Compare the2024 Audi S5VS 2024 BMW 8 Series

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi S5 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 8 Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S5. But it costs extra on the 8 Series.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the S5’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The 8 Series doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the S5 and 8 Series offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the S5 Premium Plus/Prestige has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 8 Series’ Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S5 and the 8 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, 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 around view monitors.

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 S5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 8 Series has not been tested, yet.

The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 14 more horsepower (349 vs. 335) than the 840i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the S5 Coupe gets better fuel mileage than the M850i Coupe (21 city/29 hwy vs. 17 city/24 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the S5 Cabriolet gets better fuel mileage than the M850i Convertible (20 city/27 hwy vs. 17 city/24 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi S5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 8 Series requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi S5 higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW 8 Series (3). This means the S5 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 8 Series every 15,000 miles.

The S5 stops much shorter than the 8 Series:

For better traction, the S5 has larger standard tires than the 8 Series (255/35R19 vs. 245/35R20). The S5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 8 Series (265/30R20 vs. 245/35R20).

The S5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 8 Series’ standard 40 series front tires. The S5’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the 8 Series’ optional 35 series front tires.

The S5 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 8 Series; 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 8 Series don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better maneuverability, the S5’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the 8 Series’ (37.7 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The S5’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the 8 Series xDrive’s (37.7 feet vs. 39 feet).

The S5 is 6.3 inches shorter than the 8 Series, making the S5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The S5 Coupe has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 8 Series (84 vs. 81).

The S5 Coupe has 2.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and 3.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the 8 Series Coupe.

The S5 Convertible has 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 8 Series Convertible.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 8 Series doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, standard on the S5 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the 8 Series’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S5 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 8 Series doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the S5 has standard extendable sun visors. The 8 Series doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The S5 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The 8 Series doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The S5 has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the 8 Series.

Insurance will cost less for the S5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the S5 will cost $1170 to $4840 less than the 8 Series over a five-year period.

The S5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the S5 will retain 52.03% to 53.7% of its original price after five years, while the 8 Series only retains 42.63% to 42.96%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi S5 will be $33066 to $45168 less than for the BMW 8 Series.

The Audi A5/S5/RS 5 outsold the BMW 8 Series by almost three to one during 2022.