2018 head-to-head · Midsize Car

2018 Audi A6 vs BMW 5 Series Diesel

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$2,116/ year to fuel
28 MPG
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,850/ year to fuel
30 MPG

AWD · 3.0L 6-cyl turbo · 8-speed automatic · 30 MPG

The 2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.70/gal diesel fuel, it costs about $1,850 a year to fuel (30 MPG), versus $2,116 for the 2018 Audi A6 (28 MPG). That's roughly $266 a year, or about $1,330 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 A6
  • BMW 5 Series Diesel

Side by side

Audi A6BMW 5 Series Diesel
$2,116 Your annual fuel cost $1,850
28 MPG Combined efficiency 30 MPG
25 MPG City 26 MPG
34 MPG Highway 36 MPG
98 cu ft Passenger volume 99 cu ft
16 cu ft Cargo volume 14 cu ft
311 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 341 g/mi
6/10 EPA fuel economy score 7/10
6/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 5/10
Gas Powertrain Diesel
Premium gasoline Fuel Diesel
2.0L 4-cyl turbo Engine / motor 3.0L 6-cyl turbo
7-speed dual-clutch Transmission 8-speed automatic
FWD 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 A6 vs BMW 5 Series Diesel across model years

  • Audi A6
  • BMW 5 Series Diesel

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 A6 has more cargo space (16 vs. 14 cu ft).

Among 74 2018 midsize cars, the Audi A6 ranks 47th and the BMW 5 Series Diesel 36th for lowest fuel cost.

The powertrains differ: the Audi A6 is a conventional gas model, while the BMW 5 Series Diesel is a diesel.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 Audi A6 or the 2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel?

Measured by cost to drive, the BMW 5 Series Diesel. The Audi A6 is rated 28 MPG combined and the BMW 5 Series Diesel 30 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 Audi A6 vs. the BMW 5 Series Diesel per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.70/gal diesel fuel, about $2,116 for the Audi A6 and $1,850 for the BMW 5 Series Diesel.

Which has more cargo space?

The Audi A6, with 16 cu ft of luggage volume versus 14 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).

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