Compare the2025 Audi new SQ5VS 2024 BMW X3 M

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi new SQ5 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 X3 M doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the new SQ5 and X3 M have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new SQ5 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 X3 M’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.

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 new SQ5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X3 M doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The new SQ5 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X3 M doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The new SQ5 has standard Maneuver Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The X3 M doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the new SQ5 and X3 M have rear cross-traffic warning, but the new SQ5 has Rear Cross-Traffic Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X3 M’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the new SQ5 and the X3 M have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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.

On the EPA test cycle the new SQ5 gets better mileage than the X3 M:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi new SQ5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X3 M 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 Audi new SQ5 higher (4 out of 10) than the BMW X3 M (3). This means the new SQ5 produces up to 11.3 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X3 M every 15,000 miles.

The new SQ5 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The X3 M doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the new SQ5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The X3 M doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The front and rear suspension of the new SQ5 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the X3 M, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The new SQ5 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new SQ5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X3 M doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the new SQ5’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the X3 M’s (38.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The new SQ5 has .3 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room and 1.6 inches more rear legroom than the X3 M.

The new SQ5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 M doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the new SQ5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X3 M doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new SQ5 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X3 M doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The new SQ5 Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X3 M.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi new SQ5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X3 M.