Compare the2022 Audi RS 5VS 2021 Lotus Evora

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission and Drivetrain
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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

The RS 5 has standard Pre Sense Front, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Evora doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

The RS 5 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Evora 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.

The RS 5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Evora doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The RS 5’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Evora doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The RS 5 offers an optional Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Evora only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The RS 5’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Evora doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the RS 5’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Evora doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The RS 5 has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Evora doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the RS 5 and the Evora have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Audi RS 5 weighs 886 to 935 pounds more than the Lotus Evora. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

The RS 5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The Evora’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The RS 5 comes with free roadside assistance for 4 years unlimited miles. Audi will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump-start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Lotus doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the Evora.

The RS 5’s corrosion warranty is 4 years longer than the Evora’s (12 vs. 8 years).

There are almost 8 times as many Audi dealers as there are Lotus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the RS 5’s warranty.

Engine

The RS 5’s 2.9 turbo V6 produces 28 more horsepower (444 vs. 416) and 125 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 317) than the Evora GT’s standard 3.5 supercharged V6. The RS 5’s 2.9 turbo V6 produces 28 more horsepower (444 vs. 416) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 332) than the Evora GT’s optional 3.5 supercharged V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the RS 5 gets better fuel mileage than the Evora GT 3.5 supercharged V6 6 speed Auto (18 city/25 hwy vs. 17 city/24 hwy).

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

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the RS 5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Evora doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi RS 5 higher (5 out of 10) than the Lotus Evora (1). This means the RS 5 produces up to 39 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Evora every 15,000 miles.

Transmission and Drivetrain

The Audi RS 5 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Evora.

To facilitate fast shifting and allow the driver to focus on the road, the RS 5 has a standard up-shift light to indicate when the engine is approaching redline. The Evora doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

All wheel drive, available in the RS 5, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Lotus Evora is not available with all wheel drive.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the RS 5’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Evora:

	RS 5	RS 5	Evora
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	15.7 inches	14.6 inches

The RS 5 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Evora doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the RS 5 has larger standard tires than the Evora (265/35R19 vs. 245/35R19). The RS 5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Evora (275/30R20 vs. 245/35R19).

The RS 5’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Evora’s 35 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS 5 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Evora’s largest wheels are only 19-inches in the front and 20-inches in the rear.

Suspension and Handling

The RS 5 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Evora’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The RS 5 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Evora doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RS 5’s wheelbase is 7.5 inches longer than on the Evora (108.9 inches vs. 101.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RS 5 is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than on the Evora.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the RS 5 a Subcompact car, while the Evora is rated a Minicompact.

The RS 5 has 36 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Evora (84 vs. 48).

Cargo Capacity

The RS 5 has a much larger trunk than the Evora (13 vs. 5.7 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RS 5’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Evora doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

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

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the RS 5, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Evora doesn’t offer a memory system.

The RS 5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Evora doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The RS 5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Evora has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The RS 5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Evora’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them.

If the windows are left open on the RS 5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Evora can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The RS 5’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 Evora’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the RS 5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Evora doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The RS 5 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Evora doesn’t offer automatic headlights.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the RS 5 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Evora doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RS 5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Evora doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The RS 5’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Evora’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

When the RS 5 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Evora’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The RS 5’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 Evora doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

On extremely cold winter days, the RS 5’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Evora doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The RS 5 has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Evora.

The RS 5’s 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. The Evora doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The RS 5’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Evora doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the RS 5 has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Evora doesn’t offer rear vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the RS 5 offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Evora doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To help keep the driver’s hands on the wheel, the RS 5 has standard steering wheel controls for the radio. The Evora doesn’t offer steering wheel audio controls.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi RS 5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Evora doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The RS 5’s optional Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Evora doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Audi A5/S5/RS 5 outsold the Lotus Evora by over 80 to one during the 2021 model year.

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