Audi RS7 vs BMW X5

What's the difference?

The new-generation RS 7 Sportback heralds the further evolution of this large majestic beast, with more features, a beautifully finished cabin and with more grunt with the looks to match. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better combination of power, dynamics and comfort in the Audi range – apart from in the RS 6 Avant of course.

This is a luxurious prestige five-seater brimming with BMW’s latest design and technology that’s not only practical for weekly family duties but can also embrace spirited driving with the push of a button. A great all-rounder for families that like a sporty edge. 

The big news is the RS 7 Sportback now comes with five seats. The previous generation car had just two seats in the second row. I'll talk more on practicality below but for now let's examine the new styling.

This RS 7 Sportback has new broad, black mesh grille, flanked by gigantic side air intakes, narrow headlights, and a thin upper air inlet which is a hat tip to early racing Audis.

While that new angrier, more angular and menacing face is a showstopper, everything about the new RS 7 Sportback seems to be accentuated further.

Look at the wheels. The previous generation came with 21-inch rims, now the new normal for the RS 7 are 22-inches – they're huge. Those wheel guards also flare out 20mm more than a regular A7's and the rear haunches have bulked up massively.

Come to the back of the car and the diffuser and bumper have also been beefed up. Nobody sitting behind you in traffic is going to think this is just a regular A7.

Don't expect the RS 7 Sportback's insides to be just as hardcore as its exterior. The cabin is almost identical to a regular A7's. It's a stunning cockpit dominated by a dash which protrudes back towards the passengers and houses the media screen. Anther display for climate is set into the big centre console which divides the driver and co-pilot into almost cocooned cells.

The cabin isn't without its RS touches though – there's the sports seats with honeycomb stitching, fully digital instrument cluster with RS specific meters, the RS steering wheel, the Nappa leather on the dashboard and the doors, the aluminium inlays. The level of fit and finish is up there with the best that I've seen on any production car.

The RS 7 Avant is 5009mm long, 1424mm tall and 1950mm across for a wide planted stance.

The latest front-end design features subtle revisions to BMW’s signature 'kidney' grille theme, highlighted by slimmer matrix LED headlights with chevron-shaped DRLs that incorporate the turn indicators.

There’s also an ‘iconic glow’ function, which illuminates the twin-grilles at night in-sync with the external courtesy lights when approaching and departing the vehicle. Lower front air-intake and tail-light treatments have also been revised.

The dash features a new curved instrument panel. Based on BMW’s latest generation 'iDrive' operating system, it consists of a 12.3-inch driver’s info display and 14.9-inch control display presented across the same seamless glass surface.

The control display’s touchscreen functionality has allowed dash buttons and switches to be minimised.

This new design dash has a blend of synthetic leather trim and dark brown/high-gloss woodgrain surfaces, along with new LED ambient lighting and gear-selector design.

The rear seat is sumptuous and spacious, even for someone my height (186cm). There’s ample knee and headroom and it can seat three kids in comfort, but for adult passengers wanting that 'business class' feel it would be ideal for two.

My only criticism of the new instrument display is that with more than 30 applications displayed on the expansive control screen, it can be distracting at times trying to visually locate and operate these functions while driving.

And, depending on sun angle, there were also complaints from different front seat passengers on different days about blinding glare caused by the dash’s high-gloss woodgrain inserts. Fortunately, the driver is unaffected by these reflections.

The previous RS 7 Sportback was a four-seater, now it has five seats. That's right, a middle seat has been added to the second row, but, as you'd expect, it's not the best place be in the RS 7 Sportback, straddling the large driveshaft and ducking under the low roof-line.

That fastback profile does mean headroom in the second row is nowhere near as good as the RS 6 Avant's, but legroom is the same and, at 191cm tall, I can just fit behind my driving position with about 10mm to spare.

Up front it's not as spacious as you might think. That stepped dash protrudes into the passenger's space, the door pockets are thin and the centre console storage under the armrest is small.

Sportbacks are more practical sedans thanks the large opening offered by the hatch. The boot's 535-litre cargo capacity is great and only about 30 litres less than what you have in the RS 6 Avant.

For phones there's a wireless charger and two USB ports in the centre console storage box, while back seat passengers have two USB ports and a 12V outlets. There's also directional air vents and dual-zone climate control in the rear, too.

With its 2165kg kerb weight and maximum allowable weight of 2885kg, our test vehicle can legally carry up to 720kg.

That should be ample for five adults (even better for kids) and their luggage, of which up to 100kg can be carried on the roof rails using a rack or roof box (both in BMW's accessory range).

Powered upper and lower tailgates provide good access to the luggage area, which is carpeted and equipped with a roll-out privacy screen, load securing hooks, a 12-volt accessory outlet and a first-aid kit stored behind a removable side panel.

The space-saver spare and tools are stored below the hinged load floor, so all luggage must be removed to access them.

Internal luggage space with the rear seat upright is 650 litres (0.65 cubic metres) which expands to 1870 litres (1.87 cubic metres) with the rear seat folded flat.

A useful load-carrying feature when the rear seat’s backrest is upright is a hinged centre section that folds forward and flat to carry long and narrow items.

These can stretch all the way from the tailgate to the dash if need be, which could be handy for carting anything from skis to home hardware purchases (firmly secured, of course).

It’s also rated to tow up to an impressive 3500kg of braked trailer, which matches the class benchmark for one-tonne utes.

However, given that tow-ball download (TBD) is usually around 10 per cent of trailer weight, the X5’s maximum TBD rating of only 140kg could be a challenge if 3500kg towing is required.

Front of cabin storage includes a big bottle-holder and bin in each front door, a glove box and on the right-hand side of the dash a pull-out driver’s bin, both of which are felt-lined.

The centre console, in addition to its wireless phone-charging pad, USB-A port and 12-volt outlet, has two small-bottle/cupholders up front and a large box at the rear, housing a USB-C port and topped by a padded dual 'brochure fold' lid that double as an elbow-rest for driver and front passenger.

Rear seat storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each door and pockets on each front seat backrest. The rear of the centre console has two storage nooks for small items in addition to its air-vents, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. There’s also a handy tablet-mount and USB-C port on each front seat backrest, which is great for long trips.

Folding down the rear seat’s centre armrest reveals two pop-out small-bottle/cupholders. And under its hinged lid is a hidden felt-lined compartment that’s ideal for storing slim screened devices away from prying eyes.

Our test vehicle, to use its full name, is the X5 xDrive 40i M Sport. That breaks down to xDrive (intelligent all-wheel drive) and 40i (3.0L turbo in-line petrol six) with eight-speed automatic transmission.

M Sport denotes a package that's included as standard equipment which contains desirable goodies like enormous multi-piston M Sport brakes/adaptive suspension/aerodynamics, M leather-rimmed steering wheel, high-gloss black roof-rails and more.

All up, the list price is $138,900. However, our example has an optional ‘Enhancement Package’ which for another $6000 adds your choice of selected 22-inch alloy wheels (fitted with 275/35 R22 Continental tyres on ours), a tyre pressure monitoring system, metallic paint ('Skyscraper Grey' on ours), Harman Kardon 16-speaker surround-sound audio and 'Crafted Clarity' glass application (glass-handled shifter).

And this is on top of many standard features including three-zone climate control, automatic two-piece tailgate, digital radio, a head-up driver display, adaptive LED headlights with high beam assist, a panoramic full-length sunroof, wireless Apple/Android integration, 'Verino' quilted synthetic leather upholstery, numerous USB ports/12v outlets and more. However, there’s only a space-saver spare.

Numerous options include self-levelling air suspension, 'Merino' leather upholstery, active seat ventilation and massage functions, thermo-adjustable cupholders, LED-illuminated ‘sky lounge’ panoramic glass sunroof and Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound to name a few.

The RS 7 may look like a large, well-mannered business class car, but think of it as a thug in a suit because this thing is a monster with a 441kW/800Nm twin-turbo petrol 4.0-litre V8.

That's almost 600 horsepower and the supercar acceleration that goes with it is brutal: we're talking 0-100km/h coming in 3.6 seconds. That also matches the RS 6 Avant and it's a tenth of a second faster than the Audi R8 V10 RWD supercar, (and also the previous-gen RS 7 Sportback Performance) and this is a large, four-door, five-seater.

Compared to the previous generation RS 7 Sportback Performance the power is down by 4kW, but torque is up by a whopping 100Nm. Give me torque over power any day.

Shifting gears is an eight-speed automatic transmission, sending the drive to all four wheels.

The X5 xDrive40i is powered by BMW’s legendary 3.0-litre DOHC 24-valve in-line six with state-of-the-art technology.

This includes twin-scroll turbocharging, variable valve/camshaft timing and 48-volt mild hybrid technology (delivering up to 9.0kW and 200Nm) using an electric motor integrated with the transmission.

The combined effect is optimised power and throttle response (0-100km/h in 5.4 secs) with minimal fuel consumption and Euro 6d emissions.

It produces 280kW between 5200-6250rpm and 520Nm of torque (this can reach 540Nm with hybrid input) across a remarkably wide and flat peak torque band between 1850-5000rpm, which showcases its flexibility. There’s also auto start-stop and selectable drive modes.

This is paired with BMW’s smooth and sharp-shifting eight-speed torque converter automatic, which combines the best characteristics of a dual-clutch and traditional torque converter transmission.

There’s overdrive on the seventh and eighth gears to optimise fuel economy and the choice of rapid manual-shifting using the steering wheel paddles.

Power reaches its wide tyres through the xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system, which actively varies the engine’s torque distribution between the front and rear wheels to optimise traction at all times.

BMW’s ‘Efficient Dynamics’ also includes brake energy regeneration with recuperation display and many other standard features to enhance driving safety and efficiency.

This is a large, all-wheel drive car with a 600 horsepower V8, but it also has a mild hybrid system in this new generation, which will switch the engine off at let the car coast down hills or at speeds under 22km/h.

Audi says this can save up to 0.8L/100km in real-life driving. That's great news, but consumption is still fairly high with Audi saying that after a combination of open and urban roads the RS 7 Sportback will have used 11.6L/100km.

BMW claims combined average (WLTP) fuel consumption of 9.9-8.5L/100km. Our 415km test comprised a mix of suburban and highway driving and when we stopped to refuel the dash display was showing 10.2L/100km which was line-ball with our own 10.6L/100km figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 780km from its 83-litre tank using standard 91-octane petrol.

I've never met an RS model that hasn't been great to drive – these cars are way more than just tough body kits and big wheels. The engineering which separates the RS 7 Sportback from the A7 makes them more distant cousins than siblings.

As I mentioned before the RS 7 Sportback and RS 6 share more than the same twin-turbo V8, there are also the giant brakes in form of 420mm discs at the front with 10 piston calipers and 370mm discs at the rear.

The optional carbon ceramic brakes are the largest ever to be fitted to a production vehicle at 440mm at the front and 370mm at the rear, saving 34kg in mass over the steel brakes.

Now standard for the first time is Audi's Dynamic Package, which adds dynamic steering (a variable ratio) paired with all-wheel steering, a sport differential, and a 280km/h top speed.

Coming standard is adaptive air suspension and for $2850 you can option the Dynamic Ride Control suspension, which is a hydraulically activated adaptive damper system 

At the Australian launch, Audi supplied two RS 7 Sportbacks: one with the air suspension and the other with not only the Dynamic Ride Control system, but also the RS Dynamic Package Plus which adds the ceramic brakes and increases the top speed to 305km/h – this was the car I started off in.

I'm going to say right away that you don't need ceramic brakes for regular road use. Sure it means you can tell people that you have the biggest brakes in the world and they save you almost 35 kilos in weight, and, yes, they're resistant to fading, but they're expensive to replace and the steel ones are incredibly good.

I also feel the Dynamic Ride Control sports suspension isn't necessary in a car like the RS 7 Sportback. This is a Grand Tourer designed to eat up hundreds of miles at lightspeed in comfort.

So, while I found the first RS 7 Sportback with the big brakes and sports suspension sharper and firmer than the standard car, it didn't seem to fit with this vehicle's intent.

The regular RS 7 Sportback still accelerated with the same brutal force and roared at the scenery flashing past. It still handled through the tight corners superbly with excellent turn in, mind-boggling traction and grip, and excellent body control, but all in far more comfort.

This is the point – we covered hundreds of miles at the Australian launch of the RS 7 Sportback in a range of RS models, and sports suspension can go from great to gruelling on Aussie roads with their coarse-chip bitumen and potholes. The RS 7 Sportback, with its air suspension, not only made driving far more comfortable, but easier, too.

It’s supremely comfortable, with front bucket seats that offer powered-adjustment of height, reach and backrest angle along with side bolsters that can tighten their grip of your upper torso.

There’s also two-way lumbar support, that adjusts not only how far it pushes your spine forward but also allows that pressure point to be raised or lowered.

Combined with its power-adjustable leather-rimmed steering wheel, it would be hard not to find a comfortable driving position.

Eyelines to all mirrors are good and over-shoulder blind-spots are minimal. Front and rear occupants can talk without raised voices thanks to low engine, wind and tyre noise at highway speeds.

As you’d expect, it has high build quality and a tangibly solid feel as though it was machined from a single block of steel, from the satisfying thuds of its closing doors to the absence of shudders or rattles on a variety of roads.

It also has two personalities, which can be switched in an instant. In 'Comfort' mode it will happily cruise around city and suburbs as a mild-mannered family car, fulfilling daily duties like work commutes, school drop-offs and pick-ups, supermarket shopping and the like.

However, flick the drive mode to 'Sport Plus' and you awaken, well, if not ‘the ultimate driving machine’ then something close.

Its optimised drivetrain and handling settings feel more like a sports sedan than a family car, which can turn any winding mountain road into an engaging experience.

It has impressive reserves of cornering grip and braking force, combined with sparkling engine response and fast sequential manual-shifting at your fingertips.

It feels impressively agile, with all-round response that belies its 2.0-tonne-plus kerb weight, backed by a symphony of sounds from its sublime in-line six.

Five-star ANCAP (awarded in 2018) includes front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, plus head airbags for front and rear seats.

The comprehensive 'Driver Assistant Professional' active safety menu includes AEB (city, interurban and vulnerable road user) and a multitude of others.

It also has 'Parking Assist Professional' and for young families there are ISOFIX child seat anchorages on the two outer rear seating positions and top-tethers for all three.

The RS 7 Sportback is covered by Audi's three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty which not only falls behind in duration compared to mainstream brands but also its direct rival Mercedes-Benz which now has five-year, unlimited kilometre coverage. 

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km with a three-year plan costing $2380 and a five-year plan for $3910.

BMW covers the X5 with a five year/unlimited km warranty and offers several service plans to suit different budgets and requirements.

For example, the 'Service Inclusive Basic' package covers all scheduled services over five years/80,000km for a total of $3450, or an average of $690 per year.