Compare the2024 BMW X5VS 2024 Audi Q7

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the X5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW X5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q7 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The X5 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q7 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Active Pedestrian Protection, the BMW X5 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q7, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

The X5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the X5 and the Q7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the BMW X5 is safer than the Q7:

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q7.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the BMW X5’s reliability 33 points higher than the Q7.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 29 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 10 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The X5 has more powerful engines than the Q7:

On the EPA test cycle the X5 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Q7:

The X550e xDrive can travel with zero emissions for 40 miles. The Q7 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The X5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Q7 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X5 M Sport’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Q7:

The X5 stops shorter than the Q7:

For better traction, the X5 has larger standard tires than the Q7 (265/50R19 vs. 255/55R19).

The X5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q7’s standard 55 series tires. The X5’s optional 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 30 series profile than the Q7 Prestige’s optional 35 series tires.

The X5 offers an optional 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 Q7; 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 Q7 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The X5 M60i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Q7 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The X5 M60i xDrive offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Q7.

The X5 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q7 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The X5 M60i xDrive handles at .86 G’s, while the Q7 Prestige pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the X5 M60i xDrive’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Q7’s (39.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

For greater off-road capability the X5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q7 (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the X5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The X5 is 5.1 inches shorter than the Q7, making the X5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The X5 has .8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Q7.

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q7 with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 14.2 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q7 with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 69.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the X5 easier. The X5’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.8 inches, while the Q7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Q7’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The X5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q7’s (5952 vs. 0 pounds).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 1% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

The Q7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The X5’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q7.

The X5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the BMW X5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X5 outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by almost three to one during 2023.