Compare the2025 Audi S6VS 2025 BMW M5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi S6 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 M5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The S6’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The M5 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi S6 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 M5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the S6 and M5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S6 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 M5’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.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The S6 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The M5 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the S6 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 M5 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the S6 and M5 offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the S6 with Rear Cross-Traffic Assist also has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The M5’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S6 and the M5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors and available blind spot warning systems.

The S6 has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the M5 (19.3 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The S6’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the M5’s 40 series tires. The S6’s tires are lower profile than the M5’s 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S6 has standard 21-inch wheels. Only 20-inch front wheels are available on the M5.

The S6 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 M5; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better maneuverability, the S6 w/Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 4.9 feet tighter than the M5’s (36.4 feet vs. 41.3 feet). The S6’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the M5’s (39.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The Audi S6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1050 pounds less than the BMW M5.

The S6 is 5.6 inches shorter than the M5, making the S6 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The S6’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The M5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S6 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The M5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S6 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The M5 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 S6 has standard extendable sun visors. The M5 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The S6 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The M5’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.