Audi Q7 v BMW X5 2020 Comparison
BMW’s bristling new X5 takes on one of the more affordable offerings in the large luxury SUV segment, the Audi Q7Six-figure club
Circa-$120,000 luxury SUVs. Fifteen years ago you would have likely refuted the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 as expensive and irrelevant. The Toyota Corollas of Double Bay.
Today it seems well-heeled Australians can’t get enough, and car-makers are eager to appease.
In the past 12 months alone, Mercedes-Benz has overhauled the GLE, Lexus has updated its RX and Volkswagen’s Touareg has stepped up to the main game with wholesale improvement.
Over at BMW, engineers have been busy too. The fourth-generation BMW X5 launched in Australia last year, building on the technological and luxury wares of its predecessors while also continuing to fly the dynamic flag for this segment with benchmark handling and performance.
Anchored by the new sub-$100,000 X5 xDrive25d, the US-built X5 line-up is available in diesel and petrol derivatives, including the bonkers X5 M.
Sitting in the middle of the range is the popular xDrive30d. Six-cylinder turbo-diesel, strong equipment lists, priced $117,990 (plus on-road costs) – this is Bimmer’s most popular grade and the one we’ve selected for this comparison.
Speaking of movement, there have been more than a few rumblings over at Ingolstadt, Audi’s global base. The four-ringed luxury brand will release a rehashed Q7 line-up imminently – in fact, it’s happening next month.
But until then, we wanted to chart the progress of the current Q7 range by putting it up against its German compatriot and the benchmark in his class.
At $111,950 (plus on-road costs), the mid-range Audi Q7 50 TDI is not only the cheaper of these two, positioned just above the entry $102,990 (plus on-road costs) Q7 45 TDI.
It offers seven seats as standard (a $3200 on the X5) and as we found brings some strong credentials to the table for a vehicle that has gone virtually unchanged since 2015.
Given the impending release of the updated Q7 in Australia, we will revisit this comparison to check on its progress against the X5.
For now, though, these two German SUVs are both fitted with six-cylinder diesels and both are dripping in tech, safety and luxury. Toorak tractors they might be, but in many regards, this is the new luxury battleground. Relevance is not really a question anymore.
Why are we comparing the Q7 50 TDI and X5 xDrive30d?
Because you’ve been asking for it. Even though the Audi Q7 is up for replacement within weeks, interest around the current model and its relative value equation remains strong.
This is especially the case since, until recently, the Q7 wasn’t available in Australia for about 12 months because of shipping delays due to the latest WLTP emissions standard, and there’s plenty of stock of the pre-facelifted model still in dealer showrooms…
Last year, Audi enforced a stop-sale on the current model to update the vehicle’s AdBlue system (a liquid additive that breaks down nitrous-oxide exhaust gas – mostly familiar with trucks).
The biggest similarity here comes in the form of firepower. Both the Audi and the BMW draw power from 3.0-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder engines (the Audi in a V-configuration, the BMW an inline layout), sending drive to all four wheels via eight-speed automatic transmissions.
The key metrics here are strikingly similar – an identical 6.5 second 0-100km/h sprint and comparable claimed fuel consumption (6.1L/100km for the Q7 and 7.2L/100km for the X5).
Officially, the Audi’s oiler makes 200kW/600Nm, while the BMW offers 195kW/620Nm.
Who will the Q7 50 TDI and X5 xDrive30d appeal to?
These European chariots have broad audiences, but the target market here is families.
The Audi Q7 steps ahead in that regard, with seven seats as standard, a larger 770-litre boot space (versus the X5’s 650-litre layout) and more accommodating second row seat space.
It also offers five seats with ISOFIX attachments (against the BMW’s two), potentially allowing the fitment of five baby seats including three across the second row – a big bonus for the breeders among us.
The Audi Q7 wins a key point with a larger standard towing capacity, too – a braked rating of 3500kg versus 1900kg for the X5.
That said, the BMW can be extended to 3500kg if you tick an optional $3200 box in the catalogue which enables underbody changes at the factory and the fitment of ADR-compliant parts at the dealership).
The BMW X5 also is well considered for families, with deep door pockets, adequate first and second row proportions and the installation of BMW’s brilliant split tailgate design, which allows you to open a loaded boot without spilling smaller items onto the ground.
It trumps the Q7 with the fitment of a space-saver spare tyre (the Audi has a can of tyre inflation goo instead).
Split/folding seats, electric tailgates and an unobscured second-row glasshouse for little ones cement the Q7 and X5 as family-friendly.
The Audi Q7 also features electric adjustment for the third-row seats, making the process theoretically easier if you have your hands full; in practice though we reckon traditional pull levers are faster and more convenient.
Elsewhere, premium material adorn the contact points inside and the safety suite of either is commendable and five-star, with autonomous emergency braking and full airbag coverage among the list acronyms.
The BMW X5 wins the infotainment contest with larger, more legible displays that navigated by the car-maker’s ubiquitous centre rotary dial. The process of navigating said technology isn’t perfect, but it is more streamlined than the Q7.
How much do they cost?
As we’ve written, the BMW costs $6000 more than the Audi receives more standard inclusions – a factor reinforced in this comparison by the as-tested price of both vehicles: $136,580 (plus on-road costs) for the Q7 and $120,500 (plus on-road costs) for the X5.
The BMW X5 boasts additional features over the Audi Q7, too: adaptive cruise control, panoramic sunroof and more standard driver assistance measures.
Of the two vehicles, the X5 feels more befitting of its price tag as well, with a more thoughtful presentation and premium materials dotted throughout.
The X5 and Q7 are offered with three-year/unlimited kilometre warranties (now is an opportune time to mention Mercedes-Benz just uprated its provisions to five years/unlimited kilometres for private passenger vehicles).
According to their manufacturer websites, the X5 is cheaper to service over the first five years of ownership, at $2050 (versus $3120 for the Audi Q7). Both are based on 12-month/15,000km intervals.
What do they do well?
The BMW X5 stands out in this comparison as the driver’s pick. At 2110kg, it undercuts the portly Q7 in weight, equating to a more agile and controlled driving experience.
Articulate steering feel, relative front-to-rear balance and isolation from big bumps in the road are all key dynamic virtues of the X5.
Its diesel engine feels smoother and less prone to hesitation than the Audi’s still-impressive oiler, aided by a fantastic eight-speed gearbox and clever electronics.
In short, the BMW X5 is supremely refined and comfortable on the road, and is a confident driver when pressing on.
By comparison, the Audi Q7 exudes similar levels of confidence and refinement, though it feels floatier and thuds over harsher imperfections. Granted, neither of these should be treated as sports cars but the Q7 feels off the pace. The Audi is louder on coarse-chip surfaces too.
As for the Q7’s strengths? Practicality and space are the highlights here, heralded by the fact there is 295 litres of boot space even with the third-row seating in place (room for a couple of overnight bags).
Supreme legroom, headroom and shoulder proportions are all superior in the Audi – credentials that have helped it stay fresh in the face of renewed competition.
What could they do better?
The BMW X5’s proportions, though strong, don’t really compare with the acres of second and third row seat space in the Audi Q7.
Additionally, the fact you have to pay $3200 at this price point for the fitment of seven seats is a little rude. Ditto the full 3.5-tonne towing capacity.
The BMW X5 interior is tighter with a hard middle seat in the second row that kids will argue about sitting on.
Another criticism angled at the X5 is the absence of Android Auto, though we understand that issue will be remedied in the coming months.
Dynamic complaints aside, the Audi’s Teutonic interior presentation is feeling tired – despite the fitment of a retractable 8.3-inch centre display and digital instrument cluster, not to mention wireless phone charging.
The centre screen doesn’t offer touch capability, either, which hampers the effectiveness of phone-based programs like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Which wins, and why?
Not surprisingly, the Audi Q7 is showing its age in this comparison – most notably on the road.
A hefty kerb mass, weighty dynamics and a tired cabin ultimately blunt the Audi’s prospects, while the BMW X5 also steps ahead with cheaper servicing and bristling safety and technology suites.
On the luxury front, the X5’s aforementioned technology and equipment, plus its supreme attention to detail give it an unequivocal edge.
So, it’s the X5 by a length. But with the new Q7 imminent, this battle is far from settled.
How much does the 2020 Audi Q7 50 TDI pricing cost?
Price: $111,950 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 200kW/600Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (2015)
How much does the 2020 BMW X5 xDrive30d cost?
Price: $117,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 195kW/620Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 189g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (2019)
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