Compare the2025 Audi S6 e-tronVS 2025 BMW i4

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi S6 e-tron are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW i4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the S6 e-tron and i4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S6 e-tron has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The i4’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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 S6 e-tron are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The i4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S6 e-tron. But it costs extra on the i4.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The S6 e-tron has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The i4 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

The Audi S6 e-tron offers an optional Top View Cameras and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the BMW i4 doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the S6 e-tron and i4 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the S6 e-tron has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The i4’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the S6 e-tron and the i4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

The S6 e-tron’s electric motors produces 261 more horsepower (543 vs. 282) than the i4 eDrive35’s standard electric motor. The S6 e-tron’s electric motors produces 208 more horsepower (543 vs. 335) than the i4 eDrive40’s standard electric motor. The S6 e-tron’s electric motors produces 147 more horsepower (543 vs. 396) than the i4 xDrive40’s standard electric motors. The S6 e-tron’s electric motors produces 7 more horsepower (543 vs. 536) than the i4 M50’s standard electric motors.

On the EPA test cycle the S6 e-tron gets better mileage than the i4:

The S6 e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the i4 on a full charge:

For better stopping power the S6 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the i4:

For better traction, the S6 e-tron has larger standard tires than the i4 (F:235/45R20 & R:265/40R20 vs. 225/50R18).

The S6 e-tron’s standard 235/45R20 front and 265/40R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the i4’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S6 e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the i4. The S6 e-tron’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the i4 M50.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the S6 e-tron can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The i4 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The front and rear suspension of the S6 e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the i4, which uses coil springs in front. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S6 e-tron’s wheelbase is 3.7 inches longer than on the i4 (116.1 inches vs. 112.4 inches).

For better maneuverability, the S6 e-tron’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the i4’s (40.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The design of the Audi S6 e-tron amounts to more than styling. The S6 e-tron has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .24 Cd. That is lower than the i4 (.24 to .25) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S6 e-tron get better fuel mileage.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the S6 e-tron a Large car, while the i4 is rated a Compact.

The S6 e-tron has 8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the i4 (98 vs. 90).

The S6 e-tron has .3 inches more front headroom, 3 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1 inch more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the i4.

The S6 e-tron has a much larger trunk than the i4 with its rear seat up (26 vs. 16.6 cubic feet).

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S6 e-tron Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The i4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.