BMW is known for making some of the best luxury cars on the market today. The BMW X5 is one of the more popular luxury SUVs on the market, but it has competition from other luxury automakers like Audi. U.S. News did a comparison between the Audi Q7 and the BMW X5, and here’s a breakdown of which luxury SUV is the best.

Where the Audi Q7 wins

In terms of seating, U.S. News gave this category to the Q7. Both SUVs are luxury SUVs with lots of interior space as well as very comfortable materials. However, U.S. News said that the Q7 was better than the X5 in this category for one sole reason – it comes standard with third-row seating. The X5 can have third-row seats, but you’ll have to pay extra for them.

While both cars are comfortable, U.S. News also says that the Q7 takes home the prize for its interior quality and features. Once again, U.S. News makes sure to say that both cars are well-equipped and stylish, but the Q7 edges out the X5. For example, in terms of features, the Q7 is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the X5 only has access to Apple CarPlay.

In regards to towing, the Audi Q7 once again beats the X5 as it can tow 500 pounds more. When it comes to price, U.S. News also gave the edge to the Q7 as it starts at about $7,000 cheaper than the X5 does. Both are still luxury SUVs, though, so you’ll be spending a lot of money regardless. The Q7 starts at $53,000 while the X5 starts at $60,000.

Where the BMW X5 wins

Both cars are very safe cars that are loaded with smart safety features, but U.S. News gave the edge to the X5 for safety. The reason why the BMW X5 came out on top came down to their crash tests. Both scored well, but the X5 scored better.

In terms of power, the X5 also takes the cake. U.S. News reports that the X5’s starting engine, a turbocharged V6 that generates 335 hp, gets more horsepower than the best engine that the Q7 has. The Audi Q7 starts with a 248-hp engine, and you can upgrade it to a 329-hp engine. However, the X5 can also get an upgrade. You can get a turbocharged V8 that generates 456 hp. Both of the X5’s engines provide far more power than the Q7’s engines do.

The X5 also gets a slightly better fuel economy than the Q7 does. The standard engine on the X5 gets 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on highways, while the standard engine on the Q7 gets 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on highways. Additionally, U.S. News says that the X5 is slightly more reliable than the Q7 is. U.S. News gave the X5 has a 3.5 out of 5 for reliability while the Q7 got a 3 out of 5.

Where they tie and the overall winner

Both luxury SUVs have roughly the same cargo space, according to U.S. News. With one row of seats folded down, the BMW X5 gets 33.9 cubic feet of cargo space and the Audi Q7 gets 37.5 cu. ft. of cargo space. With both rows folded down, the X5 gets 72.3 cu. ft. of cargo space, while the Q7 gets 71.6 cu. ft. of cargo space. Both cars also handle really well and provide a very comfortable ride. 

Overall, though, U.S. News says that the Audi Q7 is a better luxury SUV than the BMW X5 is. They’re similar in many areas, but the Q7’s cheaper price tag and more interior features make it the better SUV for U.S. News.