Over the years, the luxury crossover has gained increasing popularity. Thanks to its comfort, capability, and reliability, the crossover has continually edged out the sedan in the automobile market share. The Audi Q5 and the BMW X3 occupy the same space in the luxury compact SUV segment. The question on the minds of Farmington Hills shoppers is, which is better?

Which is Better?

The Audi Q5 is the ideal luxury crossover that showcases superb German engineering. The interior is impeccably built with attention to detail and excellent craftsmanship. The Audi boasts a powerful powertrain built around a potent turbocharged engine. A wide range of active and passive safety features ensures that any driver or passenger in the Audi Q5 enjoys the drive around the Detroit area with the utmost confidence.

The BMW X3 is an excellent crossover SUV. It is a worthy competitor for the Audi Q5. However, the BMW X3 lags just behind the Q5 in legroom and shoulder room for your passengers and X3 drivers pay an extra subscription fee for Apple CarPlay®. Meanwhile, Android Auto™ is unavailable entirely.

Interior Dimensions and Cargo

The Audi Q5 is a spacious crossover that is ideal for driving in the Troy, MI area. It comfortably seats five and boasts an ample ground clearance of 8.2 inches. The Audi Q5 is quite long and boasts an overall length of 183.6 inches. It also features a wheelbase of 111 inches, an overall height of 65.3 inches, and an overall width of 84.3 inches. With the rear seats up, the Q5 can fit up to 25.1 cubic feet of cargo and an impressive 53.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. The interior provides ample space for tall passengers. It features a headroom of 41.7 inches for the front passengers as well as 39.3 inches in the rear. The front seats get 41 inches of legroom while the rear seats get 37.8 inches.

On the other hand, the BMW X3 is longer but narrower than the Audi Q5. These dimensions significantly hurt the interior space. The BMW is 185.9-inches long and 74.4-inches wide. It boasts an overall height of 66.6-inches. The front headroom is around 41.1-inches while the rear gets 39.1-inches of headroom. The legroom in the front and rear is 40.3-inches and 36.4-inches, respectively. It also boasts 28.7 cubic feet of cargo space.

Thanks to its spacious seating configuration, the Q5 edges out the X3 here. It boasts more headroom, higher ground clearance, and generally more interior space.

Reliability

The Audi Q5 is a crossover that will just keep on running. Known for their immense reliability, Audi vehicles have been known to keep going with minimal service. The Audi Q5 is no exception. It is notoriously reliable and immensely capable.

The BMW X3 is almost as reliable as the Audi Q5. However, it loses points due to sophisticated engineering that makes regular servicing in the Southfield area a complicated affair.

Performance

The Audi Q5 comes powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This power is delivered to all four wheels via a seven-speed s-Tronic dual-clutch transmission and Audi's famed Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The BMW X3 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This power is delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. All-wheel drive is optional.

Fuel Economy

The Audi Q5 earns an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 22 MPG city and 28 MPG highway. On the other hand, the X3 is rated at 21/27 MPG city/highway.

Price

The Audi Q5 is priced significantly lower than the BMW X3. Moreover, the Q5 boasts more interior space and more standard features on the base model.

Test Drive the New Audi Q5 Today

All in all, the Audi Q5 edges out the BMW X3 in plenty of critical areas. This leads us here at Audi Birmingham Michigan in Birmingham, MI to conclude that the Audi Q5 is the stand-out luxury crossover in the market. For more information on the availability of the Audi Q5, contact us to speak to a member of our sales staff and schedule your test drive today.