Compare the2026 Honda AccordVS 2025 Audi A5

Both the Accord and the A5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Accord is safer than the A5:

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Accord 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the A5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 90 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in long-term dependability. With 1 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’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 13th.

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the A5:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Accord uses regular unleaded gasoline. The A5 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The A5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi A5 (4). This means the Accord produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A5 every 15,000 miles.

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The A5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Accord stops shorter than the A5:

The Accord has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the A5; 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.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .87 G’s, while the A5 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Accord’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the A5’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Honda Accord may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 850 pounds less than the Audi A5.

The front grille of the Accord uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The A5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Accord has 1 inch more front legroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 4.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the A5.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The A5’s hatchback body style and non-lockable folding seat defeat cargo security.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Audi is ranked 18th.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Accord, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 25 more times in the last 27 years. The A5 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the Audi A5/S5/RS 5 by almost 9 to one during 2025.