TheaterFire

BMW Is Crushing Audi in U.S. Sales and It’s Not Even Close. [84,231 BMW's Q1 2026 vs 29,886 Audi's Q1 2026.]

Posted by LongjumpingLock5875@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 218 comments

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218 Comments

Cowhide12@reddit

The b58 blew up in popularity due to its reliability and honestly, those vehicles aren’t that much more expensive than top trim Toyotas and Hondas. I think they’ve established themselves as the reliable but luxury option to have.
View on Reddit #85606909

chadwicke619@reddit

What’s the cheapest new vehicle that gets you a B58? A Supra?
View on Reddit #85610875

ReadWriteHexecute@reddit

52k. I did my part (yeah I sold it back before the lease ended lol)
View on Reddit #86014822

Cowhide12@reddit

Either that or an m240i. Around 60.
View on Reddit #85610932

Dan6erbond2@reddit

What about the X3? They seem really cheap here.
View on Reddit #85648278

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

$67,850 for the X3 M50. Quite a bit more then the M240i at $55k
View on Reddit #85671106

Dan6erbond2@reddit

You can get the B58 in the X340i no?
View on Reddit #85673175

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

They are moving away from the 40i name and replacing it with the "50" name on the new refreshed models. The X3 M50 is the same as the X3 M40i. They will also be replacing the M340i with the M350 come the Neue Klasse gas 3 series.
View on Reddit #85692683

Dan6erbond2@reddit

Huh interesting. In any case I guess they seem to be getting more expensive then so not quite the cheapest.
View on Reddit #85694359

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

M240i. Base M240i is $55k after delivery. 3,604 lbs, RWD, 382 horsepower.
View on Reddit #85671344

kstetter@reddit

The B58 is popular even though it's one of the less reliable straight sixes. They sell because they are inherently a reliable engine configuration
View on Reddit #85611088

Dan6erbond2@reddit

I mean in BMW's history it must be one of the best, and compared to Audi it's definitely the better turbo-6. With Mercedes I'd say about equal but the B58 is up on power and efficiency.
View on Reddit #85648330

andrewjaekim@reddit

While it’s not the majority of sales, you can get a B58 is so many different models. It means parts are plentiful, dealers/mechanics know how to service them, DIY guides, great aftermarket. It’s not BMWs best engine but it’s arguably their most impactful engine.
View on Reddit #85609649

hallusk@reddit

You can even build a B58 garage with no BMWs! (Supra/Grenadier)
View on Reddit #85610741

aviciiavbdeadpunk@reddit

AND IF YOU HAVE A GEN 2, YOU CAN GET ENGINE PARTS FROM A 2.0 SUPRA AND 3.0 SUPRA 2020 is x5 x7 motors 21+ m340i m440 motors
View on Reddit #85610719

HamsterCapable4118@reddit

Audi is annihilating their reputation with broken cars rolling off the line and being sold to customers who thought the brand meant something.
View on Reddit #85606111

hpshaft@reddit

(Former) Audi tech here. The internal collapse of the product line from 2024 onward has been incredibly destructive towards customers. Untested systems, crappy styling and immense decline in build quality. The Q4 Etron was the start, but it got far far worse. I saw new cars with problems we've never seen before. Egregious build issues, wiring and software faults. Brand new PDI cars bricked. The B9.5 to B10 chassis move was the biggest betrayal for owners and techs Audi could've pulled. Even in launch training all of us experienced guys were like "this is an UPGRADE?" ZF8. Gone. 6 piston brakes on S4/5/SQ5? Gone. Premium interior with dials, and buttons? Gone. Good seats? Gone. Audi will need an entire lineup overhaul to correct this course, but sadly it's positioned for a massive crash. Audi had a huge boom from 2008-2020. Rightly so. But they killed nearly every unique model. No convertible. No halo car. No more coupes. No wagons for the US (once the RS6 is dead). Sad
View on Reddit #85662690

QuiickLime@reddit

I also wonder if BMW keeping the manual option alive bought them some credibility among enthusiasts. Regardless of what the real take rate is, having it as an option gets you enthusiasts who may buy one fun car and one family car. Porsche is one other company that has done pretty well (over the past 5 years, not sure if last year is a fluke or not yet) while keeping a manual option alive and showing they care about enthusiasts, even if the Cayenne and Macan are 80% of their sales volume.
View on Reddit #85965595

AttilaTheStig@reddit

Nailed it.
View on Reddit #85768582

Hustletron@reddit

AND the looks of the latest gen Audi cars are very bad AND BMW actually making cars in NAR helps with tariffs
View on Reddit #85606767

clintnorth@reddit

2018 and on audi shit the bed on interior design. When i Traded in my 4 and I certainly did not entertain getting another
View on Reddit #85607623

jg4242@reddit

Later than that. My ‘21 A4 has a lovely interior - great materials, easy to operate, and excellent buttons everywhere.
View on Reddit #85629638

clintnorth@reddit

Eh just personal taste then I guess. I thought it was post 2018 that they started adding the gloss black plastic interior everywhere and that is my least favorite aesthetic choice probably of all time when it comes to a car interior. So I guess it started whenever they started adding that garbage lol
View on Reddit #85661558

sioux612@reddit

Our company had up to 95% Audis as leased cars for employees, from A3 to SQ8, including some electric version That turned into them being now banned because they had so many issues in the last 3 years
View on Reddit #85655750

007meow@reddit

They delayed their EVs because of the software and they’re still having software issues
View on Reddit #85654040

Hywelthehorrible@reddit

I don’t think most people are aware of that. I think the lineup just sucks.
View on Reddit #85620814

VariationAgreeable29@reddit

Audi design language hasn’t changed in 15 years. Add on top of that a super confusing model naming system and lackluster interiors that just feel super dated.
View on Reddit #85605891

Abarthtard97@reddit

A, R, RS, Q ain’t that hard.
View on Reddit #85606656

SorryWerewolf4735@reddit

They screwed up even/odd being gas/ev and made it very confusing. Q4/Q8 were EVs, but now 3 and 5 will be EVs and the 8 is a ICE vehicle. I think they did the same with A. After having the EV's being named just "e-tron" at the start. You dont know if a vehicle is gas or EV by the name alone.
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Cowhide12@reddit

It doesn’t make any sense to the average consumer and confuses them.
View on Reddit #85606989

vargemp@reddit

Like 1,2,3,4,5,7 and (X)1,2,3,5,6 is any better
View on Reddit #85607248

PRSArchon@reddit

Exactly, BMW and Audi have extremely similar approach to car model naming.
View on Reddit #85717400

Cowhide12@reddit

Not substantially, but the vehicles move up in size as you go up in numbers. If you want faster, you get an m. If you want bigger, you get a higher number.
View on Reddit #85607320

vargemp@reddit

So exactly same as in Audi.
View on Reddit #85607351

Cowhide12@reddit

No. With audi you get an a3, s3, rs3. That’s confusing to people that don’t care. People know M on a BMW means performance.
View on Reddit #85607518

vargemp@reddit

And RS on Audi means performance. Not much more confusing.
View on Reddit #85607559

Cowhide12@reddit

No, but the S is in a weird spot is all. People won’t immediately have any idea what that means.
View on Reddit #85607608

Oh_ffs_seriously@reddit

"S" stands for "speedy". "RS" stands for "really speedy".
View on Reddit #85645972

MumpsyDaisy@reddit

I mean, is it more confusing than the M-lite vs actual M cars?
View on Reddit #85619836

Cowhide12@reddit

It’s more about how a brand portrays itself to the consumer. You and I understand there’s a difference. They don’t do a great job showing it between the A and S models.
View on Reddit #85607665

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

Are you joking? BMW’s (number) series naming scheme is logical and decipherable. These aren’t American cars with random nouns.
View on Reddit #85607584

Gloomy_Interview_525@reddit

Can you in clear terms say how it's different? I don't know how 230 m235 m240 m2 m2c m2cs, btw one of those is a 4 door, is different lol
View on Reddit #85629460

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

2 series, bigger than 1 series but smaller and less luxurious than 3 series, last two digits mean engine size power which starts small and gets bigger as the engine gets more cylinders and more power (this is true even accounting for the 2 GC), and the line culminates in both power and luxury in the single number, which holds true across BMW’s line when M(n) is available.
View on Reddit #85630199

Gloomy_Interview_525@reddit

Are you saying you can't do the same thing for audi? Are you going to say the 4 series is bigger than the 3 or the 8 bigger than 5/7? Idk how you look past the slew of inconsistencies.
View on Reddit #85630379

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

Please read more carefully the post you are criticizing, and what it is immediately responding to. The person is saying BMW’s naming system makes less sense than Audis.
View on Reddit #85630487

Gloomy_Interview_525@reddit

Don't care about some other thread, I read what you replied to here just fine, thanks.
View on Reddit #85630569

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

You are not entitled to my continued engagement with your nonsense sealioning. Sorry if that offends.
View on Reddit #85630677

Gloomy_Interview_525@reddit

Yet you continue anyway; Only thing that offends is your stupid response above.
View on Reddit #85630818

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

Yeah the average consumer probably has a lot of trouble deciphering that “A3 2.0T” is a lower end model than “S4 3.0T”
View on Reddit #85607383

Cowhide12@reddit

Unfortunately, their branding has made it that was. S means almost nothing. With BMW, they know M means performance. They’ve branded it that way forever and people understand it. That’s the issue.
View on Reddit #85607483

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

“S” in automotive branding pretty universally is associated with “sport”
View on Reddit #85607695

Cowhide12@reddit

Which means nothing in most cases anymore, which is part of the issue. “Sport” is a base trim on most cars.
View on Reddit #85607731

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

“Most?” No. Some, yes.
View on Reddit #85613579

Cowhide12@reddit

That’s just it though, that’s part of the problem. Theres no consistency, but their naming system isn’t unique. This problem extends far beyond Audi, though. Just look at the damn Camry trims, lol.
View on Reddit #85613721

kstetter@reddit

Sport can mean smaller version or Crossover. Bronco Sport, Pajero/Montero Sport.
View on Reddit #85610863

exodus3252@reddit

A for sedans, Q for SUVs, and an S/RS prefix for performance models. Doesn't seem hard. At any rate, consumers aren't trying to master the nomenclature of every manufacturer. It's easy enough to use google/edmunds, etc., and find competitors for whatever segment you're shopping for.
View on Reddit #85607698

kstetter@reddit

S and RS should just be trims on A and Q models not a new model designation
View on Reddit #85610989

triplevanos@reddit

No it does not lmao The only thing confusing is that they didn’t continue the consistency of A4 sedan + A5 coupe 
View on Reddit #85609508

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

It’s A, S, RS, and Q. Just “R” is Volkswagen.
View on Reddit #85607196

hamburglar27@reddit

There used to be an R8.
View on Reddit #85607796

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

True. Though it wasn’t really a “model line” in the way that Audi uses the other letters, there is A3/4/5/6/7/8 but R8 was the only R.
View on Reddit #85607915

moldy912@reddit

R means race, RS means race sport which is less than race. It’s not a coincidence the R8 is the only R car…
View on Reddit #85623970

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

Did somebody say it was a coincidence?
View on Reddit #85624076

moldy912@reddit

Did I say someone said that?
View on Reddit #85625325

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

You literally said “it’s not a coincidence.” And literally nobody said it was.
View on Reddit #85625474

moldy912@reddit

Ok bud it’s called a figure of speech. Let’s leave the Audis and I guess English to the experts, not the Ioniq owners
View on Reddit #85625564

cars-ModTeam@reddit

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View on Reddit #85626069

ManufacturerBest2758@reddit

Mercedes owners opinions hold less than zero weight to me, so keep on chirping if you’d like
View on Reddit #85625609

moldy912@reddit

Ok hyundai owner, let me know when you finish your uber shift
View on Reddit #85625760

hamburglar27@reddit

I think the R8 was a reference to the line of prototype race cars Audi built for Le Mans. The Audi R8R, R8 LMP, R10, R15, R18.
View on Reddit #85609405

moldy912@reddit

Correct, it is the only pedestrian “race” Audi, but it is a line as you pointed out.
View on Reddit #85624008

zhiryst@reddit

A, S, RS, Q, SQ, RSQ, R8
View on Reddit #85621897

mduell@reddit

Plus the GT.
View on Reddit #85618658

mustangfan12@reddit

I think the issue is there's too many numbers for their series. BMWs makes more sense, 2 series their budget coupe, 3 series entry level sedan, 4 mid size coupe, 5 series mid size sedan, 6 used to be 5 series coupe, 7 series flagship sedan, 8 series flagship coupe I can't easily figure out what all their number series means
View on Reddit #85607399

TunerJoe@reddit

You can't figure it out because you're not familiar with it, but in reality, it's hardly any different from BMW.
View on Reddit #85610746

mustangfan12@reddit

With the photos on their website their sedans all look similar first glance
View on Reddit #85617566

vw18t@reddit

There’s some confusion at BMW too The 2 series is actually BMWs entry level sedan but it has no relation to the 2 series coupe despite having the same name. It’s actually a completely separate FWD platform
View on Reddit #85612505

RAMBIGHORNY@reddit

Audi has no idea what to do without Ferdinand Piech
View on Reddit #85732594

IntoThePeople@reddit

The design language has changed significantly, you can easily tell new generation cars like the A5, Q5 and A6 from their predecessors. They don’t change as drastically as BMW from gen to gen but that’s not a problem as long as they’re new enough.  The worse interiors are likely a reason why some customers are switching and hopefully that will be rectified soon with VW’s wider push to up the quality and the Concept C hinting at a return to better materials and more physical switchgear.  There’s always reasons that are harder to identify which could be contributing as well. BMW generally seem to be better at marketing and creating months long hype for new releases - e.g. we’ve heard about Neue Klasse for years before the iX3 and i3 launched while they’ve been very good at rolling out new models globally at similar times to capitalise on the hype. Audi can often delay releases for ages in some markets - it took them years to fully launch the Q4 globally when it was their first truly mainstream EV. 
View on Reddit #85618783

FlagshipOne@reddit

Known timing chain issue, never fixed. Will never get another audi after that. And I like my q5.
View on Reddit #85617791

Hustletron@reddit

New design language has definitely changed it is just gross. If my Q6 wasn’t a work car I would not drive it.
View on Reddit #85606814

nand0_q@reddit

Audi design language is horrid at the moment - not surprised.
View on Reddit #85738036

Stren509@reddit

BMWs are ugly but Audis are just traffic. Literally no reason to buy one other than person preference or brand loyalty.
View on Reddit #85727705

justbet502@reddit

Having owned both, I wouldn't buy a BMW again. I had my Q5 TDI for 7 years, and never had an issue with it. I've had the 330i for about 18 months and have had several minor issues (sensors reading incorrectly, back up camera works about 1/3 of the time). It is a lot of fun to drive, but I wouldn't buy another.
View on Reddit #85712741

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

Despite the very controversial decisions by BMW, they seem to be the item to have. G80 M3's have moved past just niche car community cars, they are now ridiculously popular on social media. Can't really fault BMW, what they are doing seems to be working, and the buyers love them.
View on Reddit #85605485

Mauser-Nut91@reddit

I mean… have you *seen* Audi’s current design language and build quality?
View on Reddit #85609180

Dodoz44@reddit

There's literally nothing about audi that would make me want to get one. It's just so... meh.
View on Reddit #85609639

solo118@reddit

Audi has nearly always been meh, and people like meh. I have had a few A8s over the years, they look like bloated A4s but they have been great cars
View on Reddit #85712440

Mauser-Nut91@reddit

After the b9.5 generation they just went so far down hill. Basically handed the sales to BMW
View on Reddit #85610097

007meow@reddit

Audi and Porsche have both just been so seemingly lost
View on Reddit #85653975

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

The current and upcoming RS5, and current RS3 are certainly more objectively pleasing then the M2 and M3. But I guess the M2 and M3 are simply way better cars in every other way.
View on Reddit #85624177

ProPencilPusher@reddit

None of the current German offerings are objectively pleasing. They all collectively gave up on that 5-10 years ago.
View on Reddit #85625492

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

CLE53?
View on Reddit #85626758

Saskatchewon@reddit

The problem is that you have to sit in the vehicles as you drive them. Mercedes "creaky futuristic strip bar" motif for its interiors lately doesn't do it for me.
View on Reddit #85630524

ProPencilPusher@reddit

Ok it's way better looking than the BMW coupes. And do I actually like the G05 X5. So maybe none was doing a lot of heavy lifting. In MB's case they axed the pillar-less coupe thing for the CLE which was basically a staple of the CLK/E-coupe since... well forever - so I'm out.
View on Reddit #85627162

TangerineBroad4604@reddit

Nah the new Audis are just generic blobs
View on Reddit #85626397

SEND_ME_FAKE_NEWS@reddit

BMW made bad decisions, Audi made significantly worse decisions.
View on Reddit #85704697

real_fake_hoors@reddit

Well the M3 is overall a fantastic car. The front grill is divisive, those who hate it *really* hate it, but that’s about the only issue I can think of.
View on Reddit #85606451

HillarysFloppyChode@reddit

That grille works with an aggressive body style though, like on an M car, it falls flat on non M 4 series though.
View on Reddit #85606605

Carolina_Hurricane@reddit

Saw an M440i on the road today. Fuckin cheap black plastic rear diffuser screams “budget overrun so we’re saving $400 off build cost to hit our profit margin.” Like W. T. F.
View on Reddit #85703818

ScienceMechEng_Lover@reddit

I think the M3 basically having no competition (the C63 and RS4/5 don't deserve to be classified as competition IMO) kind of means BMW can make it look horrendous and still have people lining up to buy it. It also doesn't help that past M3s have always looked stellar, so that just makes the transition more jarring.
View on Reddit #85607487

Dan6erbond2@reddit

You really think the people buying these cars do so overall for the actual performance and not just to flex?
View on Reddit #85637903

thedogthatmooed@reddit

Isn’t performance part of the flex?
View on Reddit #85646412

Dan6erbond2@reddit

I mean the G80 does get TikTok clout for its performance but who knows if it's really for that or just because they're advertised as and look like fast cars. I mean the B58 also gets a cult worship following and I see people who think it can make 800HP without supporting mods, some even claiming it's better than the S58 befause of the hype. Just look at the Supra fanboys or the way people act around Quattro, videos of an Audi driving in snow with phonk get a bunch of people commenting about Quattro superiority not even realizing the A4 doesn't even use proper Quattro and how much tires matter. It's all marketing the same way Mercedes AMGs get hyped for performance and being "mean", the same way Maybach gets hyped for luxury and the same way the M Division gets hyped for performance as well as Audi RS. Don't get me wrong they're great cars (most of them anyway) but once TikTok starts hyping it's not anymore about the actual engineering or Performance it's perception and how much money you spent. Large horsepower numbers in recent cars also hasn't helped since now people act like anything below 400WHP is slow even if a 300WHP car that's much lighter will easily crush it.
View on Reddit #85648046

Guac_in_my_rarri@reddit

>videos of an Audi driving in snow with phonk get a bunch of people commenting about Quattro superiority not even realizing the A4 doesn't even use proper Quattro and how much tires matter. It's the same folks on r/whatcarshouldibuy recommending AWD and shit tires. It's utter stupidity. Straight up marketing. Dealers get in on it too by saying "AWD is safer" but can't explain how.
View on Reddit #85662575

JizzyMcKnobGobbler@reddit

lol nobody recommends shit tires.
View on Reddit #85663225

bigloser42@reddit

In a straight line the M3’s competition is literally supercars. It’s a 4-door sedan that runs 0-60 as fast as a 5-year old Lambo.
View on Reddit #85608615

theholylancer@reddit

wont in that conversation a vette be in the running a M3 is more about the refinement and more than just straight line performance although that gap IMO is smaller than it is before but hey
View on Reddit #85624454

jcheng@reddit

I personally think the M-Performance ones got a lot better looking in 2025. Enough so that I bought an i4 M50 (though the picture below is of an M440i). https://prod.cosy.bmw.cloud/bmwusa/cosySec?COSY-EU-100-1713kmbZb2UCeOzVsMeMZpVu24kh5WXBLRZhKK3fAT75Lh%25g2RHoOymFT9MV6Q%25eKSvgEhrYirVR7JDgwwfUdGUY7WH0PN3Cg161BILOXIevTtKZdXbPjDV3BbGQuZI7sufUnQY4WnA%25pYsMLpjk6HWTQ1CNcILRUFcBh1Q9%25DhmNFUSkl3rBy%25O2x5Pm5k67oiFRW2E4dVD877KMgIl5Q4qTwYxgPMXRNso0eT89BWd0qRHSmLhK39zOrQ3GeSv6PU5fDOtEJ%25ij660KakVEtEeqG2IMYKyXf7YTOqZ8A4sWGXbHjMWU88uzCTL%258HnvcRAyuzpth9jVXv103SC98tFe5OcsX0Dyi6h5%25elZVE3iEyxbIK5VsZouYqiIubdnsXVYOugpW8IPpnw1LHX8OpNFQz8761BDUvHHxFml%25tzUSDrxk0v%25glPo2etkNxJd7y04Foag4ZeYPdGwMbyUEgfNTuZtDwABRnbqTNjm9puvHBCrS1vGgmcPOFtiyrhJ6D08NP3aEleNIJ5GKxyDuaifqowDuGVAXdNoWfIj8gBdrAYCHwmgFjsczNryFCWhvBPABcL3tmJPhhQ50raGC3UiePGJt5%25VyJfohikIZaBrwV2YbGmjcI7sufYbkY4WnAsegsMLpjWzrWTQ1CLvMLRUFcQtAQ9%25DhU3WUSuXJImrLt8K%25PWL%25Svg1oH%25vORYw55sMe72Hm%25WIJZCgf%25gzsWLwo0zAsCb7nl0odyxcISAXsZ09Ikk6p6lACfxU
View on Reddit #85662781

Ferociousaurus@reddit

I think it works *okay*. People overstate how ugly it is. But imo it would be strictly better with a normal classic BMW grille.
View on Reddit #85608327

ElegantBiscuit@reddit

The problem, if you could call it that, is that the old style grill was too successful. They put the same version of it on every single vehicle and sold literal millions of them over the course of years. They all look good, but after a while they sort of blend together and it was so successful that kia poached the designers and started copying them, which is why I think they overreacted. If they had introduced some wider grills on the upper models, some smaller ones on the lower models, bigger ones on the SUVs, I think it would have done a lot better creating more distinct product lines while still being identifiable BMW styling. Because right now every model is so different that the design language across the brand is completely incoherent, and even across different trims of the same model. You've got tall, tall and wide, wide, one that is tiny, some that haven't been updated, frameless, black frame, silver frame, pointed edges, its quite frankly a complete mess. The only way to really sort them is by how different they are from the standard design of the mid 2010s, increasing in difference the newer you get.
View on Reddit #85611457

Elderbrute@reddit

It isn't the best on the non M 4s but I also don't think it's anywhere near as bad as people online make out, they photograph way worse than the look in real life. Also it really doesn't help that we were coming from the f32 and really the whole of that generation which I think have one of the best looking front ends bmw has ever made.
View on Reddit #85610662

ClockOk7333@reddit

I hated them, until I rented one. It grew on me so quickly. Still can’t stand it on the ix3 or any suv
View on Reddit #85622647

StanknBeans@reddit

Eh these things die down. Remember when Lexus first debuted the predator grill or when Acura did the beak?
View on Reddit #85606990

imightgetdownvoted@reddit

Both of those things still look like shit though…
View on Reddit #85608506

EnderBaggins@reddit

The anvil’s grown on me.
View on Reddit #85615097

carguymt@reddit

> that’s about the only issue I can think of. Other than the car being incredibly boring to drive.
View on Reddit #85610129

jiggajawn@reddit

I still don't like the looks of new BMWs with the big grill. But no denying that they are making great cars even if they are pretty heavy.
View on Reddit #85607684

Lopsided_Sugar_8360@reddit

When they make a car too good they can get away with any front grill 😂
View on Reddit #85606715

letmebutinhere@reddit

0.9% financing vs 3.9% made a huge difference too.
View on Reddit #85622228

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

Financing offers can make a big difference. It was a big contributor to me picking the WRX over GRC. I got 0% for 72 months, the GRC would have been 6% for 72 months at a minimum.
View on Reddit #85624347

walmarttshirt@reddit

Ugly design choices backed by a phenomenal engine. Vastly improved reliability and solid build quality. People are just accepting ugly (not all BMW’s are necessarily ugly) vehicles that drive well and are reliable.
View on Reddit #85607431

stoned-autistic-dude@reddit

*Oil filter housing has entered the chat*
View on Reddit #85610889

brilliantmagnolia@reddit

Starter motor
View on Reddit #85618384

Dikhoofd@reddit

Audi has really lost the plot. Except the Q8, all models look like premium chinesium for double the money.
View on Reddit #85608784

DadBod_FatherFigure@reddit

The Q8 is still identical to the 2019 model with the mildest of mild refreshes done (grill and taillights only) and it wasn’t particularly modern when it launched.
View on Reddit #85612925

watduhdamhell@reddit

It's because the car as a product is superior. Better engines, motors, brakes, reliability. The "fuglier than sin" aspect is mostly ignored in favor of just how solid the cars are. I will say they *really* are pushing what they can get away with though with the all the recent cost cutting, though. The facelifted i4 interior and new X3 are kia from 2016 levels of cheap. I fucking hate it.
View on Reddit #85607925

Safe_Presentation962@reddit

The thing is once you past the warranty period, all bets are off. Audi has the more reliable powertrain. Even the "reliable" B48 BMW is putting in so many cars is summoning thousands of dollars in repairs at just 60k mi.
View on Reddit #85695745

Safe_Presentation962@reddit

For leasing, 100% understood. BMW is a more compelling offer with fewer short-term issues. But long-term? Audi has the more reliable powertrain for sure. I would lease a BMW. But I would buy an Audi off-lease.
View on Reddit #85695662

sueghdsinfvjvn@reddit

People are talking about m3s and other enthusiast models here but the sheer number of X3s, X5s, i4s and fewer iXs I see on the road here around the bay area is crazy. The i4 is supposed to be a great EV which I think is a huge contributor to their sales here in the US. They seemed to have a good grasp on the higher end market for normal people wanting a SUV/EV.
View on Reddit #85674968

Kindly-Emergency-514@reddit

I'm not sure how this is the case. Both are putting out some disgusting shit these days.
View on Reddit #85607477

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

BMW seems to be very bold with their styling decisions. Audi is just making weird blobs that are both ugly, but also not super bold.
View on Reddit #85672203

RepresentativeArtist@reddit

I have the now last gen Audi A6. We just swapped our Mercedes GLE for a BMW IX because the Audi offerings are trash. I’ll be swapping my A6 once I decide on what I want but I know it won’t be another Audi. Not because of anything wrong with mine but purely because there’s nothing attractive from them to replace it with. Most likely I’ll be getting another BMW or a Porsche.
View on Reddit #85606509

eric535@reddit

While not as bad as the new a6, the 5 series got hit with some cost cutting too. I’m hoping the LCI refresh addresses some of that
View on Reddit #85608792

RepresentativeArtist@reddit

Yeah, it’s not as bad as the A6 but if I go BMW I’m probably getting an I7.
View on Reddit #85612758

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

The 7 series is just ridiculous. I love it, say in one at a car show, and sure it is gimicky, but I love it.
View on Reddit #85672151

Bassdistortion@reddit

It's a shame, audi interiors used to be top notch. Now they've gone off the deep end and BMW is still a better driving experience.
View on Reddit #85632166

by_a_pyre_light@reddit

> Not because of anything wrong with mine but purely because there’s nothing attractive from them to replace it with. Same feeling with Jaguar, after three Jaguars. I'll definitely get another one in the future, but probably a more vintage model for some *classic* styling. We'll see how the EV transition treats them (or doesn't). 
View on Reddit #85629876

boboshoes@reddit

Have you seen the Audi interiors? Heinous .
View on Reddit #85606573

exodus3252@reddit

I test drove a 330i and a C300 before I got my A5. Mercedes creaked and rattled like a 90's Taurus, and the BMW, while quiet, just looked bland. My interior has been absolutely rattle free, and all the touch points, button feedback, etc., is on point. To each their own. "heinous" seems like a wild exaggeration though.
View on Reddit #85606892

StrongOnline007@reddit

That’s bc you have the old interior. The new version of your car is garbage 
View on Reddit #85607747

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

Yeaa haha. https://imgur.com/a/KaGugTR
View on Reddit #85671566

digitalrenaissance@reddit

It’s sad how much worse the Audi interiors have gotten. They truly used to be best in class and the main reason why I got my 2019 Q5.
View on Reddit #85609132

nerdpox@reddit

They’re talking about the B10. Our cars have perfect interiors.
View on Reddit #85663512

sioux612@reddit

Does yours have the flat Audi Sticker on the steering wheel and the steering wheel volume control as touch? Cause I loved my 2017 Q5 interior but the new Q6 has an AWFUL interior thats a downgrade in every single sense
View on Reddit #85655906

ArthurVandelay23@reddit

I don’t know how Audi is today. But I bought a brand new A5 in 2010. That thing burned oil and i had to top it off every 1,000 miles. Huge pain in the ass. Then the fuel pump failed. Dealer replaced the fuel pump and two years later it failed again. Im never buying another Audi again.
View on Reddit #85649938

boboshoes@reddit

You got the good interior. I love the Audi interior before the last refresh. Look at the current models
View on Reddit #85606999

exodus3252@reddit

Agreed with the newer models. That all screen look is abominable. I'm buying out my lease next month, and they tried to get me to "upgrade" to the newer version, but that new interior just does not do it for me.
View on Reddit #85607089

MembershipNo2077@reddit

To be fair, the [new BMWs are also all screen](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/2025-bmw-x3-xdrive30-161-687fee6b6007a.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.847xh;0,0.153xh&resize=980:*) and people can't get enough.
View on Reddit #85610014

aamgdp@reddit

Yeah I hate that curved ugly screen, it was much better before LCI, and I also think neue klasse is an improvement, but I'd still pick it over Audi and Mercedes
View on Reddit #85636432

Dedamtl@reddit

Just picked up a 2026 q7 for my wife. Sales guy was trying to push a q5 on us. Sat in both and the new platform is just so much cheaper. The gear shift in the q5 was a rinky dinky plastic knob that rattled where as in the q7 which is still on the older gen platform has a nice leather and aluminum gear shift. Was an easy decision.
View on Reddit #85607663

Suck_My_Thick@reddit

What's wrong with it?
View on Reddit #85621092

tnolan182@reddit

Wait what? You dont love piano black on everything and zero options to change it?
View on Reddit #85607195

Lighthouse_seek@reddit

The problem is Volkswagen is clearly trying to prioritize Porsche more so it results in audi being worse off
View on Reddit #85671244

SAR_89@reddit

Audi blew it with the fully digital interfaces. Add that to boring lineup and the general drop on quality that's prevalent in most manufacturers these days, not surprised. They had such a great lineup 10 years ago.
View on Reddit #85611806

by_a_pyre_light@reddit

Isn't BMW fully digital too? I rented a 3 series in October and it had that **giant** dash display that stretched over to the center console area. Meanwhile, Audi's Virtual Cockpit was awesome and highly lauded (I haven't tried a newer one, so not sure what's different). 
View on Reddit #85629925

Bassdistortion@reddit

Audi's gone off the deep end with screens now too. I have the virtual cockpit and all the high quality physical controls, most of that is behind a bigass screen now.
View on Reddit #85632351

by_a_pyre_light@reddit

That's unfortunate. [**This**](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/2025-bmw-3-series-117-66562dd23a1b8.jpg) is the same model I drove (just swap the carbon-look for basic plastic). And you can see, it's this giant single screen that stretches from the driver's gauge cluster area over the central console and HVAC area, into the passenger space above their footwell. People complaining that Audi went all-digital on the interfaces while ignoring the BMW and Mercedes ones following the same pattern seem to be missing the point or something.
View on Reddit #85667451

L-Malvo@reddit

Audi in 2026 doesn’t seem to know what they want/who they are. I was shopping for a wagon last year, tried the A6 e-tron, ID7 and i5. The A6 and ID7 were so incredibly close, even to the point of styling. If you squint when looking at the ID7, you might mistake it for the A6 and vice versa. Why would anyone pay premium for a Volkswagen? Audi is so fat behind BMW and Mercedes these days.
View on Reddit #85663488

Oo0o8o0oO@reddit

I don’t really follow this sort of thing. Isn’t BMW always crushing Audi in sales?
View on Reddit #85623492

hamburglar27@reddit

The difference didn't used to be this extreme. Both BMW and Mercedes are outselling Audi 3 to 1 now. Audi's US sales have catered compared to 5 years ago. Q1 2026: BMW 84k, Mercedes 78k, Audi 24k Q1 2021: Mercedes 78k, BMW 71k, Audi 55k
View on Reddit #85660579

fuckety_byebye@reddit

I haven’t sent the Audi Q1 are they any good?
View on Reddit #85650129

StrongOnline007@reddit

Audi decided to release an entire line of cars with awful interiors in 2025/26. Combine that with uninspired exterior design and drivetrains that are not competitive and there’s not really a good reason to buy one over a BMW
View on Reddit #85607685

Dan6erbond2@reddit

What do you mean not competitive? For everyday cars the 2.0 and 3.0 are extremely competent, if you're talking about reliability then I'll agree on the 3.0 but frankly I don't think many people are aware how disastrous the 3.0 is and on paper Audi has solid drivetrains in the A and Q models, especially with hybrid tech + DCT.
View on Reddit #85648435

FooJBunowski@reddit

This is correct. I had to get bodywork done on my I4 M50 where someone rear-ended me and scratched the bumper, and I got an A5 for a rental. I did not care for the interior at all, and was very happy when I was back in my car. 
View on Reddit #85611299

eric535@reddit

As much as I’ve criticized bmw, they are doing better than Audi and Mercedes imo
View on Reddit #85608818

GStarOvercooked@reddit

Audi is overcomplicated and unreliable. BMW has those disgusting grilles, but the rest of the BMW package is just so good it wipes the floor with everything else in the price range.
View on Reddit #85644749

longgamma@reddit

Audi still makes great cars, I feel the 7 spd VW group DSG is phenomenal. Its a shame its just the Q5 that drives most of the volumes.
View on Reddit #85611557

aamgdp@reddit

DSG still has absolutely nothing on ZF8, there's really no comparison.
View on Reddit #85636594

longgamma@reddit

Its much better in upshifting and when pushing the car. If u like driving like a granny in the parking lot then yeah the a/t is smoother.
View on Reddit #85641429

aamgdp@reddit

Spoken like someone who has obviously never driven a zf8.
View on Reddit #85642179

Significant_Gear_335@reddit

I mean, it’s not surprising to me. The market is changing and BMW has approached it better. Between the 2, Audi leans into the grown-up luxury approach far more. This segment is already super busy and it seems like more come in nonstop. BMW seems to have realized what keeps them alive. There are a ton of m-light and m models still which are a step sportier than the rest of their segment. They produce them well and they are the brand focus. They’ve leaned more into the M brand as times have changed. Audi need to sharpen up the S/RS lines, up productions, and fight to keep the exciting part of their brand alive in my opinion.
View on Reddit #85606561

Avedas@reddit

Aside from a few models Audi and Benz are old man vehicles. It's no surprise that BMW keeps its appeal in their segments.
View on Reddit #85633063

StanknBeans@reddit

I see an S model and have flashbacks of that V8 needing to be dropped for almost everything
View on Reddit #85607114

Significant_Gear_335@reddit

It was an absolute gremlin and was nuts to fix, but when the natty 4.2 was running, it was special. It certainly is more entertaining than the v6 that replaced it.
View on Reddit #85612092

feelybeurre@reddit

Audi has barely made any big novelty in the past few years. They are still paying the bill for diesel gate
View on Reddit #85632393

purz@reddit

They’re just failing the least out of the German cars. All three brands have gone to shit in different ways. Hate the steering wheel and some other interior things in my new RS3. Mercedes killed their AMG line and their interiors are tacky as hell. BMWs are ugly as fuck and the infotainment screen looks like it came from a monitor scrap box. I truly don’t understand anyone liking this new trend of exteriors that look like they were modeled after PS1 polygon Lara Croft tits.  They’ve captured the broccoli haired boys on 84 month used car loans though and maybe still have some good will from when the X5 was actually a really nice vehicle. B58/S58 sound awful but seem to be reliable so far and that’s certainly helping them.
View on Reddit #85612096

Kenneth441@reddit

>They’re just failing the least out of the German cars. All three brands have gone to shit in different ways. Interesting way to put it when BMW is on track for its [4th consecutive year of record sales in NA](https://www.autoblog.com/news/bmw-had-a-great-2025-by-breaking-yet-another-us-sales-record)
View on Reddit #85613374

kinda_guilty@reddit

"*I* don't like them, so they must be failing." - people on r/cars, usually.
View on Reddit #85631745

TraitorByTrade@reddit

Audi comes across as boring nowadays.
View on Reddit #85626431

TheReaperSovereign@reddit

BMW actually was down in Q1 2026 compared to 26 but theyre on 3 consecutive record years in North America and the IX3 seems to have huge pre order demand. No matter how much people complain on reddit or other forums, the NA market is simply buying up bmws left and right
View on Reddit #85606746

magbarn@reddit

Assuming BMW has a mostly trouble iX3 launch, it's going to eat up a huge amount of the luxury EV market here in the USA. No Chinese competitors here, and others have given up like Tesla or mailed it in like Lexus with their paltry <300 mile range and slow charging.
View on Reddit #85625515

Mustangfast85@reddit

I’d imagine a lot of that is stolen from Audi for those who want a German vehicle but were turned off by the others. Not a fan of their redesigns lately but if I had those as my choices BMW is the clear winner
View on Reddit #85608169

ubiquitoussense@reddit

Doesn't surprise me. Audi's advantage over BMW and Mercedes was that they built handsome cars with very solid feeling interiors. They killed their advantage by making their cars look bloated, with cheap feeling plasticky interiors littered with screens.
View on Reddit #85622976

JGRACEFAN95@reddit

Dieselgate and Piech’s demise stunted Audi and everything that isn’t Porsche and Lanborghini
View on Reddit #85621862

ItsAndwew@reddit

I mean, before, Audi seemed like the car you buy if you cant afford the BMW or Merc. Are they really in competition? That questions not a statement btw, lol.
View on Reddit #85605882

honeyroastedbbq@reddit

Yeah, I know people are gonna try to make it seem like they were always lumped together, but ever since I can remember, Audi has always been the lesser German brand of the three. BMW was new money, and MBZ was old money or what you drove if you wanted to pretend you were boujee.
View on Reddit #85619899

caterham09@reddit

The pricing has always lined up fairly closely
View on Reddit #85606174

ItsAndwew@reddit

In that case, what does Audi provide that the other two don't? From my limited understanding, Audi is behind the others in terms of offerings and performance. I know people praise Audis interior quality but I've seen many posts about it being lesser in the recent models. Not to say Merc is any better as I see people complain about their electrification shittifying their interior.
View on Reddit #85606305

caterham09@reddit

You're just pointing out why they are struggling sales wise. My point was that your claim that Audi was the poor man's BMW historically isn't reality. The problem they have is they didn't evolve the way bmw did. They used to have a leg up with the Quattro models offering an excellent awd system in luxury sedans, but that has become increasingly common.
View on Reddit #85607118

Blazedout419@reddit

Don’t forget they dominated the headlight game also!
View on Reddit #85611545

ItsAndwew@reddit

I'm not here to argue, so I'll take your word! I drove a 2013' Civic Si Coupe. Haha. Obviously I'm a target demo to move up at some point so I'm just providing the context that I've had the past few years. I'd be glad to be in any of the German flagships lol
View on Reddit #85607401

Substantial-Oil7569@reddit

Nowadays, not much. I remember maybe 5-10 years ago, automotive journalists used to say Audis had the best interiors of the three. Their Quattro AWD system has always been a plus, and they've made some good engines over the years like the EA888.3 (and 4) and DAZA 5 cylinder.
View on Reddit #85611042

exodus3252@reddit

Where did you pull this comment from? These cars have always been in the same segment and price bracket.
View on Reddit #85606726

ItsAndwew@reddit

Nowhere. Just general sentiment. I have a 13' civic si so I'm definitely not informed enough. I only speak from the sentiment I gather online which is obviously flawed. In the near future I want to upgrade sometime in the near future and it's largely dependant on the tried and true architecture
View on Reddit #85607535

paul_e88@reddit

Good question. Theoretically (pricing-wise) and in recent history according to the released models, yes. The issue is that they are almost always behind bmw/mercedes.
View on Reddit #85607389

DanceSarcastically@reddit

BMW never fought me on every single warranty claim trying to place blame on me. Audi? Every. Single. Time.
View on Reddit #85615397

fullofdust@reddit

As the owner of 2 Audis and longtime fan, this doesn’t surprise me. I think they’ve lost their way with the new lineup. Next car for either of us most likely won’t be another Audi. Not a big fan of BMW’s styling (interior or exterior) these days either, but there’s no denying they’re building good cars.
View on Reddit #85614265

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Audi doesn't make anything worth buying, that's why they aren't selling. They're shitty quality, not cool, unreliable as hell, and often times more expensive than a BMW for a worse vehicle.
View on Reddit #85613483

5kyl3r@reddit

i've owned both and while i like audi, i've picked bmw over audi many times simply due to their horrendously bad infotainment systems. and when you consider pre-touchscreen i-drive, there was no contest it's so bad that i was going to make a video showing how bad it is by walking through all of the logical places you'd check to find the tire pressure menu, then showing how you actually get to it and reset it. while doing this, i couldn't find it despite having done it many times when i tracked the car. it's that bad. i sat there laughing at how stupidly bad their UI design team is. good god audi did you get sony to help with this or something?
View on Reddit #85613122

bemurda@reddit

Audi is going downhill but everyone here is completely ignoring tariffs and that most Audis are built in Europe, and most U.S. sold BMWs are built in the U.S.
View on Reddit #85613062

aviciiavbdeadpunk@reddit

DOWNPIPE AND TUNE IN EVERY I6 AND I4 car whats not to love??? and you get 40mpg
View on Reddit #85610633

ZaviersJustice@reddit

I didn't know Audi was selling the Q1's already.
View on Reddit #85610347

ZaheerAlGhul@reddit

Audi used to mean something. When I was younger and I saw someone with an Audi. I thought that person had their shit together. probably a business executive they’ve thrown their reputation down the drain.
View on Reddit #85609998

leviatham8221@reddit

Audi shot themselves in the foot, only two good looking cars they currently have are the RS6 and the RS3, and even the RS3 gets some hate. And all the spy videos taken of the next get RS6 are hinting at replacing the V8 for 6Cyl.
View on Reddit #85609682

go_on_now_boy@reddit

That's crazy because I live in NJ and literally every 4th car on the road is an Audi.
View on Reddit #85609660

Wassy4444@reddit

Funny how Mercedes isn’t even mentioned here. All of my homies hate Mercedes.
View on Reddit #85607580

hamburglar27@reddit

Because Mercedes sales haven't really changed much since last year. They were steady at around 75-80k US sales this quarter while BMW went up significantly and Audi absolutely cratered.
View on Reddit #85608745

Wassy4444@reddit

Feed into the anti-Merc propaganda
View on Reddit #85609401

Ka-Chow-mf@reddit

New audi's are some of the most unremarkable Chinese copycat cars I have ever had the displeasure of seeing. Bmw on the other hand even with some controversial design choices still has that German premium feeling imo. Not surprised at all by these numbers.
View on Reddit #85609319

HillarysFloppyChode@reddit

Audi hasn’t updated the design language in a decade, I don’t even think it’s reliability, and the interiors aren’t better either. Look at the new A6s mirror and window control panel for an example.
View on Reddit #85606827

1ncehost@reddit

I'm a VAG fan, but audi doesn't appeal to me right now. Less austere and more fake-future than I like.
View on Reddit #85606784

Dead_Beat_Anime_Dad@reddit

Audi should sell more cars then.
View on Reddit #85606499

Hegemonicplatypus@reddit

Audi is in a weird spot where they appear as higher end VWs, almost like an AMG for VW products, and yet have the reliability headache concerns of BMW, Mercedes, and even Volvo. I live in. VHCOL community and it’s interesting to see how xc90 is a 3:1 presence to the q7 and q5 combined. 
View on Reddit #85605608

Gods_ShadowMTG@reddit

reliability concerns of BMW? BMW is one of the most reliable brands on the planet
View on Reddit #85605730

Hegemonicplatypus@reddit

This is and will always be a matter of semantics. BMW owners consider “regular maintenance” to include things that the average car owner considers to be a repair. The TOC on a BMW - even a paid off one - is so much higher for this reason. It’s not to say it’s not worth it - bmw makes excellent driving vehicles - but to say it’s “reliable” is using that term in a way that most people wouldn’t agree on. 
View on Reddit #85605917

Quick_Coyote_7649@reddit

All brands are really. They’re all on a spectrum gor reliability amongst all brands when it comes to products lol.
View on Reddit #85605852

LongjumpingLock5875@reddit (OP)

Decided to add a little more information in the title vs the original title just to give the full story without having to click into the article. But BMW is almost outselling Audi 3:1 in Q1 2026.
View on Reddit #85605389