2026 Audi RS5 Avant Driven! Does Hybrid Ruin An Epic Car?

The New RS5 Avant video is sponsored by Displate! Use my link https://displate.com/@removebeforerace or code "RACE" for 22% off for 1 Displate, 27% off for 2 and 33% off for 3+ Displates! Don’t miss it! —- I haven’t been this desperate to drive a new performance car in years. Because on paper, Audi Sport have pulled off something that rare in 2026: a car everyone loves. They’ve kept the glorious 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, paired it with a plug-in hybrid system producing 639PS, introduced a world-first electro-mechanical rear axle, thus somehow creating a car that’s been almost universally loved from the moment it was revealed. That’s the new #Audi #RS5. But there’s one huge question hanging over it. Weight. At 2.37 tonnes, the new RS5 Avant is around half a tonne heavier than the outgoing RS4 Competition. That’s enough to worry any driver. So has #AudiSport managed to engineer around it, or has the hybrid system fundamentally changed what an RS car feels like? That’s exactly what I’m here in Austria to find out. In this video I finally get behind the wheel of the all-new RS5 Avant. We put the revised V6 through its paces, hear the optional RS Sport exhaust properly on the road, test launch control, drive in EV mode, explore the comfort, efficiency and day-to-day usability, and most importantly find out whether this new hybrid drivetrain still delivers the character we’ve always loved about fast Audis. Before that, we take a detailed look around the car itself, explore the stunning new RS design, climb inside the completely redesigned interior, and then open Technical Domain to explain exactly how Audi Sport have reinvented quattro for this generation. In this video: Exterior design walkaround Interior tour and practicality Exhaust sound and V6 soundtrack Launch control testing EV mode and daily driving Comfort and suspension impressions Revised EA839 2.9-litre V6 explained New plug-in hybrid drivetrain World-first electro-mechanical rear axle New quattro system explained Weight versus RS4 Competition Comparisons with the BMW M3 Touring, BMW M5 Touring and Audi RS6 UK pricing and buying advice The new RS5 isn’t trying to replace the RS4 Competition. Instead, Audi have moved the RS5 upmarket. It has the refinement, technology and effortless pace to challenge cars like the BMW M5, while still delivering something many enthusiasts thought was disappearing forever — a proper six-cylinder performance estate with a genuinely emotional soundtrack. It won’t be for everyone. If you want the lightest, sharpest sports estate, the M3 Touring still has a strong argument. But if you want a car that can do almost everything — effortless motorway miles, electric commuting, huge performance and one of the best-looking RS bodies Audi have ever produced — then this new RS5 might just be the sweet spot. For me… Audi have trusted enthusiasts. Instead of forcing an EV or downsizing to four cylinders, they’ve evolved the formula whilst keeping the heart of what makes an RS car special. And after driving it… I might have a very expensive decision to make. Thank you, as always, for watching and supporting Remove Before Race. It genuinely means the world and allows us to keep bringing you independent, in-depth reviews like this one! Follow us: Raz –   / rokenr   Jamie –   / shotbyjamieb   RBR –   / removebeforerace   CREDITS: Love my special effects? Production Crate is my go-to for all video VFX: https://productioncrate.grsm.io/rbr Driving Disclaimer: All driving footage was filmed safely, legally and in accordance with local regulations. Please always drive responsibly.