2020 head-to-head · Compact Car
2020 Audi A4 vs BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2020 BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid 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 $1,757 a year to fuel (69 MPGe + 27 MPG), versus $1,975 for the 2020 Audi A4 (30 MPG). That's roughly $218 a year, or about $1,091 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 A4
- BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid
Side by side
| Audi A4 | BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,975 | Your annual fuel cost | $1,757 |
| 30 MPG | Combined efficiency | 69 MPGe + 27 MPG |
| 27 MPG | City | 65 MPGe / 25 MPG |
| 35 MPG | Highway | 75 MPGe / 31 MPG |
| — | Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) | 47 kWh |
| — | Driving range | 350 mi |
| — | All-electric range | 21 mi |
| 92 cu ft | Passenger volume | 99 cu ft |
| 13 cu ft | Cargo volume | 10 cu ft |
| 295 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 170 g/mi |
| 7/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 8/10 |
| 7/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 10/10 |
| — | Charge time at 240V | 3 hrs |
| Gas | Powertrain | Plug-in hybrid |
| Premium gasoline | Fuel | Premium gas + electricity |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo |
| 7-speed dual-clutch | Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| FWD | Drivetrain | RWD |
✓ 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 A4 vs BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid across model years
- Audi A4
- BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid
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 BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid has more passenger space (99 vs. 92 cu ft); the Audi A4 has more cargo space (13 vs. 10 cu ft).
Among 34 2020 compact cars, the Audi A4 ranks 20th and the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid 18th for lowest fuel cost.
The powertrains differ: the Audi A4 is a conventional gas model, while the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2020 Audi A4 or the 2020 BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid?
Measured by cost to drive, the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid. The Audi A4 is rated 30 MPG combined and the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid 69 MPGe + 27 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2020 Audi A4 vs. the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $1,975 for the Audi A4 and $1,757 for the BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid.
Which has more cargo space?
The Audi A4, with 13 cu ft of luggage volume versus 10 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).
Audi A4 vs BMW 5 Series Plug-in Hybrid in other years
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