Compare the2024 Audi S5VS 2024 BMW Z4

The S5 has standard head airbag curtains for front and rear seats which act as a forgiving barrier between the driver and outboard passenger's upper bodies and the window and pillars. Combined with high-strength steel door beams and lower side airbags this system increases head protection in broadside collisions. The Z4 doesn't offer side airbag protection for the head.

The S5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Z4 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The S5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Z4.

The S5 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Z4 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the S5 and Z4 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 Z4’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S5 and the Z4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

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 Z4 has not been tested, yet.

The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 94 more horsepower (349 vs. 255) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the Z4 sDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi S5 is faster than the Z4 sDrive30i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi S5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Z4 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The S5 has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Z4 (15.3 vs. 13.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

All wheel drive, available in the S5, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The BMW Z4 is not available with all wheel drive.

For better stopping power the S5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Z4:

For better traction, the S5 has larger standard tires than the Z4 (255/35R19 vs. 225/45R18). The S5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Z4 (265/30R20 vs. 255/35R19).

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 Z4’s standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires. The S5’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the Z4’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Z4. The S5’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Z4.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S5’s wheelbase is 11.6 inches longer than on the Z4 (108.8 inches vs. 97.2 inches).

The S5 has standard seating for 4 passengers; the Z4 can only carry 2.

The S5 Cabriolet has 29 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Z4 (81 vs. 52).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the S5’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Z4 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The S5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Z4’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Z4’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 Z4 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 Z4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the S5 Premium Plus/Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Z4 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Z4.

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 Z4.

The Audi S5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the BMW Z4 isn’t available as a coupe or four door.

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 Z4 only retains 48.19% to 50.23%.

The Audi A5/S5/RS 5 outsold the BMW Z4 by almost 12 to one during 2022.