Compare the2023 Audi A6VS 2023 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 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 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Both the A6 and 4 Series Gran Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 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 4 Series Gran Coupe’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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The A6 Prestige has a standard backup collision prevention system that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6. But it costs extra on the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

The A6 offers an optional Top View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 4 Series Gran Coupe only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the A6 and the 4 Series Gran Coupe 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, 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 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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A6 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 4 Series Gran Coupe has not been tested, yet.

The A6 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (261 vs. 255) than the 430i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the A6 45 TFSI gets better fuel mileage than the M440i Gran Coupe xDrive (24 city/31 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy).

The A6 has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the 4 Series Gran Coupe (19.3 vs. 15.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The A6 offers an available 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 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better traction, the A6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 4 Series Gran Coupe (255/40R20 vs. 245/40R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 4 Series Gran Coupe. The A6’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

The A6 has a standard 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 4 Series Gran Coupe; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the 4 Series Gran Coupe don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A6’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the 4 Series Gran Coupe (115.1 inches vs. 112.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and .2 inches wider in the rear than on the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the A6 a Mid-size car, while the 4 Series Gran Coupe is rated a Compact.

The A6 has 8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 4 Series Gran Coupe (99 vs. 91).

The A6 has 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the A6 offers cargo security. The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s hatchback body style defeats cargo security.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the A6 offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The A6’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The A6’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 4 Series Gran Coupe does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the A6 Prestige to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The A6 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the 4 Series Gran Coupe. The A6 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

The A6 Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

The A6 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The 4 Series Gran Coupe M440i’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi A6/S6/RS 6 outsold the BMW 4 Series by 11% during 2020.