The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not crash-tested the A5. Standard features include six airbags — dual front chest and knee airbags, plus front-seat side airbags with head extensions — as well as antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. Click here for a full list.

A blind-spot warning system is optional. It incorporates warning lights in the windshield pillars that illuminate if there's traffic at four or eight o'clock — and flash several times if you activate a turn signal when there is. Our test car had the system. It worked as advertised, but too often trees or concrete medians triggered false alarms. Like other blind spot warning systems, Audi's can be deactivated.

In ascending order, trim levels for the A5 convertible include Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. Front-wheel-drive models with the CVT run $42,000; all-wheel drive and the six-speed automatic add a reasonable $2,100. Standard features include leather upholstery, power front seats, single-zone automatic climate control and a CD stereo with an auxiliary MP3 jack. Move up the chain, and you can get full iPod connectivity — which really ought to be standard in this price range — as well as a Bang & Olufsen stereo, xenon headlights, tri-zone climate control, a navigation system, two sport packages, and heated and cooled seats.

In Consumer Reports reliability surveys, the A5 earns a score of Average. That's about even with the 3 Series and C70, but the IS and G37 have better track records.