Compare the2026 BMW X3VS 2025 Audi Q5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the BMW X3 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Audi Q5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the X3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW X3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The X3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Q5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q5 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The BMW X3’s optionalSurround View is available with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Audi Q5 only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the X3 and the Q5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the Audi Q5:

	X3	Q5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	60
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	214 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	108	185
Spine Acceleration	48 G’s	53 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
HIC	162	219
Hip Force	472 lbs.	600 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the X3’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X3’s reliability 38 points higher than the Audi Q5 55 TFSIe and 40 points higher than the Audi Q5.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 73 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

Engine

The X3 has more powerful engines than the Q5:

	Horsepower	Torque
X3 30 xDrive 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	255 HP	295 lbs.-ft.
X3 M50 xDrive 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	393 HP	428 lbs.-ft.
Q5 40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	201 HP	236 lbs.-ft.
Q5 45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	261 HP	273 lbs.-ft.
Q5 55 TFSI e 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	362 HP	369 lbs.-ft.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Q5 running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
X3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/30 hwy
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/27 hwy
		40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/29 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/28 hwy

The X3 has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q5 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW X3 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 (4 to 6). This means the X3 produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW X3, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5.

Brakes and Stopping

The X3 stops much shorter than the Q5:

	X3	Q5
70 to 0 MPH	155 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	144 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X3 has larger standard tires than the Q5 (245/50R19 vs. 235/60R18).

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q5’s standard 60 series tires. The X3’s optional 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Q5 Prestige’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X3 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Q5.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X3’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Q5 (112.8 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X3 is .1 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q5.

The X3 30 xDrive handles at .91 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Premium Plus pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X3 M50 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige (25.3 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X3 M50 xDrive has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q5 55 TFSI e (8.3 vs. 8 inches), allowing the X3 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The X3 30 xDrive’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Q5 45 TFSI (8.5 vs. 8.2 inches).

Passenger Space

The X3 has .9 inches more front headroom and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the Q5.

Cargo Capacity

The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (31.5 vs. 25.9 cubic feet). The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (67.1 vs. 54.1 cubic feet).

Towing

The X3’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q5’s (4001 vs. 2750 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Audi Q5 is only 4400 pounds. The X3 offers up to a 4850 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Q5 55 TFSI e can only tow 2000, any X3 can tow a minimum of 4001 pounds.

Standard Trailer Stabilization Control on the X3 uses the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Q5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The X3’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The BMW X3 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Q5.

Compared to traditional radio, the BMW X3’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio costs extra on the Q5.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X3 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q5.

The X3’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q5 Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 BMW X3 retains 46.09% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 41.96% resale value of the 2025 Audi Q5 after five years, which can save the BMW’s owner.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X3, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Audi Q5 isn't recommended.

The BMW X3 outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by 26% during 2024.

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