Compare the2023 Audi A4 AllroadVS 2023 BMW X1

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 X1 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A4 Allroad’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The X1 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the A4 Allroad and X1 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 X1’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 A4 Allroad has a standard Audi Backguard System, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Audi Backguard System moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The X1 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the A4 Allroad and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X1 has not been tested, yet.

The Audi A4 Allroad’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the X1’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The A4 Allroad’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 20 more horsepower (261 vs. 241) than the X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The A4 Allroad has a gallon more fuel capacity than the X1 (15.3 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the A4 Allroad has larger tires than the X1 (245/45R18 vs. 225/55R18).

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 X1’s standard 55 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A4 Allroad’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the X1 (110.9 inches vs. 106 inches).

The A4 Allroad has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (58.5 vs. 57.2 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the A4 Allroad’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The A4 Allroad’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X1’s (3968 vs. 3500 pounds).

The engine in the A4 Allroad is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the X1. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The A4 Allroad’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The X1’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 X1 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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 X1 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A4 Allroad’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A4 Allroad to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X1 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A4 Allroad has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the X1. The A4 Allroad Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the A4 Allroad (except Premium) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the A4 Allroad’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The X1 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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

The Audi A4/S4 outsold the BMW X1 by 687 units during the 2021 model year.