Compare the2025 BMW M5VS 2025 Audi S7

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the M5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M5 has standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S7 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The M5 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S7’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the M5 has standard Cross Traffic Warning, helping the driver avoid collisions. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S7.

Both the M5 and the S7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The BMW M5 weighs 793 to 933 pounds more than the Audi S7. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the S7.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the M5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 85 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

The M5’s 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 273 more horsepower (717 vs. 444) and 296 lbs.-ft. more torque (738 vs. 442) than the S7’s 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW M5 is faster than the Audi S7:

The M5 can travel with zero emissions for 25 miles. The S7 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

For better stopping power the M5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the S7:

The M5 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The S7 doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the M5 has larger standard tires than the S7 (285/40R20 vs. 255/35R21). The M5’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the S7 (F:285/40R20 & R:295/35R21 vs. 255/35R21).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the M5’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the S7 (118.3 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the M5 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than on the S7.

The front grille of the M5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The S7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The M5 has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S7 (98 vs. 94).

The M5 has 3.6 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the S7.

The M5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The S7’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The S7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The M5’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the M5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The S7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW M5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the S7.

The BMW M5 comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi S7 isn’t available as a station wagon.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Audi A7/S7/RS 7 by over 11 to one during 2024.