Compare the2025 Audi Q5VS 2025 BMW X1

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The X1 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q5 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 X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Q5 and X1 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 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 X1’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.

Both the Q5 and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q5 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 121 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X1 has not been fully tested, yet.

Reliability

The Audi Q5’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the X1’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Q5 55 TFSI e’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 49 more horsepower (362 vs. 313) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the X1 M35i xDrive’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q5 55 TFSI e is faster than the X1 M35i xDrive:

	Q5	X1
Zero to 60 MPH	4.5 sec	4.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	4.9 sec	5.9 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3 sec	3.1 sec
Quarter Mile	13.2 sec	13.3 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 running on electricity gets better mileage than the X1:

			MPGe
Q5
	AWD	55 TFSI e Electric Motor	55 city/61 hwy
X1
			MPG
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

The Q5 55 TFSI e can travel with zero emissions for 23 miles. The X1 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X1 M35i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Q5’s standard fuel tank has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the X1 (18.5 vs. 14.3 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

The Q5 stops shorter than the X1:

	Q5	X1
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	167 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q5 has larger standard tires than the X1 (235/60R18 vs. 225/55R18). The Q5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X1 (255/45R20 vs. 245/45R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Prestige offers optional 21-inch wheels. The X1’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Q5 55 TFSI e has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q5’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 X1 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q5’s wheelbase is 5 inches longer than on the X1 (111 inches vs. 106 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Q5 is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the X1.

For greater off-road capability the Q5 45 TFSI has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Q5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Q5 has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X1 is limited to 3500 pounds. The Q5 offers up to a 4400 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the X1. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Q5’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X1 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Q5’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 X1’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Q5’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Go standard on the X1 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X1 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Q5’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X1 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Q5 and the X1 have standard heated front seats. The Q5 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Q5 (except Premium) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Q5 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the X1.

The Audi Q5 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. BMW charges extra for Homelink® on the X1.

Recommendations

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the BMW X1 by almost four to one during 2023.

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