Compare the2022 Audi SQ5 SportbackVS 2022 BMW X4 M

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ5 Sportback 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 X4 M doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and X4 M have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ5 Sportback 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 X4 M’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.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and the X4 M have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, 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 and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the SQ5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X4 M has not been tested, yet.

On the EPA test cycle the SQ5 Sportback gets better mileage than the X4 M:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi SQ5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X4 M requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The SQ5 Sportback has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X4 M (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi SQ5 Sportback higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW X4 M (3). This means the SQ5 Sportback produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X4 M every 15,000 miles.

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X4 M doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the X4 M’s (38.7 feet vs. 41.4 feet).

The Audi SQ5 Sportback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the BMW X4 M.

The SQ5 Sportback is 3.6 inches shorter than the X4 M, making the SQ5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi SQ5 Sportback amounts to more than styling. The SQ5 Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the X4 M (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the SQ5 Sportback get better fuel mileage.

The SQ5 Sportback has .7 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the X4 M.

The SQ5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X4 M with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The SQ5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X4 M with its rear seat folded (51.9 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X4 M, the SQ5 Sportback offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The SQ5 Sportback’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X4 M doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SQ5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X4 M doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the SQ5 Sportback has a standard rear wiper. The X4 M doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The SQ5 Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X4 M doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the SQ5 Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X4 M doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi SQ5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The X4 M doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the SQ5 Sportback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the SQ5 Sportback will cost $1470 to $3040 less than the X4 M over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi SQ5 Sportback will be $11226 to $23392 less than for the BMW X4 M.

The Audi SQ5 Sportback outsold the BMW X4 by over seven to one during the 2021 model year.