15-05-2025
Audi Korea unveils new A5 sedan, accelerating market comeback
Audi Korea unveiled the new A5 sedan and its performance-enhanced S5 trim at a media preview event on Thursday to reinforce its momentum to reclaim its position as a leading imported car brand in Korea.
'As I mentioned during the New Year media roundtable, 2025 will mark the year with the most new model launches for Audi,' said Steve Cloete, executive director of Audi Korea, during the event held in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. 'Today, we are excited to unveil these cars.'
The sedans represent Audi's second full redesign unveiled in Korea this year, part of a plan to launch 16 new models this year — the largest number since the company's Korean debut in 2004.
Built on Audi's Premium Platform Combustion, the sedans offer class-leading interior spaciousness. By adopting an upgraded mild hybrid electric vehicle powertrain — an advancement over the previous 48-volt hybrid system — the models effectively address the noise and vibration issues often associated with diesel engines, the company noted.
'Audi is evolving, perfectly balancing combustion engine excellence with electric revolution. … The development will further strengthen our brand presence here in the Korean market and serve as a foundation for the next leap forward,' Cloete said.
The unveiling event also featured a test drive of the A5 and S5, demonstrating their performance under extreme driving conditions such as sudden acceleration, high-speed cornering and abrupt deceleration.
'The models are not intended to be driven like sports cars, but we wanted to showcase their capability to handle such demanding situations,' an Audi Korea official said.
Once recognized as one of the top three imported car brands in Korea alongside Mercedes-Benz and BMW by 2023, Audi slipped to seventh place in sales last year, selling 9,304 units in 2024.
The lack of new model launches is believed to be a key factor behind the sluggish sales, prompting the company to accelerate its efforts to reclaim its former position by maximizing new car introductions in Korea.
The A5 is scheduled to launch in Korea in July, starting at 57.89 million won ($41,415).
