Compare the2023 Audi SQ5VS 2023 BMW X3 M

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ5 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 X3 M doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the SQ5 and X3 M have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ5 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 X3 M’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 SQ5 and the X3 M have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi SQ5 is safer than the BMW X3 M:

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 Audi SQ5 is safer than the BMW X3 M:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

On the EPA test cycle the SQ5 gets better mileage than the X3 M:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi SQ5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X3 M requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The SQ5 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X3 M (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi SQ5 higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW X3 M (3). This means the SQ5 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X3 M every 15,000 miles.

The SQ5 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X3 M doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the SQ5’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the X3 M’s (38.7 feet vs. 41.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the SQ5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 M (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the SQ5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Audi SQ5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the BMW X3 M.

The design of the Audi SQ5 amounts to more than styling. The SQ5 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the X3 M (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the SQ5 get better fuel mileage.

The SQ5 has .6 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3 M.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X3 M, the SQ5 offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The SQ5’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 M doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SQ5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X3 M 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 SQ5 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X3 M doesn’t offer headlight washers.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi SQ5 will be $5080 to $11927 less than for the BMW X3 M.