Compare the2023 Volvo V60VS 2022 Audi A5 Sportback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the V60 and A5 Sportback have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The V60 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 V60 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 V60 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 V60 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 V60 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 V60’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 V60 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, 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 and rearview cameras.

The Volvo V60 weighs 770 pounds more than the Audi A5 Sportback. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo V60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	V60	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 V60 is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	V60	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 V60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 95 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 V60 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 V60 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 V60 has a standard 800-amp battery. The A5 Sportback’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The V60’s 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 254 more horsepower (455 vs. 201) and 287 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 236) than the A5 Sportback 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The V60’s 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 V60 running on electricity gets better mileage than the A5 Sportback:

			MPGe
V60
	AWD	T8 Polestar Engineered 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 V60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the A5 Sportback:

			MPG
V60
	AWD	2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	30 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 V60 T8 Polestar Engineered Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 41 miles. The A5 Sportback can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The V60 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 V60, 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 V60’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A5 Sportback:

	V60	A5 Sportback 40 TFSI	A5 Sportback 45 TFSI
Front Rotors	14.6 inches	12.4 inches	13.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	11.8 inches	13 inches

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the V60’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 V60 is .5 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the A5 Sportback.

For better maneuverability, the V60’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the A5 Sportback’s (37.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Passenger Space

The V60 has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A5 Sportback (94 vs. 91).

The V60 has 1 inch more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear legroom than the A5 Sportback.

Towing

The V60 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The A5 Sportback has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the V60 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 V60 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 V60 has standard driver and 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 V60 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 improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the V60 has a standard rear wiper. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the V60 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer cornering lights. The V60 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The V60 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the A5 Sportback.