By Tony Schibeci

2010 was turning out to be a year that I was starting to lose interest in all things German, starting with the German's beating us in the first game of the World Cup. Then the antics and carrying on by one Sebastian Vettel.

But thanks to Audi my faith has been restored

This week's test drive was of the Audi A5 Sportback, and folks we are talking about one very nice car. I was given the 3 litre turbo diesel with 176kW and 500Nm between 1500-3000rpm, using just 6.6L/100km and taking care of the 100km/h notch in 6.1 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 247km/h.

This car goes... and it's a diesel. The thing that struck me the most was the lack of diesel engine noise. So much so that I had to check both the manual and the petrol tank to make sure it was taking diesel and that they weren't trying to have a lend of me.

It is a spacious car but is limited to four people, two in the front and two in the back. And the boot. Pull down the back seats to give yourself a massive 980 litres of space.

The interior fit-out is typically Audi, classy and stylish. It has 17-in wheels with big discs, automatic air conditioning, eight-speaker audio system with a hard drive to store songs, six airbags, electric everything, and a long menu of options, including many with a safety focus such as adaptive cornering lights and extra airbags.

It also come in a turbo-charged 2.0-litre petrol version — using 7.4L/100km and getting the car to 100km/h in 6.6 seconds with a top speed of 241km/h.

The Diesel version costs $105,000, while the petrol version will set you back a cool $90,000.

Here's hoping that the new Socceroos coach can sustain my faith in all things German. If not, there's always beer.

The Score

Economy - 8/10 (6.6l per 100 k's is fantastic for a diesel with so much power)

Comfort - 8/10 (Classy all leather and plenty of leg room, no seat warmers)

Family Friendly - 6/10 (Only 2 in the back. Not good for the family with 2.5 kids)

Space - 9/10 (Great boot and headroom)

Gadgets - 8.5/10 (Stereo and GPS all good. Also great Bluetooth connectivity)

Total - 39.5 out of 50