Compare the2026 BMW X3VS 2025 Audi A6 Allroad

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 X3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The X3 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X3 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 A6 Allroad’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the X3 has standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function and automatically engage the brakes. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A6 Allroad.

The X3’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the X3 and the A6 Allroad have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the Audi A6 Allroad:

	X3	A6 Allroad
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	119	354
Neck Injury Risk	40.2%	41%
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	228 lbs.
Neck Compression	71 lbs.	98 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the Audi A6 Allroad:

	X3	A6 Allroad
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	135
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	148 lbs.	174 lbs.
Hip Force	214 lbs.	262 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	108	135
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	162	395
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	472 lbs.	514 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 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 A6 Allroad.

There are over 14 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the X3’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X3’s reliability 26 points higher than the A6 Allroad.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 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 73 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 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 vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

Engine

The X3 M50 xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 58 more horsepower (393 vs. 335) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (428 vs. 369) than the A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the X3 M50 xDrive 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Audi A6 Allroad:

	X3	A6 Allroad
Zero to 60 MPH	4 sec	5.1 sec
Quarter Mile	12.6 sec	13.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	109.7 MPH	102.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the A6 Allroad:

			MPG
X3
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/30 hwy
A6 Allroad
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	22 city/30 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW X3 higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Audi A6 Allroad (4). This means the X3 produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A6 Allroad every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW X3, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A6 Allroad.

Brakes and Stopping

The X3 stops much shorter than the A6 Allroad:

	X3	A6 Allroad
70 to 0 MPH	155 feet	172 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	119 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the A6 Allroad (F:255/40R21 & R:285/35R21 vs. 245/45R20).

The X3’s optional 255/40R21 front and 285/35R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A6 Allroad’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X3 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The A6 Allroad’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X3 is 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A6 Allroad.

The X3 30 xDrive handles at .91 G’s, while the A6 Allroad Prestige pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X3 M50 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the A6 Allroad Prestige (25.3 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .68 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X3 M50 xDrive has a 2.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the A6 Allroad Premium Plus (8.3 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the X3 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The X3 30 xDrive’s minimum ground clearance is 1.2 inches higher than on the A6 Allroad Prestige (8.5 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The BMW X3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 300 pounds less than the Audi A6 Allroad.

The X3 is 7.7 inches shorter than the A6 Allroad, making the X3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The X3 has 2.2 inches more front headroom and .1 inches more front shoulder room than the A6 Allroad.

Cargo Capacity

The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the A6 Allroad with its rear seat up (31.5 vs. 30 cubic feet). The X3 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the A6 Allroad with its rear seat folded (67.1 vs. 63.8 cubic feet).

Towing

The X3 has a 4001 lbs. towing capacity. The A6 Allroad has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stabilization Control on the X3 uses the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The X3’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 A6 Allroad’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X3 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The A6 Allroad doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X3 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X3 and the Audi A6 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X3 outsold the Audi A6/S6/RS 6 by over 8 to one during 2024.

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