got the 2.0T with Sport Suspension so I can still get over 22MPG city and 26-31 highway even with the ECU mod (and associated boy-like driving, claims the love of my life!)

From standstill the turbo-lag causes a touch of hesitation when you hit the pedal but the torque kicks in at around 1000 rpm and stays flat until at least 4000 rpm. I doubt I can ever hit any car's published 0-60 time and care more about 20-80 or 30-100 to squeeze through traffic. Since you only want 0-60 in the sub-6s, I think you should be just fine.

Just for the heck of it, I tried running along an S5 off an on-ramp and was neck-and-neck up to 80mph when I stopped. Surprising...maybe the lighter engine in the 2.0T?? He'd have beaten me if we had started from a stop, I'm sure.

[Eh?5]

Hi All - I'm completely new to this forum, so please forgive any missteps. I noticed this thread began with a very positive experience with the APR tune; I have a 2011 A5 S-Line and recently added the APR Stage 1 91 program and am really disappointed. I only run Chevron 94 and, yes, I have the program switching routine down. It really doesn't feel any different than stock to me. Maybe my expectations are too high? I had an A4 1.8T years ago that I chipped with GIAC and it was seriously night and day difference immediately.

I went back to the shop where the APR was installed and they said it appeared to be set properly - and that's it. They also said my Blizzaks might be why it feels sluggish (getting Pilot Sport A/S Plus tomorrow), but they were on before the installation so - apples to apples. They advised that the 93 octane program wouldn't really make an appreciable difference over the 91 program. I emailed APR who said, if I want to, I can "run some logs" and send them to them to see if it's doing what it's supposed to do. I'm pretty much soured on the whole deal. If I had it to do again, I'd have gone with something that's quick out of the box. Just my two cents -

[wreck111]

I always get 25-27 highway 18 or so city. I also never really push it and drive within 15 of the speed limit. S5 cab is fine once it breaks in ( about 6K)

[DHH]

Top up, I'm getting 31-32mpg, mostly highway. Top-down, 30-31.

FWIW