It suits couples who want a weekend outdoors and four friends heading off on a short trip. Compared with the other convertibles in the Masons fleet, the BMW M4 Competition Cabrio and the Porsche 911 Cabrio, it has a calmer character. Rather than a sports car for fast corners, it is an open car for an easy pace: country roads, a stop by the water and home after dark.

What the A5 Cabrio is good for

A summer weekend for two often goes like this. You pick the car up after lunch on Friday, put two small travel bags and a picnic blanket in the boot and leave Prague once the traffic eases. The roof comes down at the first stop outside the city and stays down until evening. On Saturday morning, when the valleys are still cool, you switch on the seat heating and carry on without stopping for jackets.

The second typical scenario is a day out with friends, four in the car: an afternoon by the water at the Slapy reservoir, then dinner at a restaurant outside town. Two adults sit in the back, which is fine for an hour's drive; on longer legs it is better to swap seats. With a full car, pack light: swimwear, towels and backpacks yes, four large suitcases no.

The third reason is simply wanting a relaxed convertible without sports-car stiffness. Not everyone who wants to drive with the roof down is after hundreds of horsepower and a loud exhaust. The A5 Cabrio works for couples celebrating an anniversary, parents over for a visit or anyone who wants to drive slowly and enjoy the view. The S-Line package and Alcantara-trimmed cabin feel premium, yet the car draws far less attention than a bright yellow M4.

In practice: seats, luggage and drive

The A5 Cabrio has four seats. Up front are heated sports seats, and the interior is trimmed with Alcantara; adults fit in the back, but legroom is tighter, so the rear row is best for shorter journeys. The fabric roof opens and closes electrically at the press of a button. With the roof down, the folded top takes up part of the boot, so pack in soft bags; for two people on a weekend there is plenty of room. The Audi infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the ambient lighting is pleasant on evening drives.

Quattro sends power to all four wheels, which helps on wet roads, on fallen leaves in the woods and when a shower catches you on a country lane. Under the bonnet is a 2.0 TFSI petrol engine. The car has only two doors, but they are long, so getting out in a tight garage space takes care; in the streets of old Prague, leave yourself room to manoeuvre. Overnight, leave it with the roof closed in a garage or a guarded car park.

Where to take the A5 Cabrio from Prague

Take the D4 motorway towards Příbram and in about 40 minutes you reach Mníšek pod Brdy. The first stop is the château with its park on the edge of town, a good place to stretch your legs. From there it is a short hop to Skalka, a baroque complex with a church on the hill above Mníšek, with views across the countryside. Then follow the forest road to Kytín through the Hřebeny, the northern ridge of the Brdy hills. The trees shade the road, so the roof can stay down even on a hot day, and quattro helps where leaves and pine needles lie after rain. Do not turn onto forest tracks marked with a no-entry sign; for a walk, park at the edge of the village. The whole trip with breaks takes half a day.

A5 Cabrio or BMW M4 Competition Cabrio?

Both cars have an electric fabric roof and all-wheel drive, but they suit different trips. Choose the A5 Cabrio if you want an easy pace, views and conversation, are mostly travelling as two and would rather not turn every head in the street. The BMW M4 Competition Cabrio is for those who want a far more powerful car with a sharper character and sound, an eye-catching yellow finish and four full-size seats, making it the better option for four adults on a longer trip. For a relaxed weekend the A5 is the more logical pick; for the driving experience, the M4.