Audi Q5 vs BMW iX1

Audi Q5

Audi’s mid-size premium SUV.

BMW iX1

BMW’s fully electric compact SUV.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi Q5

Pick the Q5 for quattro, the 550-litre boot and the 40 TDI’s 400 Nm.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TDI diesel for the best balance of economy and torque — or the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

BMW iX1

Pick the iX1 for zero-emission driving in a practical compact premium SUV with modern iDrive tech and a punchy xDrive30.

Best engine: The xDrive30 (313 hp, dual motor).

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 45 TFSI · Petrol vs xDrive30 · Electric

	Audi Q5	BMW iX1
Power	245 hp	313 hp Winner
Torque	370 Nm	494 Nm Winner
0–100 km/h	6,3 s	5,6 s Winner
Top speed	237 km/h Winner	180 km/h
Power-to-weight	136,5 hp/t	150,1 hp/t Winner
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	183 g/km	0 g/km Winner
Consumption (WLTP)	8,1 L/100km	—

Dimensions & space

	Audi Q5	BMW iX1
Boot	550 L Winner	490 L
Boot (seats folded)	1.550 L Winner	1.495 L
Wheelbase	2,82 m Winner	2,69 m
Length	4,66 m	4,50 m
Width	1,89 m	1,85 m
Height	1,66 m	1,62 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Audi Q5	BMW iX1
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal, shared with the A4/A5)	FAAR (front-drive base, shared with the X1 U11)
Drive	All-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 petrol · EA288 diesel · plug-in hybrid	Single or dual electric motors (fifth-generation eDrive)
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid	Electric
Transmission	7-speed S tronic (DSG)	Single-speed automatic (fixed ratio)
Euro standard	Euro 6d-TEMP (early) · Euro 6d (later)	N/A (electric)
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Zero-emission — unrestricted access in all LEZ zones

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi Q5

S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point
EA288 diesels: AdBlue/SCR needs attention with mainly short trips
Direct-injection petrols: carbon buildup with lots of short trips

BMW iX1

Software/iDrive (early OS8/OS9 builds)
Integrated brake system (IBS) recall (2022–2024)
12V battery can drain when parked

Pros

Audi Q5

quattro standard
550-litre boot (1550 litres folded)
40 TDI has 400 Nm

BMW iX1

Zero-emission and brisk in traffic thanks to instant torque
Practical compact SUV with adult rear seats and a 490 L boot
Quiet, refined ride, typically electric

Cons

Audi Q5

S tronic/tiptronic only — no manual gearbox
S line suspension rides firmly on large wheels

BMW iX1

Firm ride, especially on larger wheels and M Sport
Battery pack slightly reduces boot versus the X1

Driving experience

Audi Q5

As a model line, the Q5 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at speed. Quattro gives reassuring, planted traction in all conditions. The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 2.0 TFSI is smooth, and the 55 TFSI e plug-in hybrid runs on electric for short trips. The S tronic shifts quickly. It is tuned for comfort over sharp handling.