Compare the2026 Audi A6VS 2026 BMW 7 Series

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 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 7 Series doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6. But it costs extra on the 7 Series.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The A6 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the A6 and the 7 Series 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 A6’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 398) than the 740i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the A6 gets better fuel mileage than the 760i running its gasoline engine (20 city/29 hwy vs. 18 city/25 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi A6 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 760i requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The A6 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 7 Series doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A6’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 7 Series’ optional 40 series front tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the A6 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The 7 Series doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The A6 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 7 Series; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Audi A6 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 1350 pounds less than the BMW 7 Series.

The A6 is 1 foot, 3.4 inches shorter than the 7 Series, making the A6 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The A6 has .2 inches more front headroom and .1 inches more front legroom than the 7 Series.

The A6’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The 7 Series doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

The Audi A6/S6/RS 6 outsold the BMW 7 Series by 23% during 2024.