2015 head-to-head · Subcompact Car
2015 Audi S3 vs BMW i8
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
AWD · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 6-speed dual-clutch · 26 MPG
AWD · 1.5L 3-cyl turbo · 6-speed automatic · 76 MPGe + 28 MPG
The 2015 BMW i8 is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $1,759 a year to fuel (76 MPGe + 28 MPG), versus $2,279 for the 2015 Audi S3 (26 MPG). That's roughly $520 a year, or about $2,598 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Audi S3
- BMW i8
Side by side
| Audi S3 | BMW i8 | |
|---|---|---|
| $2,279 | Your annual fuel cost | $1,759 |
| 26 MPG | Combined efficiency | 76 MPGe + 28 MPG |
| 23 MPG | City | 80 MPGe / 28 MPG |
| 31 MPG | Highway | 72 MPGe / 29 MPG |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 43 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 330 mi |
| — | All-electric range | 15 mi |
| 86 cu ft | Passenger volume | 81 cu ft |
| 10 cu ft | Cargo volume | 5 cu ft |
| 340 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 198 g/mi |
| 6/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 9/10 |
| 6/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 2 hrs |
| Gas | Powertrain | Plug-in hybrid |
| Premium gasoline | Fuel | Premium gas + electricity |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 1.5L 3-cyl turbo |
| 6-speed dual-clutch | Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
| AWD | Drivetrain | AWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Audi S3 vs BMW i8 across model years
- Audi S3
- BMW i8
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Per EPA interior volume figures, the Audi S3 has more passenger space (86 vs. 81 cu ft); the Audi S3 has more cargo space (10 vs. 5 cu ft).
Among 36 2015 subcompact cars, the Audi S3 ranks 20th and the BMW i8 11th for lowest fuel cost.
The powertrains differ: the Audi S3 is a conventional gas model, while the BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2015 Audi S3 or the 2015 BMW i8?
Measured by cost to drive, the BMW i8. The Audi S3 is rated 26 MPG combined and the BMW i8 76 MPGe + 28 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2015 Audi S3 vs. the BMW i8 per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $2,279 for the Audi S3 and $1,759 for the BMW i8.
Which has more cargo space?
The Audi S3, with 10 cu ft of luggage volume versus 5 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Audi S3 vs BMW i8 in other years
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