The New Base Audi A5 Shames You for Not Getting the Passenger Screen

The older I get, the fewer screens I want to have shoved in my face. It's a problem for someone who spends many hours a day in front of a computer. As much as I love cars, the obsession some automakers have with screens is diminishing the excitement generated by a new model's launch. When the A5 debuted earlier this month, it had to have an extra display just for the passenger for some reason.

I've been patiently waiting for the German luxury brand to fire up the configurator for the A5 so I could check out the base model without the optional 10.9-inch touchscreen. Now that I've finally seen the entry-level trim, Audi's statement about the extra display being "perfectly integrated into the dashboard design" makes more sense. I think it's obvious the dash was conceived primarily with the additional screen in mind.

Being the naive person that I am, I had hoped for a cleaner design without that extra piece next to the infotainment. That panel looks like the equivalent of an oversized blank button staring right at the front passenger because the owner skimped on that feature. The end result is unnecessarily clunky, giving the first impression that there's actually a screen on the passenger side.

However, that's not the case, as Audi charges extra for the supplementary screen. In Germany, you must get the optional Tech Plus package, which costs €2,350 ($2,500). This pack also includes matrix LED headlights, three-zone AC, and other goodies, so you're not paying just for that display.

Screen or no screen, the cheapest Audi A5 money can buy doesn't look half bad. Sure, it has only 17-inch alloys and cloth seats but I reckon it's still a handsome car. It's just a shame the wagon won't come to the United States where only the sedan will be offered. Technically, that's going to be a hatchback to replace the old A5 Sportback. Audi has effectively killed the traditional A4 sedan with a trunk lid. The A4 will return one day as an EV, though.