The fuel economy, emissions and relative Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket have all been considered while having Audi’s revamped A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI S Line on long-term test.

All are important to the fleet manager, but what about driver appeal, which for obvious reasons will always come down the pecking order when cost is key.

The Audi badge remains coveted among company car drivers, along with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, while the lines of A5 Sportback will surely add to the German marque’s appeal.

It has four frameless doors and a long, tapering roofline, giving it a coupé-like appearance, yet with the practicality of a much larger car.

However, during the UK’s recent rainy season, frameless doors have equated to water on the driver’s seat every time the door was opened following a shower.

No matter how carefully I tried to prise the door open after a downpour, water sat around the door frame would make a beeline for my seat.

Of course a few drops are quickly remedied, but I was also dealt a watery surprise when pulling out of a car park with an open window, water which had sat on the roof also decided to join me in the car.

I must have missed the in-car water feature in the list optional extras.

Nevertheless, what are minor gripes shouldn’t detract from what is a very elegant car. In a way, it even bucks Audi’s mantra of evolution rather than revolution, which risks being seen as shorthand for boring with models that fail to excite.

However, whether good looks are enough to overcome issues with fuel economy covered in previous reviews it remains to be seen.

By Gareth Roberts