Compare the2023 Audi A4 AllroadVS 2023 BMW X4

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A4 Allroad have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A4 Allroad 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 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the A4 Allroad and X4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A4 Allroad 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’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 A4 Allroad and the X4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A4 Allroad the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 155 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X4 has not been tested, yet.

The Audi A4 Allroad’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the X4’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the A4 Allroad’s reliability 27 points higher than the X4.

The A4 Allroad’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (261 vs. 248) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the X4 xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the A4 Allroad gets better mileage than the X4:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A4 Allroad uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X4 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The A4 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The X4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the A4 Allroad’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the X4:

The A4 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X4’s standard 50 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the A4 Allroad’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the X4’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.8 feet).

The Audi A4 Allroad may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the BMW X4.

The A4 Allroad has .6 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the X4.

The A4 Allroad has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X4 with its rear seat up (24.2 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The A4 Allroad has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X4 with its rear seat folded (58.5 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A4 Allroad to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the A4 Allroad has a standard rear wiper. The X4 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 A4 Allroad Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A4 Allroad to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X4 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Insurance will cost less for the A4 Allroad owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the A4 Allroad will cost $325 less than the X4 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi A4 Allroad will be $3686 to $6017 less than for the BMW X4.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A4 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi A4/S4 outsold the BMW X4 by 90% during the 2021 model year.