Audi S4 vs BMW 5 Series: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the BMW 5 Series burns about $2,450 of fuel annually against $3,150 for the Audi S4. That $700 yearly gap compounds to roughly $3,500 over five years and $5,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the BMW 5 Series leads in both cycles — 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway against 21 and 30 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Audi S4 is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the BMW 5 Series with 4 (SIDI & PFI; PHEV, SIDI & PFI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV). Across 12 recorded Audi S4 configurations and 85 for the BMW 5 Series, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Audi S4 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the BMW 5 Series with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Compact Cars and Midsize Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the BMW 5 Series emits 133 g/mile of CO2 versus 363 g/mile for the Audi S4. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.