Shopping for a new luxury car is always a balancing act. You want to find that perfect blend of comfort, style, and performance. No doubt, your journey will take you through various brands as you visit dealers across Burlington, South Burlington, and Essex Junction.

In this brand comparison, we want to help you answer one question: What is the difference between an Audi and a BMW car? Obviously, every model is different, but you'll find design language and philosophy that infuses each brand. 

See whether an Audi or BMW suits your style more! Read ahead and contact us at Audi South Burlington to learn more.

Audi vs BMW Cars: Performance  

Which German luxury brand is the best? In our opinion, it starts with performance. It's the heart and soul of a luxury vehicle, and the roar of your engines is the most satisfying sound!

Both BMW and Audi are known for their engines. In a radical shift from convention, Audi TFSI® and BMW TwinPower Turbo engines combine direct injection technology with supercharging or turbocharging. It sounds complex (and is!) but adds up to more power, efficiency, and responsiveness on the roads.

While each brand has its own all-wheel drivetrain, Audi quattro® all-wheel drive is the true standard in the industry. It sends power to the wheels with the most grip for a more tractive performance. You can often find it standard on Audi models, whereas BMW all-wheel drive is more often an available upgrade.

Style as a Centerpiece

 

Design is what draws you in, and the Audi and BMW brands speak their own design languages. Audi has that singular Singleframe® grille, a hexagonal expression of aggression that boldly backs up the four-ring Audi logo. Meanwhile, BMW serves up style with its distinctive Kidney Grille.

Inside, Audi cars generally sport higher-quality standard materials. Leather is usually a fixture on even the basest Audi models, while BMW uses SensaTec imitation leather on its base trim levels. While leather is available at higher levels, it's nice to have it as a standard amenity.

Audi also offers more customizable accent options. Choose from an array of woods and metals and add some unique style to your cabin!   

The Most Modern Technology

Can your luxury car keep you connected? Audi and BMW models do a bang-up job of it. Audi MMI® and BMW iDrive infotainment are easy to use and offer a long list of standard and available features. These systems offer state-of-the-art technology like voice and handwriting recognition.

Plus, both brands have released virtual cockpits-fully digital replacements for the traditional instrument panel. You can set the home screen to show maps, audio, and other information that is important to you.

Audi stands apart in one small but crucial way: It offers both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ as part of its infotainment suite. BMW cars have finally jumped on board with the former, but no BMW vehicles currently offer Android Auto™ for intuitive smartphone integration.  

Audi vs BMW: Which Is Better?

The Audi and BMW brands have earned a solid reputation among shoppers-and rightfully so. Burlington, South Burlington, and Essex Junction drivers will find both worthy of consideration.

Still, from quattro® all-wheel drive to the intuitive MMI® system, we think you'll like all that Audi offers. Want to know for sure? Contact us and visit the showroom at Audi South Burlington. See some Audi cars up close and test drive your favorites today!