Compare the2023 Audi SQ5 SportbackVS 2023 BMW X5 M

Safety
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ5 Sportback 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 X5 M doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the SQ5 Sportback and X5 M have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ5 Sportback 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 X5 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 Sportback and the X5 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 Sportback is safer than the BMW X5 M:

	SQ5 Sportback	X5 M
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	34%
Neck Stress	215 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	80/49 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	342
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	35%
Neck Stress	134 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	30 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	90/55 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

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 Sportback is safer than the BMW X5 M:

	SQ5 Sportback	X5 M
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	72
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	98 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	279 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	219	308
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	600 lbs.	796 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, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the SQ5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 110 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X5 M is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the SQ5 Sportback gets better mileage than the X5 M:

			MPG
SQ5 Sportback
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/24 hwy
X5 M
	AWD	4.4 turbo V8	13 city/18 hwy
		Competition 4.4 turbo V8	13 city/18 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi SQ5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 M requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi SQ5 Sportback higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW X5 M (3). This means the SQ5 Sportback produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 M every 15,000 miles.

Suspension and Handling

The SQ5 Sportback has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X5 M doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the SQ5 Sportback’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the X5 M’s (38.7 feet vs. 42 feet).

Chassis

The Audi SQ5 Sportback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 pounds less than the BMW X5 M.

The SQ5 Sportback is 10.4 inches shorter than the X5 M, making the SQ5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi SQ5 Sportback amounts to more than styling. The SQ5 Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is significantly lower than the X5 M (.38) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the SQ5 Sportback get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The SQ5 Sportback has 1.1 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear legroom than the X5 M.

The front step up height for the SQ5 Sportback is 1.2 inches lower than the X5 M (18.3” vs. 19.5”). The SQ5 Sportback’s rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the X5 M’s (18” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the SQ5 Sportback easier. The SQ5 Sportback’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the X5 M’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The SQ5 Sportback’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5 M’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Towing

The SQ5 Sportback has a 4400 lbs. towing capacity. The X5 M has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

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 Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X5 M doesn’t offer headlight washers.