Compare the2024 Audi S5VS 2024 BMW M4

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 M4 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 M4.

Both the S5 and M4 have 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 M4’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S5 and the M4 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 M4 has not been tested, yet.

On the EPA test cycle the S5 Coupe gets better mileage than the M4 Coupe:

On the EPA test cycle the S5 Cabriolet gets better mileage than the M4 Convertible:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi S5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The M4 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Audi S5 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the M4.

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 M4’s standard 40 series front tires. The S5’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the M4’s optional 35 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch front wheels are standard on the M4. The S5’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear wheels optional on the M4.

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 M4; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better maneuverability, the S5’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the M4’s (37.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

The S5 is 4.2 inches shorter than the M4, making the S5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the S5 Prestige Coupe is quieter than the M4 Coupe:

The S5 Coupe has .2 inches more front shoulder room and .3 inches more rear headroom than the M4 Coupe.

The S5 Convertible has .2 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the M4 Convertible.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the S5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The M4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The S5’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The M4 Convertible’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

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 M4 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 M4’s 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 M4 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 M4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The S5 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 M4.

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 M4 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 M4.

The Audi S5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the BMW M4 isn’t available as a four door.

Insurance will cost less for the S5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the S5 will cost $1645 to $8705 less than the M4 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi S5 will be $19892 to $56195 less than for the BMW M4.