Used test: Audi A5 Sportback vs BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé costs

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety

If you want to buy a 2017 example of either the second-generation Audi A5 Sportback or first-generation BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé (in the trim and engine spec of our test cars), expect to fork out around £20,000. 

The A5 will be cheaper to run, however. It has a better official average fuel consumption figure at 62.8mpg, compared to 4 Series' 58.9mpg. Both sit in the same insurance group of 30, while servicing costs should prove similar.

You get plenty of equipment on both cars, including climate control, heated front seats, cruise control, Bluetooth and parking sensors all round. The A5 adds sat-nav and electric front seats with adjustable lumbar support.

Just bear in mind that if you buy an A5 that has larger-than-standard alloys fitted to it, its CO2 emissions will rise and push it into a higher road tax bracket, because cars of this age (registered before April 2017) are taxed on those emissions. Considering it’ll almost certainly ride more smoothly on smaller wheels, we’d look for one on the standard 17s.

All versions of the A5 get automatic emergency braking (AEB) that can prevent, or at least reduce the severity of, an impact at speeds of up to 52mph. AEB is available on the 4 Series, but it cost £370 from new, so it might not be fitted to the car you're looking at and it only works at up to 9mph. Both cars come with a raft of airbags and score equally well for security, according to the experts at Thatcham Research.

In the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey, the A5 Sportback and 4 Series Gran Coupé didn't feature, although the similar Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series did. In the executive car category, the A4 placed 15th (in diesel form) out of 18 cars, while the 3 Series ranked fifth. 

<< Previous | Next: Our verdict >>

Page 3 of 4