Compare the2022 BMW 5 Series SedanVS 2021 Acura TLX

The 5 Series Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The TLX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The 5 Series Sedan has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The TLX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 5 Series Sedan offers optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The TLX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 5 Series Sedan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The TLX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The 5 Series Sedan has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the TLX’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 5 Series Sedan has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Cross-path warning costs extra on the TLX.

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the TLX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The 5 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the TLX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series Sedan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Acura doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the TLX.

There are over 29 percent more BMW dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 5 Series Sedan’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the 5 Series Sedan’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the TLX’s camshafts. If the TLX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 5 Series Sedan’s reliability 15 points higher than the TLX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 18th in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 16 places higher in reliability than Acura.

The 5 Series Sedan has more powerful engines than the TLX:

As tested in Motor Trend the 530i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better mileage than the TLX:

Regenerative brakes improve the 5 Series Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The TLX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The 5 Series Sedan has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the TLX (18 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The 5 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The TLX doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 5 Series Sedan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the TLX:

The 5 Series Sedan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the TLX are solid, not vented.

The 5 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the TLX:

For better traction, the 5 Series Sedan has larger standard tires than the TLX (245/45R18 vs. 235/50R18).

The 5 Series Sedan’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the TLX’s standard 50 series tires. The 5 Series Sedan’s optional 275/30R20 rear tires have a lower 30 series profile than the TLX Type S’ 35 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 5 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The TLX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the TLX; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The 5 Series Sedan 540i/M550i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The TLX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The M550i offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Acura doesn’t offer an active suspension on the TLX.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the TLX (117.1 inches vs. 113 inches).

The 5 Series Sedan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.9% to 49.1%) than the TLX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the 5 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

The M550i xDrive handles at .92 G’s, while the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The M550i xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 5 Series Sedan’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the TLX’s (39.4 feet vs. 40.1 feet).

The front grille of the 5 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The TLX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 540i is quieter than the TLX Type S:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the 5 Series Sedan a Mid-size car, while the TLX is rated a Compact.

The 5 Series Sedan has 5.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the TLX (98.8 vs. 93.4).

The 5 Series Sedan has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the TLX.

The 5 Series Sedan has a larger trunk than the TLX (14 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 5 Series Sedan’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The 5 Series Sedan also offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper. The TLX doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The engine in the 5 Series Sedan is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the TLX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the TLX, the 5 Series Sedan offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the 5 Series Sedan and the TLX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 5 Series Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The TLX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 5 Series Sedan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The TLX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The 5 Series Sedan’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The TLX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The 5 Series Sedan offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the TLX.

The 5 Series Sedan’s available Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, 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 TLX’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 5 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Acura TLX isn't recommended.