Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2013 Audi A6 VS 2013 BMW 5 Near Scottsdale, AZ

The A6’s front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The A6 offers optional Audi Pre Sense Plus, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The 5 Series Sedan offers an available collision warning system without the automated brake feature, which would prevent or reduce the collision if the driver fails to react.

Both the A6 and the 5 Series Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the A6 has a 180-amp alternator. The 5 Series Sedan’s standard 170-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Audi 15th in reliability. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 20th.

As tested in Motor Trend the A6 3.0T 3.0 supercharged V6 is faster than the 535i Sedan 3.0 turbo 6 cyl. (automatics tested):

The A6 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the 5 Series Sedan (19.8 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the A6 3.0T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the 5 Series Sedan:

The A6 stops much shorter than the 5 Series Sedan:

For better traction, the A6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 5 Series Sedan (255/40R19 vs. 245/40R19).

The A6 3.0T’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 535i/540i’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 3.0T offers optional 20-inch wheels. The 5 Series Sedan’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The A6 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 5 Series Sedan, 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.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 is 1.1 inches wider in the front than on the 5 Series Sedan.

The A6 3.0T Quattro handles at .95 G’s, while the 550i Sedan pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 3.0T Quattro executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the 550i Sedan (25.1 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 26.1 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

The design of the Audi A6 amounts to more than styling. The A6 offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .26 to .28 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the 5 Series Sedan (.28 to .3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the A6 get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the A6 3.0T Quattro is quieter than the 535i Sedan:

The A6 has 1.3 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the 5 Series Sedan.

Insurance will cost less for the A6 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the A6 will cost $115 less than the 5 Series Sedan over a five-year period.

The A6 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger’s estimates that the A6 will retain 38% to 39% of its original price after four years, while the 5 Series Sedan only retains 34% to 37%.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi A6 will be $4116 to $12383 less than for the BMW 5 Series Sedan.