Audi S4 vs Kia K5: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Kia K5 burns about $1,900 of fuel annually against $3,150 for the Audi S4. That $1,250 yearly gap compounds to roughly $6,250 over five years and $10,000 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 Kia K5 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 Kia K5 with 4 (SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start, SIDI). Across 12 recorded Audi S4 configurations and 26 for the Kia K5, 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 Kia K5 with All-Wheel Drive, Front-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 Large 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 Kia K5 emits 277 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.