Where the 2025 Audi pulls ahead of the BMW 3 Series
BMW’s 3 Series, starting at $45,950, entered its 2025 production year with minor design and tech tweaks while maintaining its reputation for solid driving dynamics. However, the 2025 Audi A5 gives the 3 Series a run for its money, with tech updates not present in its BMW counterpart, along with refreshed steering and suspension that address former criticisms of its driving characteristics, such as understeer.
The Audi A5, starting at $49,700, adds an available 10.9-inch passenger display that you won’t find in the 3 series. When a passenger uses the display for something like entertainment, the screen initiates Active Privacy Mode, shielding it from the driver via a digital curtain utilizing shutter tech and dedicated illumination profiles that direct light toward the user. Additionally, unlike its BMW rival, the 2025 A5 features an optional LED strip spanning the width of the vehicle’s dashboard that provides visual cues confirming functions, such as door locking and unlocking, turn signal operation, and more. Regarding steering and suspension, A5 drivers can expect a more neutral and engaging road feel, which reduces understeer and facilitates more dynamic handling—something that previous production years fell short of compared to the 3 Series.
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The A5 puts up a fight in the areas that matter most
Since the A5’s 2021 production year, Audi has made all-wheel drive (AWD) standard across the model’s lineup, and 2025 is no different. Alternatively, AWD, or xDrive, is optional on the 2025 BMW 3 Series models. While a 2025 3 Series starts at $45,950 for a rear-wheel drive (RWD) version, the starting price you’ll pay jumps to $47,950 for an xDrive 330i. You’ll also receive slightly more power in a base A5 than in a 3 Series. This Audi produces 261 standard horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, whereas its competitor offers 255 standard horsepower and the same amount of torque. You’ll receive an 8-speed automatic transmission within this BMW, but some may prefer the A5’s 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Regarding fuel economy, the A5 offers 26 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway with its base version, remaining competitive against the entry-level 3 Series, which achieves 28/35 MPG in the city and on the highway, respectively. Drivers prioritizing a spacious trunk will appreciate the 2025 A5’s 26 cubic feet of cargo room, which easily surpasses the 3 Series’ 17 cubic feet of trunk capacity. The 3 Series offers slightly higher passenger volume at 94 cu ft, compared to the A5’s 91 cu ft, but the A5 is nearly equivalent in key areas, such as rear passenger legroom. Both models feature sharp exterior designs, with the A5 sporting a sleeker profile and the 3 Series leaning more toward traditional sedan styling.
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Final thoughts
The 2025 A5 and 3 Series are neck-and-neck in many ways, but there’s an argument to be made that this Audi brings more to the table than its BMW rival. Audi’s A5 features innovative technology not found in the 3 Series, including an optional passenger display that won’t distract the driver. The A5’s LED strip across the dashboard, which indicates vehicle functions such as door locking and unlocking, further enhances the interior’s innovative and fresh feel. Additionally, the A5 maintains competitive fuel economy, features a roomy trunk, and updates its suspension and steering to address past criticisms, such as understeer. You can’t go wrong with a 2025 3 Series, but the 2025 A5 warrants plenty of consideration.