Compare the2025 Audi A6 AllroadVS 2025 BMW X3

The A6 Allroad’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The X3 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 Allroad 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 X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the A6 Allroad and X3 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 Allroad 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 X3’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.

The A6 Allroad has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The X3 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the A6 Allroad Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The X3 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the A6 Allroad and X3 offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the A6 Allroad with Rear Cross-Traffic Assist also has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X3’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the A6 Allroad and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 80 more horsepower (335 vs. 255) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the X3 30 xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The A6 Allroad has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the X3 (19.3 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The A6 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The X3 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the A6 Allroad’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

The A6 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X3’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 Allroad has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the X3.

The front and rear suspension of the A6 Allroad uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the X3, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The A6 Allroad has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The A6 Allroad’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X3 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A6 Allroad’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the X3 (115.2 inches vs. 112.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 Allroad is 1.1 inches wider in the front than the average track on the X3.

The A6 Allroad has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X3, the A6 Allroad Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The A6 Allroad’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Allroad has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X3 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A6 Allroad 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 X3.

The A6 Allroad Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X3.

The A6 Allroad has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the X3.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance.