Compare the2023 BMW 5 Series SedanVS 2022 Audi S6

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 S6 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 S6’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 5 Series Sedan 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 S6.

The 5 Series Sedan’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 S6 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the S6 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, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 5 Series Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The S6 has not been tested, yet.

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. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S6.

There are over 15 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 5 Series Sedan’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 5 Series Sedan second among midsize premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The S6 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 74 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 2 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The M550i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 79 more horsepower (523 vs. 444) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 443) than the S6’s 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better mileage than the S6:

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 S6 doesn’t offer launch control.

The 5 Series Sedan’s optional 275/30R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S6’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 S6 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 S6; 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 S6 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. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the S6.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the S6 (117.1 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

The BMW 5 Series Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 700 pounds less than the Audi S6.

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 S6 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 5 Series Sedan has .8 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom and .9 inches more front shoulder room than the S6.

The 5 Series Sedan has a larger trunk than the S6 (14 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The 5 Series Sedan offers a 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 S6 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 S6’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

The 5 Series Sedan is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The S6 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the BMW 5 Series Sedan will be $138 to $18614 less than for the Audi S6.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 5 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Audi A6/S6/RS 6 by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.