Compare the2022 Audi A8VS 2022 BMW 7 Series

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A8 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 7 Series doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the A8 and 7 Series have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A8 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 7 Series’ 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.

The A8 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 7 Series doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A8. But it costs extra on the 7 Series.

Both the A8 and the 7 Series 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, around view monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 331) than the 740i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the A8 gets better mileage than the 7 Series running its gasoline engine:

The A8 has 9.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 12.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The A8 has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series’ standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 20.6 gallons).

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi A8 higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW 7 Series (3). This means the A8 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 7 Series every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the A8’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the 7 Series:

The A8 stops much shorter than the 7 Series:

For better traction, the A8 has larger standard tires than the 7 Series (255/45R19 vs. 245/50R18). The A8’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 7 Series (265/40R20 vs. 255/40R20).

The A8’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 7 Series’ standard 50 series tires. The A8’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the 7 Series’ optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A8 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 7 Series. The A8’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the 7 Series.

The A8 55 TSFI handles at .93 G’s, while the 750i xDrive pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The design of the Audi A8 amounts to more than styling. The A8 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is lower than the 7 Series (.27 to .31) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the A8 get better fuel mileage.

The A8 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The 7 Series has no towing capacity.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the A8 to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The 7 Series doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The A8 offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the A8 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the A8 will cost $310 less than the 7 Series over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A8 and the BMW 7 Series, based on reliability, safety and performance.