BMW X5 (2014) vs. Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 (2017) Specs

vs.

◆

2014 BMW X5 and 2017 Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 Specifications

Model Year	2014	2017
Model	BMW X5	Audi A3 / S3 / RS3
Engine	turbocharged 4.4L V8 DOHC-4v 445 hp@5500 480 lb-ft@2000	turbocharged 2.5L I5 DOHC-4v 400 hp@5850 354 lb-ft@1700
Transmission	8-speed shiftable automatic	7-speed automated manual
Drivetrain	AWD	AWD
Body	4dr SUV	4dr Hatch
			Difference
Wheelbase	2,934 mm	2,629 mm	0 mm
Length	4,907 mm	4,313 mm	0 mm
Width	1,938 mm	1,786 mm	0 mm
Height	1,763 mm	1,425 mm	0 mm
Curb Weight	2,336 kg	1,820 kg	1 kg
Fuel Capacity	85 L	40 L	45 L
Headroom, Row 1	1,029 mm	937 mm	-936 mm
Shoulder Room, Row 1	1,537 mm	1,392 mm	0 mm
Legroom, Row 1	1,026 mm	1,046 mm	0 mm
Headroom, Row 2	986 mm	953 mm	33 mm
Shoulder Room, Row 2	1,481 mm	1,344 mm	0 mm
Legroom, Row 2	930 mm	899 mm	31 mm
Total Legroom	1,956 mm (over 2 rows)	1,946 mm (over 2 rows)	0 mm
Cargo Volume, Minimum	648 L	280 L	368 L
Cargo Volume, Maximum	1,869 L	1,119 L	0 L

2014 BMW X5 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2014	BMW's multicontour seats, a $1,300 option on six-cylinder X5s and standard with the V8, deliver a rarely matched combination of support in turns and comfort on long drives. In a reversal of traditional tendencies, the buckets in the Range Rover Sport feel firmer and less comfortable. Though you'll find a commanding view forward in either driver seat, the Range Rover Sport maintains an edge in this area. Unusually large windows are one thing that makes a Land Rover a Land Rover. see full BMW X5 review

2014 BMW X5 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	Audi and Mercedes both offer much longer SUVs. At least until BMW fields an X7, the X5 is available with an optional third-row seat. Especially considering the size and price of the X5, said third row is absurdly tight, thinly upholstered, and difficult to access. The door openings are small, and the entire second row seat pivots forward and upward off the floor in an only partially successful attempt to compensate. To provide even minimal legroom for those using it, the second row must slide forward a few inches, to the point that its occupants find their own legroom severely compromised. Both rows are too low to the floor for adult comfort. The third-row seat optional in the Range Rover Sport probably isn't much better, and deletes the spare tire (not available on the BMW regardless). This might explain why it wasn't on the tested vehicle. If you want a usable third row, Land Rover offers the less stylish, but also much less expensive and roomier LR4. Shift focus to the second-row seat, and I found that in the smaller X3 at least as comfortable, and easier to get into and out of thanks to the more compact vehicle's lower ride height. That in the Range Rover Sport, though also not the roomiest or the most comfortable, is better than the X5's. see full BMW X5 review

None of our members have yet commented on the seat room and comfort of the 2014 BMW X5.

2017 Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	Same goes for rear seat room. The Audi S3's rear seat can be a tight fit for adults, especially if those in the front seats are tall. But at least most adults will fit. My adult-sized children rode in the back seat from Detroit to Nashville and back without complaining about the amount of space. (It helped that none of us are tall; I'm 5-9.) The back seat in the CLA provides far less room for heads and legs. Mercedes markets it as a coupe for a reason. see full Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 review

2017 Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2016	4dr Sedan turbocharged 292hp 2.0L I4 6-speed automated manual AWD	very tight see full Audi A3 / S3 / RS3 review

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs

See TrueDelta's information for all BMW models.