2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus quattro 2dr Coupe AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

Vehicle Summary
Highlights
Mileage
68,740
Ext. Color
Mythos Black Metallic
Int. Color
Black leather
Engine
gas
Transmission
automated manual
Drivetrain
all wheel drive
MPG
24/34 City/Hwy MPGBased on model year EPA mileage ratings for a standardly equipped A5. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery-pack age/condition and other factors.
27 Combined MPG
Horsepower
252 hp
Seats
4Based on default model values and available option information. Contact dealer to confirm.
VIN
WAUTNAF56JA004327

The 2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus sits in a genuinely attractive spot for used luxury buyers right now. Depreciation has already done most of the heavy lifting, dropping a car that originally stickered close to $50,000 down into the $16,000, $27,000 range depending on mileage. That math is appealing. What’s less appealing is what happens when buyers move too fast and skip the details.

There are real problems on this platform that can turn a great deal into an expensive repair schedule. Bay Area shoppers, including buyers in Alameda and the East Bay, will find solid examples available right now. But knowing exactly what to inspect is what separates a clean buy from a costly mistake. This article is a buyer’s tool, not a fan piece. Whether you’re walking onto any lot, including Dream Auto Used Cars, or buying from a private seller, these are the things you need to verify before you sign anything.

Here’s what this covers: what the Premium Plus trim actually includes, realistic 2026 pricing by mileage and body style, the mechanical problems most likely to cost you money, and a hands-on pre-purchase inspection checklist for the day you go look at a car.

What the 2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus trim actually includes

The 2018 A5 came in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. Premium Plus is the middle trim, and for most buyers, it’s the one that makes the most sense. But the details matter, because what’s standard and what’s optional are genuinely easy to confuse on dealer listings.

What separates it from the base Premium trim

The Premium Plus step-up added the features you actually use every day. Standard additions over the base trim include full LED headlights, heated front seats with driver-seat memory, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, advanced keyless entry, and Audi Connect Care. That package of safety and convenience upgrades represented roughly a $3,000 step-up from Premium at the time of original sale. On a used car in 2026, it’s the reason this trim holds a slightly stronger resale position compared to base-spec examples.

Body-style differences worth knowing

The three body styles, Coupe, Sportback, and Cabriolet, shared the core Premium Plus equipment, but they weren’t identical. The Sportback added a panoramic sunroof and power liftgate as standard equipment. The Cabriolet brought a power-operated soft top and convertible-specific rollover protection hardware. These differences matter when you’re reading a listing. A Sportback described as “Premium Plus equipped” may have features a Coupe version doesn’t, and vice versa. Confirm the actual build before you assume uniformity.

Virtual Cockpit, Bang & Olufsen, and other features that weren’t standard

This is where buyers get misled most often. Navigation, Audi Virtual Cockpit, Bang & Olufsen 3D audio, sport suspension, and ventilated front seats were all optional packages on the Premium Plus, not standard equipment. When a seller says a car “has everything,” that claim needs documentation to back it up. The only reliable source of truth is the original window sticker or a VIN build sheet. If neither is available, treat every feature claim as unverified until you test it yourself.

2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus pricing: what to pay in 2026

Depreciation on a 2018 A5 Premium Plus is now fairly predictable, and the price bands are clear. Here’s where the market actually sits across mileage brackets, based on current asking prices and KBB’s October 2026 Fair Purchase Price data.

Price ranges by mileage bracket

For clean-title examples in good condition, the national asking-price bands look like this:

Under 50,000 miles:$22,000, $27,000

50,000, 100,000 miles:$16,000, $22,000

Over 100,000 miles:$10,000, $16,000

KBB’s October 2026 Fair Purchase Price data puts the coupe at roughly $18,950 and the convertible at $19,150 at a national level. These are asking prices, not finalized transaction prices. Negotiation room exists in every bracket, and the final number depends heavily on the specific car’s condition, history, and options.

What pushes a listing above or below market

Several variables shift a particular car meaningfully off the midpoint. Installed options like navigation, Virtual Cockpit, or Bang & Olufsen audio add legitimate value. S-line packages, full service records, and single-owner history push price up. Accident history, multiple owners, and missing service documentation pull it down. Bay Area listings typically run 5%, 10% above comparable national averages due to local demand, so a car priced at the low end of its mileage bracket in this market should prompt more scrutiny, not a quick handshake.

2.0T Audi A5 2018 reliability: known problems and repair costs to budget for

The 2.0T engine in the 2018 A5 is generally solid. But three areas account for most of the expensive surprises: the cooling system, the S tronic dual-clutch transmission, and the electronics stack. Skipping a pre-purchase inspection means risking repair costs you could have negotiated away or avoided entirely.

Cooling system and oil leaks: the two costliest surprises

The water pump and thermostat assembly is the single most expensive common failure on this generation. Independent shop estimates run $1,200, $2,300; dealer pricing can exceed $2,500. Oil leaks from the oil cooler, upper timing cover, and vacuum pump are separately reported, with some repairs reaching $2,000 or more. When you’re looking at a car, check for coolant residue near the pump housing and hoses, note any sweet smell at idle, and look for puddles after the car has been parked. These are early warning signs that a costly repair is either pending or already overdue.

S tronic dual-clutch transmission: what good and bad feel like

The 7-speed S tronic is smooth and responsive when properly maintained. A shudder, hesitation, or clunk at low speed or during reverse engagement is a serious warning sign. Fluid and filter service runs $300, $600; clutch work escalates to $2,000, $4,500, and a faulty mechatronic unit can reach $5,000. This is the component that can turn a solid deal into a financial problem. The transmission must be tested cold, in traffic, and during low-speed maneuvering. Any roughness or lag in those conditions warrants a specialist diagnosis before you commit.

Recalls and electronics faults to check before signing

Two recalls deserve specific attention. The Passenger Occupant Detection System recall (NHTSA 19V-547, later expanded under 21V-874) covers oxidation in the seat wiring that can disable the passenger airbag. Vehicles previously repaired under the original recall may still have an open remedy under the later campaign. A separate auxiliary coolant pump software campaign also applies to some examples. Recall applicability depends on VIN and production date; run every car you consider through the NHTSA database individually, not just by model year. Beyond recalls, MMI display failures, backup camera faults, parking sensor malfunctions, and Bluetooth dropout are separately common. Test all of it before making an offer.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist for a 2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus

A focused inspection takes 30, 45 minutes when done systematically. These are the areas that matter most for this specific platform.

Engine bay and cooling system walkthrough

Check coolant level and condition, and look for residue or staining near the water pump housing and hoses. Inspect the engine block around the oil cooler and timing cover for any oil film or buildup. Pull the dipstick and check for milky or foamy oil, which signals coolant contamination. Confirm the car reaches normal operating temperature on the gauge without hesitation or fluctuation during a warm-up drive.

Drivetrain and transmission check

With the engine cold, listen carefully at startup for timing chain rattle. It should disappear within a few seconds on a healthy engine. Test reverse engagement: it should be immediate and smooth with no clunk or delay. Drive slowly in a parking lot and note any shudder, jerk, or gear-hunting at low throttle. Check all four tires for uneven wear patterns, which can indicate quattro system faults or suspension wear that hasn’t yet announced itself with noise.

Premium Plus tech and safety system verification

Every Premium Plus feature must be confirmed to work. Test blind-spot monitoring indicators, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, heated seats, driver-seat memory recall, full LED headlight function, keyless entry, backup camera clarity, and Audi Connect responsiveness. If the car has optional navigation, Virtual Cockpit, or Bang & Olufsen audio, test all of it. A single failed module costs $800, $2,000 or more to repair, and sellers rarely volunteer that information upfront.

Test-drive tips specific to this model

A generic test drive doesn’t catch what an A5-specific drive reveals. Here are the three areas to evaluate deliberately during your time behind the wheel.

What the cold start reveals about maintenance history

A well-maintained A5 is quiet within two to three seconds of cold startup. Persistent rattling beyond that points to timing chain or tensioner wear. Excessive exhaust smoke, particularly blue-tinged smoke, suggests oil consumption issues. Note whether any warning lights appear and watch the temperature gauge as the engine warms to confirm normal behavior.

Low-speed transmission behavior on real streets

The S tronic is often evaluated on smooth dealer lots, but the real test happens in stop-and-go traffic and during parking maneuvers. A healthy transmission is seamless through low-speed gear transitions. Any roughness, lurching, or delay in first and second gear at low throttle is a red flag that warrants a specialist scan before you make any decisions. Don’t let a smooth highway run substitute for a proper low-speed evaluation.

Highway driving and full feature verification

Get the car on the highway and confirm smooth power delivery through 60, 70 mph, stable tracking, and no vibration from wheel bearings. Use the highway portion to test any equipped driver assistance features, the audio system at volume, and MMI responsiveness. Check that the Bluetooth connection holds without dropouts and that all menus load without lag. These electronics are not cheap to fix, and a test drive is the most cost-effective diagnostic tool available to a buyer.

Finding a vetted 2018 A5 Premium Plus in the Bay Area

The inspection work and research outlined above is exactly what a reputable dealership should handle before a car ever reaches the lot. In the Bay Area, particularly in Alameda and the East Bay, Dream Auto Used Cars offers pre-owned inventory that goes through a thorough inspection by certified technicians before listing. For a car like the 2018 A5 Premium Plus, that means the cooling system, transmission behavior, electronics, and open recall status are evaluated before you sit in the driver’s seat. Buyers can ask directly about inspection findings and use that documentation in their evaluation.

Dream Auto also offers multiple financing plans to fit varied budgets and credit situations, which matters when the purchase price sits in the $16,000, $27,000 range and financing terms can move the real cost significantly. For buyers who can’t make it to the Alameda lot, home delivery brings the vehicle directly to your door. That combination of inspected inventory, straightforward pricing, and flexible financing takes the guesswork out of buying used luxury in this market.

What to do before you sign anything

The 2018 Audi A5 Premium Plus is a legitimate used buy in 2026. The depreciation math works in a buyer’s favor, the driving experience holds up, and the feature set at this price point is hard to match. But the due diligence is essential, don’t skip it.

Before committing to any example, verify the trim’s actual options with a window sticker or VIN build sheet. Run the VIN through the NHTSA database and check for both the original PODS recall and the expanded 2021 remedy. Inspect the cooling system and transmission thoroughly using the checklist above. Test every Premium Plus feature in person. Finally, budget $1,000, $2,000 per year for routine ownership costs, with the understanding that a single cooling system or transmission repair can exceed that in one bill.

Buyers in the Bay Area who want to skip the uncertainty of an unknown car’s history can reach out to Dream Auto Used Cars directly to explore currently available inspected inventory. Get in touch with the team to ask about what’s on the lot, request inspection documentation, or discuss financing options before making the trip. Going in informed is how you get the deal this car can be.