Compare the2023 Volvo S60VS 2022 Audi A5 Sportback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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Both the S60 and A5 Sportback have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar 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 A5 Sportback’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.

The S60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The S60 has standard CTA Auto Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The S60 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the A5 Sportback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the S60 has a standard rear 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. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the A5 Sportback.

The S60’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the S60 and the A5 Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	S60	A5 Sportback
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	25.7%	26%
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	232 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	1 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo S60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	S60	A5 Sportback
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	172
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	194 lbs.	219 lbs.
Hip Force	212 lbs.	308 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	271	277
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	575 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	319	333
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	490 lbs.	666 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the S60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 87 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A5 Sportback is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the S60 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A5 Sportback.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the S60 has a standard 210-amp alternator. The A5 Sportback’s standard 110-amp alternator and largest (optional) 150-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the S60 has a standard 800-amp battery. The A5 Sportback’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The S60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 46 more horsepower (247 vs. 201) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 236) than the A5 Sportback 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The S60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 194 more horsepower (455 vs. 261) and 250 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 273) than the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the S60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the A5 Sportback:

			MPGe
S60
	AWD	T8 Electric Motor	74 city/73 hwy
A5 Sportback
			MPG
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/34 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the S60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the A5 Sportback:

			MPG
S60
	FWD	B5 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/35 hwy
	AWD	B5 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/33 hwy
		T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	28 city/33 hwy
A5 Sportback
	AWD	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/34 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy

The S60 T8 can travel with zero emissions for 41 miles. The A5 Sportback can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The S60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo S60, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A5 Sportback.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the S60’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A5 Sportback:

	S60 T5	S60 Polestar	A5 Sportback 40 TFSI	A5 Sportback 45 TFSI
Front Rotors	12.7 inches	14.6 inches	12.4 inches	13.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	12.6 inches	11.8 inches	13 inches

The S60 stops shorter than the A5 Sportback:

	S60	A5 Sportback
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	164 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The S60 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on T8) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the A5 Sportback; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S60’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the A5 Sportback (113.1 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the S60 is .5 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the A5 Sportback.

The S60 Plus AWD handles at .94 G’s, while the A5 Sportback Prestige pulls only .93 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the S60’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the A5 Sportback’s (37.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Volvo S60 amounts to more than styling. The S60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the A5 Sportback (.29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S60 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The S60 has 5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A5 Sportback (96 vs. 91).

The S60 has 1 inch more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear legroom than the A5 Sportback.

Cargo Capacity

Pressing a button automatically lowers the S60’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the S60 offers cargo security. The A5 Sportback’s hatchback body style defeats cargo security.

Towing

The S60 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The A5 Sportback has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the S60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The S60 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the A5 Sportback, the S60 Ultimate/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

If the windows are left open on the S60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the A5 Sportback can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the S60 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer cornering lights. The S60 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Model Availability

The S60 is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.