Audi A4 vs BMW 5 Series
Figures updated
The Audi A4 and BMW 5 Series are two of the UK's most popular executive cars. We compare the B9 (2015–2024) A4 and the G60 (2023–) 5 Series on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 443,503 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The BMW 5 Series comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance; the Audi A4 is close on everything else.
- The BMW 5 Series has the biggest boot: 520 litres, 60 more than the Audi A4.
- The BMW 5 Series has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Audi A4 fails its MOT about 26% more often.
- Watch the wheels on a BMW 5 Series: it fails on them 2.2 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Audi A4B9 (2015–2024), 4-door saloon | BMW 5 SeriesG60 (2023–), 4-door saloon |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £53,110 to £79,830July 2026 price list |
| Body | 4-door saloon | 4-door saloon |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 460 litres | 520 litres (best) |
| Length | 4,762mm | 5,060mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,847mm | 1,900mm |
| Height | 1,387mm | 1,515mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 136–265 PS | 208–489 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 5.5–9.5 sec | 4.3–7.5 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2015) | ★★★★★ (2023) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel | Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 54.3–74.3 mpg | 42.8–45.5 mpg |
| CO2 | 99–137 g/km | 14–139 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.8p a litre, today's UK average | – | £1,287 (45.5 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,030 (65.7 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,030 (diesel) | £1,287 (petrol) |
| Car tax, registered 2001 to 2017Taxed on CO2; newer cars pay a flat £200 | £20 to £790 | £20 to £790 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 125Well above average | 157Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 27.1% | 20.3% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.8% | 11.9% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.5% | 12.5% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 26.3% | 19.9% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (3.6% of tests) | Tread depth (2.4% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Wheels (2.2×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 244,913 | 198,590 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Executive car | Executive car |
| Owners' average miles a year | 9,900 | 10,900 |
| On sale | 2015–2024 | 2023 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Audi A4 or the BMW 5 Series more reliable?
The BMW 5 Series. Like for like on age and mileage, the Audi A4 fails its MOT about 26% more often (reliability scores 157 and 125, where 100 is average). 20.3% of BMW 5 Serieses and 27.1% of Audi A4s failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Audi A4 or the BMW 5 Series?
The BMW 5 Series is 298mm longer (5,060mm against 4,762mm). The BMW 5 Series has the bigger boot: 520 litres against 460.
›Which is safer, the Audi A4 or the BMW 5 Series?
Euro NCAP gave the Audi A4 5 stars (2015) and the BMW 5 Series 5 stars (2023). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Audi A4 or the BMW 5 Series?
The BMW 5 Series comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance; the Audi A4 is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.