Compare the2025 Audi S5VS 2025 Lexus IS

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

Safety

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Both the S5 and IS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S5 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 IS’ 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 S5. But it costs extra on the IS.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The S5 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The IS doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the S5 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist with Automatic Brake Activation, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Rear Cross-Traffic Braking costs extra on the IS.

The S5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The IS doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the S5 and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 available around view monitors.

Warranty

The S5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the IS’ (12 vs. 6 years).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the S5’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the S5’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the IS’ camshafts. If the IS’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

Engine

The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 121 more horsepower (362 vs. 241) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 258) than the IS 300’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 102 more horsepower (362 vs. 260) and 170 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 236) than the IS 300 AWD’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6. The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 51 more horsepower (362 vs. 311) and 126 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 280) than the IS 350’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6. The S5’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 395) than the IS 500’s standard 5.0 DOHC V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi S5 is faster than the Lexus IS:

	S5	IS 300 AWD	IS 350
Zero to 60 MPH	4.4 sec	5.7 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	12.9 sec	14.3 sec	14.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	107.1 MPH	97.6 MPH	100.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the S5 gets better mileage than the IS:

			MPG
S5
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/28 hwy
IS
	RWD	5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
	AWD	350 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the S5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The IS doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi S5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The IS requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The S5 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 IS doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The S5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The IS doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the S5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the IS:

	S5	IS	IS 500 Performance
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	13.1 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	11.7 inches	12.7 inches

The S5 stops much shorter than the IS:

	S5	IS
60 to 0 MPH	106 feet	117 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the S5 has larger tires than the IS (245/40R19 vs. 235/45R18). The S5’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the IS (245/40R19 vs. 235/40R19).

The S5’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 IS 300’s standard 45 series tires. The S5’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the IS F Sport’s 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S5 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the IS 300. The S5’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the IS F Sport.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the S5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The IS doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The S5 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The S5’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 IS doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S5’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the IS (114 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

The S5 handles at .95 G’s, while the IS 300 AWD pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The S5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the IS 300 AWD (24.7 seconds @ .8 average G’s vs. 25.9 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The S5 has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 3.9 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the S5’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the IS’ useful trunk space.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the S5’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The IS doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Ergonomics

The S5’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the IS.

The S5 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The IS doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the S5 and the IS have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the S5 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The IS prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The S5’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Access standard on the IS doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The S5’s 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 IS’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The S5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The IS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The IS doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the S5 has a standard extendable sun visor. The IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the S5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The IS doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Audi S5 and Lexus IS offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The S5 features standard power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the IS’ foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The S5 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the IS. The S5 Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the IS.

The S5 (except Premium) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the IS.

The Audi S5 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Lexus charges extra for Homelink® on the IS.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi S5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The S5 Premium Plus/Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The IS doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Audi A5/S5/RS 5 outsold the Lexus IS by 17% during 2024.

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