Compare the2026 Audi SQ8VS 2026 BMW X5

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ8 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 X5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi SQ8 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 X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the SQ8 and X5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ8 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 X5’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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the SQ8. But it costs extra on the X5.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The SQ8 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The X5 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the SQ8 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 X5 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Audi SQ8’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the BMW X5 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the SQ8 and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi SQ8 is safer than the BMW X5:

	SQ8	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	34%
Neck Stress	235 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	82/59 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	238	342
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	34%	35%
Neck Stress	120 lbs.	220 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	47/47 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi SQ8 is safer than the BMW X5:

	SQ8	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	72
Abdominal Force	128 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	260 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	282	308
Hip Force	593 lbs.	796 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

Engine

The SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 125 more horsepower (500 vs. 375) and 170 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 398) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid. The SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 17 more horsepower (500 vs. 483) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 516) than the X5 xDrive50e’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid. The SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 553) than the X5 M60i xDrive’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi SQ8 is faster than the X5 xDrive50e 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid:

	SQ8	X5
Zero to 60 MPH	3.6 sec	3.9 sec
Quarter Mile	12.2 sec	12.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	112 MPH	110 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The SQ8 has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 xDrive50e’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the SQ8’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X5:

	SQ8	X5	X5 M Sport
Front Rotors	15.8 inches	13.7 inches	15.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.6 inches	14.6 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the SQ8 has larger tires than the X5 (285/40R22 vs. 275/45R20). The SQ8’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X5 (285/40R22 vs. 275/40R21).

The SQ8’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X5’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the SQ8 has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the X5. The SQ8’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 22-inch wheels optional on the X5.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the SQ8 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the X5, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The SQ8 Prestige handles at .92 G’s, while the X5 xDrive50e pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the SQ8’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the X5 M60i xDrive’s (39 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The SQ8’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the X5’s (39 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Passenger Space

The SQ8 has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

Cargo Capacity

The SQ8’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in almost every dimension:

	SQ8	X5
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	41.1”/75.4”	40.7”/70”
Max Width	54”	49”
Min Width	39.8”	44”
Height	29”	31.5”

The SQ8’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Towing

The SQ8’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X5’s (7700 vs. 5952 pounds).

Ergonomics

Laser headlights, optional on the SQ8, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the X5’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The SQ8 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade and power rear side window sunshades are optional in the SQ8 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X5 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The SQ8 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 X5.

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