[msujohn]

I have narrowed down my chose between the X3 and Q5. I am comparing the following models:

X3 X Drive, Premium Pkg, Driver Assist Pkg, Black Vernsaca Leather

Q5 Premium Plus, Cold Weather Pkg

I really liked both for different reasons (felt they both really drove great).

X3 - has HUD, liked exterior better (the big downside is paying for car play every year)

Q5 has wireless charging standard, loved the virtual cockpit.

What were some of the reasons you decided to go with the X3?

[MechX3M40i]

I got the X3 M40i, so I was comparing my car to the SQ5.

The biggest no-no for the SQ5 are the fake exhaust tips, which disqualified the car right off the bat. :

[MediaMan]

In the UK, I've never liked reading reports of poor and unhelpful after sales service from dealers to customers who have invested 50k plus of their hard earned in a car. Additionally, VW group cars of all types appear to have a propensity to suffer niggly or other faults that should have been fixed during development (1.5 TSI engine, DSG gearbox failures) and try to fob it off as a 'characteristic of the car'. I find Audi styling either dull or brash/blingy and it doesn't appeal, though the virtual cockpit is impressive. YMMV.

My X3 is my first BMW (driven a few) and I am delighted with it - the problem is keeping the mileage down...

[Bob in IL]

I've had both and agree that it is a tough choice. The X3 and Q5 compete closely with each other and IMO it comes down to personal preference after weighing the pros and cons of each. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Right now, for me, I give the nod to the X3.

[msujohn]

Originally Posted by Bob in IL

I've had both and agree that it is a tough choice. The X3 and Q5 compete closely with each other and IMO it comes down to personal preference after weighing the pros and cons of each. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Right now, for me, I give the nod to the X3.

What dealership did you use?

[Bob in IL]

Originally Posted by msujohn

What dealership did you use?

I used BMW and Audi in Orland Park and both were good experiences. Laurel BMW in Westmont was good too.

[chicagofan00]

Before I was actually shopping for a car I was looking at the SQ5 a bunch online and always configuring one. I thought the exterior styling was ok but really liked the interior as well as the thought of the virtual cockpit. When it came down to actually shopping for a new vehicle though, I couldn't get past the fake exhausts and the exterior styling to even decide to go test drive one. I had previously seen a bunch of videos on the X3 M40i exhaust but never paid much attention to the exterior styling but after seeing it at the dealership and then test driving one, I knew it was the car for me.

On a side note, I wouldn't give much thought about wireless charging being standard in one versus the other. It's a low cost option on the X3 and honestly will make a very small difference in your monthly payment if you option it.

[MrPorter]

As someone who had an Audi with the virtual cockpit and now has an X3 - I would strongly urge going the BMW route.

The Audi got pretty boring pretty quick, and the Google Earth on the cockpit goes away after like 6 months. CarPlay was unreliable. The list goes on.

[msujohn]

Originally Posted by MrPorter

As someone who had an Audi with the virtual cockpit and now has an X3 - I would strongly urge going the BMW route.

The Audi got pretty boring pretty quick, and the Google Earth on the cockpit goes away after like 6 months. CarPlay was unreliable. The list goes on.

What dealership and advisor did you use? Any advice on who to work with or avoid, discounts I should be targeting, etc. would be appreciated. Please PM any details.

[XGoober]

It depends heavily on which power bracket you are shopping in and how you intend to drive it. If you are looking for power, then the X3 M40i beats the SQ5 hands down. The automatic transmission in the SQ5 really lets it down. It is slow to respond for sudden throttle applications and is just sluggish in general. It is really better suited to a cruiser than the SQ5. The 2.0 Q5 on the other hand has a very respectable dual clutch transmission, and although it can be a little quirky at very low speed it delivers a much more responsive experience.

So the X3 30i vs Q5 2.0 is a much closer call. Then it comes down to how you will drive it. As with seemingly every Audi I have ever driven, the Q5 is hesitant to turn in when asked. There is always a slight lag between steering input and response from the front end. Not really noticeable when cruising around town, but if you appreciate a more spirited experience, it really shows.

Back to back test drives would really be necessary to get a good comparison.

The tech in each one is very good so that really comes down to personal preference.

[msujohn]

Originally Posted by XGoober

It depends heavily on which power bracket you are shopping in and how you intend to drive it. If you are looking for power, then the X3 M40i beats the SQ5 hands down. The automatic transmission in the SQ5 really lets it down. It is slow to respond for sudden throttle applications and is just sluggish in general. It is really better suited to a cruiser than the SQ5. The 2.0 Q5 on the other hand has a very respectable dual clutch transmission, and although it can be a little quirky at very low speed it delivers a much more responsive experience.

So the X3 30i vs Q5 2.0 is a much closer call. Then it comes down to how you will drive it. As with seemingly every Audi I have ever driven, the Q5 is hesitant to turn in when asked. There is always a slight lag between steering input and response from the front end. Not really noticeable when cruising around town, but if you appreciate a more spirited experience, it really shows.

Back to back test drives would really be necessary to get a good comparison.

The tech in each one is very good so that really comes down to personal preference.

Yes, I agree I will need to drive them back to back. I’ve only test drove each one once, but it was a week apart. I’m only looking at the x3 30 vs q5 2.0. At the end of the day, it will be my daily cruiser.

[XGoober]

Something important to keep in mind with the X3 packaging: It is not at all clear from the configurator, but leather is included in the Executive Pkg. So for the build you outlined above you can add Exec for $1800, not $3400 as indicated on the website. Or at least I'm pretty sure the numbers are something like that. Take a close look. The Exec Pkg includes some stuff that I would consider must-haves and really complete the tech in the car.

[msujohn]

Originally Posted by XGoober

Something important to keep in mind with the X3 packaging: It is not at all clear from the configurator, but leather is included in the Executive Pkg. So for the build you outlined above you can add Exec for $1800, not $3400 as indicated on the website. Or at least I'm pretty sure the numbers are something like that. Take a close look. The Exec Pkg includes some stuff that I would consider must-haves and really complete the tech in the car.

I was considering it. But, in the Chicago area no dealers carry that package. I would want to see it prior to getting it to make sure it’s worth the extra $’s. What are the features u think are must haves?

[Bob in IL]

Originally Posted by msujohn

I was considering it. But, in the Chicago area no dealers carry that package. I would want to see it prior to getting it to make sure it’s worth the extra $’s. What are the features u think are must haves?

When I was shopping for both the Q5 and X3 the Chicago area dealers seemed to have a limited variety of choices.

[XGoober]

Originally Posted by msujohn

I was considering it. But, in the Chicago area no dealers carry that package. I would want to see it prior to getting it to make sure it’s worth the extra $’s. What are the features u think are must haves?

I think even most dealers don't realize leather comes with Exec. I saw several cars on dealer lots with Premium, Parking, Leather but no Exec. The cost difference to add Exec was minimal at that point.

Anyway, the must-haves for me start with the upgraded all-digital cluster. I have it in my M40i and I feel it is a long way ahead of the other options. I even prefer it to the Audi virtual cockpit. It is a very crisp display with great contrast. I love the physical satin chrome partial bezels floating on top of the display too. It is taken straight from the outgoing 7 series and is just a superbly executed cluster overall.

The PDC and Surround cameras are also must-haves. I will never again buy a car without a good surround view system and 180 degree front and rear cameras. I had them on my X5 and now on my X3. They are utterly indispensable to me.

The Adaptive Full LED headlights are also very very nice to have. Not necessarily as much impact as the other stuff listed above, but there is definitely a nice benefit in practical terms as well as aesthetics.

The other items were kind of take it or leave it for me. Many seem dismissive of the Gesture Control, but it has surprised me how much I like using it from time to time. I wouldn't spec it by itself but it is kind of cool to have since it came along with the pkg anyway :-)

If I were speccing a build for the 30i right now, here is what I would do:

https://www.bmwusa.com/byo.html#!/bu...mmary/dwr0308k

Note the removal of the space saver spare as that takes up a few inches of height in the trunk and you also lose the storage rails. That does require going with the RFT tires but at 19" I think that is not a problem. My M40i has 19s and I have zero comfort issues.

That said, I also have the Dynamic Dampers on my build (not included in the config I posted above) so I'm not sure how much of the comfort I experience is attributable to that. You could add the Dynamic Handling Pkg for another $1400, which would really pull it all together nicely and make it more of a sporty SUV than a cruiser. Obviously there are budget vs intended use considerations there...

[XGoober]

One last thing - be very careful with that seemingly innocuous $350 ventilated seat option. It actually changes the entire seat quite dramatically. The ventilated seat does not have adjustable side bolsters and many report it to be much less comfortable with less padding than the standard sport seats. I found the same when trying them out before I purchased. Be sure you check the two seat options out carefully before ordering.

[Eulenspiegel]

I bought my M40i (not 100% relevant to you) from dealer's stock, with almost all options except Executive Package and thought I wouldn't miss most things included in it. I have no experience with the full digital instrument panel, so I don't know if I miss it or not. I wouldn't have wanted to pay a lot for self parking, but I do regret not having the 360 degree surround camera. I am quite disappointed with the views and warnings I have for parking and tight garage turns, etc. I think it's worse that my prior 2011 X3 35. It's the thing I regret most about the features I didn't get. (Well, maybe adaptive suspension.)

I seriously considered the SQ5 but have no regrets buying the M40i.

[msujohn]

Originally Posted by XGoober

I think even most dealers don't realize leather comes with Exec. I saw several cars on dealer lots with Premium, Parking, Leather but no Exec. The cost difference to add Exec was minimal at that point.

Anyway, the must-haves for me start with the upgraded all-digital cluster. I have it in my M40i and I feel it is a long way ahead of the other options. I even prefer it to the Audi virtual cockpit. It is a very crisp display with great contrast. I love the physical satin chrome partial bezels floating on top of the display too. It is taken straight from the outgoing 7 series and is just a superbly executed cluster overall.

The PDC and Surround cameras are also must-haves. I will never again buy a car without a good surround view system and 180 degree front and rear cameras. I had them on my X5 and now on my X3. They are utterly indispensable to me.

The Adaptive Full LED headlights are also very very nice to have. Not necessarily as much impact as the other stuff listed above, but there is definitely a nice benefit in practical terms as well as aesthetics.

The other items were kind of take it or leave it for me. Many seem dismissive of the Gesture Control, but it has surprised me how much I like using it from time to time. I wouldn't spec it by itself but it is kind of cool to have since it came along with the pkg anyway :-)

If I were speccing a build for the 30i right now, here is what I would do:

https://www.bmwusa.com/byo.html#!/bu...mmary/dwr0308k

Note the removal of the space saver spare as that takes up a few inches of height in the trunk and you also lose the storage rails. That does require going with the RFT tires but at 19" I think that is not a problem. My M40i has 19s and I have zero comfort issues.

That said, I also have the Dynamic Dampers on my build (not included in the config I posted above) so I'm not sure how much of the comfort I experience is attributable to that. You could add the Dynamic Handling Pkg for another $1400, which would really pull it all together nicely and make it more of a sporty SUV than a cruiser. Obviously there are budget vs intended use considerations there...

Thanks that’s a lot of good info to consider.

[sor]

Originally Posted by MechX3M40i

I got the X3 M40i, so I was comparing my car to the SQ5.

The biggest no-no for the SQ5 are the fake exhaust tips, which disqualified the car right off the bat. :

It didn't even look like it had an exhaust to me, fake or not. It has a solid silver and black q-tip trim thing across the whole bumper.

Most fake exhausts I've seen at least have a hole.

[MechX3M40i]

Originally Posted by sor

It didn't even look like it had an exhaust to me, fake or not. It has a solid silver and black q-tip trim thing across the whole bumper.

Most fake exhausts I've seen at least have a hole.

LOL - I'm actually not against all fake exhaust, as long as there is a hole and an actual exhaust pipe on the other side of the hole.

Audi's design on the SQ5 (yes, I agree that is a giant Q tip, the fakest of all fake exhaust) basically says that they did not give a $h!t on what people think. They think their buyers were all ignorant and the car should look like an electric car in the back. This is really tragic since I remember not too long ago, they had the Quad tips on the SQ5 and I thought it looked real good.

[Redman67]

I drove the M40i and SQ5 multiple times before I ordered the M40i. The M40i feels much quicker and more responsive. The engine and the exhaust in the M40i just sounds so much better to me. Every time I drove the M I had a smile on my face— it more fun to drive than the Audi. That said, I did like the Audi’s interior and cockpit better than the M.

Audi does have some odd option choices that require a higher level trim to even get. For example I believe that to get the ACC you have to get premium plus level trim. Anyway for a comparable SQ5 to my specced m40i the m was about $3800 cheaper than the Audi.

In the end, the smile on my face when I drove the M (along with a lower deal price) was the deciding factor.

My Graphite over Cognac M40i should be on the truck to me by 5/14. Can’t wait.

[Redman67]

My apologies for my m40i vs SQ5 commentary. I went back and see that you were between X3 30 and the Q5 2.0. I did not drive either car.