From one of my most favorite reviewers, very straight and fair for those considering

Great conclusion on both cars.

Having owned the 7-speed DQ500/DL501 in one of my last cars I can totally agree. These things are horrible. And when you follow car forums in Germany software is the main issue of the whole VW/Audi fleet today. Unreliable, unpredictable and verry buggy.

I can agree on the interior criticism but it gets to the background when you drive the M50 every day and focus on the diving and the close to perfect assistant systems.

After having mine for more than 7 month now, I never regretted my choice.

Out of all the cars we had over the past 20 years all of the VW/Audis where the most unreliable ones even beating the GM era Saabs. All of the BMWs where troublefree and always fun to drive especially the ones with the B58.

The Audi gets multi link front/rear, acoustic glass, air suspension, a much higher quality interior, more refined. I suspect the start/stop being a mess is because the car was developed in Europe with a mild hybrid that doesn’t come to the US. Seems defeatable by switching driving mode anyway. The Audi can still just about pass as a luxury product, I really don’t think you can say that about the BMW when you look at that interior. I am a big BMW fan but my god they absolutely phoned it in when they designed the current X3. It competes in M50 trim given how good the tech and B58 is, but I suspect if you compare base trims the Audi has it beaten as it does the stuff that matters much better. The M50 is on my long list anyway when my lease is up next year. However there just isn’t a case that it’s default best in class like the old X3 was which is a real miss.

Montaver wrote

The Audi gets multi link front/rear, acoustic glass, air suspension, a much higher quality interior, more refined. I suspect the start/stop being a mess is because the car was developed in Europe with a mild hybrid that doesn’t come to the US. Seems defeatable by switching driving mode anyway. The Audi can still just about pass as a luxury product, I really don’t think you can say that about the BMW when you look at that interior. I am a big BMW fan but my god they absolutely phoned it in when they designed the current X3. It competes in M50 trim given how good the tech and B58 is, but I suspect if you compare base trims the Audi has it beaten as it does the stuff that matters much better. The M50 is on my long list anyway when my lease is up next year. However there just isn’t a case that it’s default best in class like the old X3 was which is a real miss.

In the base trim without the V6 the Audi is even more horrible to drive. German reviews also mention the jerky drivetrain especially at lower speeds.

And the software of the Audi MMI is a major fail.

Makes you wonder if BMW could somehow replace the DCT in the x1. It’s worse- and I can’t believe bmw sells that on what would other wise be a nice car. X3 while a downgrade of materials is a superior car because of the great power train.

So here’s the breakdown: the SQ5 gives you better interior quality and ride comfort, but the software and drivetrain aren’t up to par. The M50, on the other hand, has a louder cabin and less refined interior, but its software, tech, and overall performance are far ahead — it’s smoother and more powerful. So my conclusion is: if you just care about comfort and the typical Audi strengths, you’re better off with a base Q5, since most of the SQ5’s advantages are already there. But if you want performance and driving fun, then the M50 is the clear choice.

JK479 wrote

Makes you wonder if BMW could somehow replace the DCT in the x1. It’s worse- and I can’t believe bmw sells that on what would other wise be a nice car. X3 while a downgrade of materials is a superior car because of the great power train.

that's why I went with the X3 over the X1 M50....

kukugege wrote

So here’s the breakdown: the SQ5 gives you better interior quality and ride comfort, but the software and drivetrain aren’t up to par. The M50, on the other hand, has a louder cabin and less refined interior, but its software, tech, and overall performance are far ahead — it’s smoother and more powerful. So my conclusion is: if you just care about comfort and the typical Audi strengths, you’re better off with a base Q5, since most of the SQ5’s advantages are already there. But if you want performance and driving fun, then the M50 is the clear choice.

Where does the Q5 have a better interior?That’s what it’s like when the test wasn’t paid for

This is a good and accurate review. The Audi interior is superior, particularly in the Avant, but the BMW X3 M50 is a better drive to Audi. The Audi just doesn’t have the same pull or engine feedback as you get with the B58 but offers a more comfortable ride, which is good for everyday and it still has some engine grumble. The Avant is lower so a bit better control, however if you’re on B road the suspension and four wheel drive of the M50 is better

BPBMWX3 wrote

This is a good and accurate review. The Audi interior is superior, particularly in the Avant, but the BMW X3 M50 is a better drive to Audi. The Audi just doesn’t have the same pull or engine feedback as you get with the B58 but offers a more comfortable ride, which is good for everyday and it still has some engine grumble. The Avant is lower so a bit better control, however if you’re on B road the suspension and four wheel drive of the M50 is better

Well, I don’t know. The interior of my X3 doesn’t creak like the Q5’s in the video. Unfortunately, both got plastic door handles, but the BMW’s gives a solid feel. The other one creaks like… I don’t even know what. On top of that, after getting in in the morning, it takes about half a minute for the navigation to load in the Audi, and until then even the digital climate control buttons don’t respond on the screen. In my opinion, that’s anything but a higher-quality interior.

madkiller wrote

Well, I don’t know. The interior of my X3 doesn’t creak like the Q5’s in the video. Unfortunately, both got plastic door handles, but the BMW’s gives a solid feel. The other one creaks like… I don’t even know what. On top of that, after getting in in the morning, it takes about half a minute for the navigation to load in the Audi, and until then even the digital climate control buttons don’t respond on the screen. In my opinion, that’s anything but a higher-quality interior.

I didn’t experience the creaking or display issue. But have only take the latest mode for a test drive twice each. I prefer the Audi HUD too

BPBMWX3 wrote

I didn’t experience the creaking or display issue. But if only take it for a test drive twice

If you leave it out in the sun, the plastics inside heat up and start to creak. At night it puts itself into sleep mode, from which it takes a long time to wake up in the morning.

madkiller wrote

Where does the Q5 have a better interior?

That’s what it’s like when the test wasn’t paid for

I observed the same creeking from the doorpanels when taking a look at the new SQ5.

Also the touch sensitive steeringwheel and the touchpanel in the door are far worse than the BMW solution. And all the black shiny plastic is not a better quality than the X3 interior.

The dashboard display is of lower quality than the one of my neigbors KIA as it lacks a lot of information and the central display pictograms and climate controls are als worse than iDrive 9.

HUD was nice tbh. The camera image quality was quite low like on a 10 year old VW.

Also other stuff on the Audi SQ5 is quite cheap compared to the M50 like the brakes or the missing fender covers in the engine bay or the raw chassis of the compartment below the boot floor.

I’m coming from audis with latest HUDs. Audi has nailed their HUD design. I think they are almost a version ahead of BMWs, which is quite good it self. It’s just Audi thought about more there. It blends with the road and displays more relevant content at the most convenient time.

Audi has an empty plastic at the arm rest section they forgot to install something. Funny.

They are definitely more comfy than bmws. Also while I like x3s engine better, it’s not that smoother than Audis as started in the review. In my BMW there are some hums and drums too. But those hums and drums sound a bit nicer .

BMW had a chance to dominate the compact SUV market, they did not want to by cheaping out and ignoring comfort. I’m sorry if you think your x3 is comfortable. It’s just you havent driven a car that is both comfortable and performant yet. It can be done. Once the Chinese and Japanese châssis start driving with a personality (some already do), it’s over for Germany. I love my X3 but none of the manufacturers and their greedy dealers love you or me back.

vrnsn wrote

I’m coming from audis with latest HUDs. Audi has nailed their HUD design. I think they are almost a version ahead of BMWs, which is quite good it self. It’s just Audi thought about more there. It blends with the road and displays more relevant content at the most convenient time.

Audi has an empty plastic at the arm rest section they forgot to install something. Funny.

They are definitely more comfy than bmws. Also while I like x3s engine better, it’s not that smoother than Audis as started in the review. In my BMW there are some hums and drums too. But those hums and drums sound a bit nicer .

BMW had a chance to dominate the compact SUV market, they did not want to by cheaping out and ignoring comfort. I’m sorry if you think your x3 is comfortable. It’s just you havent driven a car that is both comfortable and performant yet. It can be done. Once the Chinese and Japanese châssis start driving with a personality (some already do), it’s over for Germany. I love my X3 but none of the manufacturers and their greedy dealers love you or me back.

BMW hasn’t really focused that much on HUD development or light effects so far, I don’t know why — this is something they’ll try to fix now with the new Neue Klasse, which will introduce what they call the 3D HUD. We’ll see what it’s like. Apart from that, when it comes to interior materials, Audi has dropped below BMW with the new generation. The same goes for the software. The only area where Audi really does have an advantage right now is the HUD.

BPBMWX3 wrote

I didn’t experience the creaking or display issue. But have only take the latest mode for a test drive twice each. I prefer the Audi HUD too

If you touch the plastics along the dash especially underneath the screens and air vents surroundings, they all creak.

Door grabs are the same as the X3, hard plastic.

What's even worse in the Audi's, if you don't opt for the passenger screen, it's just a slab of piano black plastic.

So yeah all manufacturers are guilty of cost cutting.

One thing I do like is that they pad the knee rest around the centre console.

puckhead85 wrote

that's why I went with the X3 over the X1 M50....

M35i?

Few things could clean the x3 up for me- on the m50- give me a steering wheel without the red stripe…