Compare the2026 BMW 5 SeriesVS 2025 Audi S7

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 5 Series are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 5 Series has a standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S7 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The 5 Series has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S7’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 5 Series has standard Cross Traffic Warning and Brake Intervention automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S7.

Both the 5 Series and the S7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S7.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 5 Series’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 73 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

The 550e xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 39 more horsepower (483 vs. 444) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 442) than the S7’s 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the 540i xDrive 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Audi S7:

On the EPA test cycle the 550e xDrive running on electricity gets better mileage than the S7 (65 city/73 hwy MPGe vs. 19 city/27 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the S7:

The 550e xDrive can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The S7 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the BMW 5 Series uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The S7 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW 5 Series higher (5 to 6 out of 10) than the Audi S7 (4). This means the 5 Series produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the S7 every 15,000 miles.

The 5 Series’ optional 275/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S7’s 35 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series’ wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the S7 (117.9 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

The BMW 5 Series may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 550 pounds less than the Audi S7.

The front grille of the 5 Series uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The S7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 5 Series has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S7 (98 vs. 94).

The 5 Series has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the S7.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 5 Series offers cargo security. The S7’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

The 5 Series’ power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The S7’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The 5 Series’ headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the S7’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The S7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The 5 Series’ optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the 5 Series to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The S7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 5 Series has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the S7.

The 5 Series is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The S7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 5 Series, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Audi A7/S7/RS 7 by over 11 to one during 2024.