Compare the2025 Audi new Q5VS 2026 BMW X3

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi new Q5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the new Q5 and X3 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new Q5 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X3’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new Q5 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The X3 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the new Q5 and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

The new Q5’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (268 vs. 255) than the X3 30 xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The new Q5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The X3 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the new Q5’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the new Q5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The X3 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The new Q5 Prestige has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new Q5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X3 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the new Q5’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the X3’s (38.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

The new Q5 has .7 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

The new Q5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X3’s (4400 vs. 4001 pounds).

The new Q5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X3 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the new Q5 has standard extendable sun visors. The X3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The new Q5 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the X3.