Audi A5 vs BMW M2

Audi A5

Audi’s premium coupé.

BMW M2

BMW’s compact high-performance coupé.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi A5

Pick the A5 for quattro, the frugal 2.0 TDI and the coupé body.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TFSI petrol for the best everyday balance — or the 2.0 TDI diesel for high mileage.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

BMW M2

Pick the M2 for a compact, involving sports coupé with rear-wheel drive and a characterful inline-six.

Best engine: The M2 Competition (S55, 410 hp) or the M2 (S58, 460 hp).

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 40 TFSI · Petrol vs M2 · Petrol

	Audi A5	BMW M2
Power	190 hp	460 hp Winner
Torque	320 Nm	550 Nm Winner
0–100 km/h	7,3 s	4,1 s Winner
Top speed	240 km/h	250 km/h Winner
Power-to-weight	124,6 hp/t	259,2 hp/t Winner
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	133 g/km Winner	226 g/km
Consumption (WLTP)	5,9 L/100km Winner	10,5 L/100km

Dimensions & space

	Audi A5	BMW M2
Boot	465 L Winner	390 L
Boot (seats folded)	1.280 L Winner	1.200 L
Wheelbase	2,82 m Winner	2,75 m
Length	4,73 m	4,58 m
Width	1,85 m	1,89 m
Height	1,39 m	1,40 m
Seats	5 Winner	4

Powertrain & tech

	Audi A5	BMW M2
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal, shared with the A4 B9)	F22 (F87) · CLAR (G87)
Drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 2.0 TFSI · EA288 2.0 TDI · 48V mild-hybrid	N55 3.0 · S55 3.0 · S58 3.0 petrol
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel	Petrol
Transmission	S tronic (7-speed DSG) · 6-speed manual	6-speed manual · 7-speed DCT (F87) · 8-speed automatic (G87)
Euro standard	Euro 6d-TEMP (early) · Euro 6d (later)	Euro 6
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Euro 6 petrol allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi A5

EA888 (2.0 TFSI) petrols: water-pump/thermostat housing can leak
EA288 diesels: DPF and AdBlue/SCR need attention
S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point
Suspension bushings at higher mileage

BMW M2

N55 charge pipe and oil leaks (base M2)
Cooling system and differential seals
High tyre and brake wear (performance car)

Pros

Audi A5

quattro optional on the 2.0-litre engines
2.0 TDI (40) returns ~4.3 l/100 km
Sportback body offers a 465-litre boot

BMW M2

Involving, playful rear-wheel-drive handling
Characterful inline-six engines (N55/S55/S58)
Manual gearbox available

Cons

Audi A5

Automatic only on later models — early pre-facelift versions have rare manual options
Lower coupé roofline reduces rear headroom

BMW M2

Firm ride and limited comfort
Cramped rear seats (2+2)

Driving experience

Audi A5

As a model line, the A5 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at speed. Front-drive versions feel light and easy; quattro adds strong traction out of corners on the 2.0-litre engines. The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 2.0 TFSI is smooth, and the 45 TFSI e plug-in hybrid runs on electric for short trips. The S tronic shifts quickly. It is tuned for comfort over sharp handling.