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Audi Q5 or BMW X3 - which SUV?

We intend to trade in our Audi Q5 2.0 TDI SE soon. Although the car has been reliable, the unsettled ride and the DSG gearbox have made us think twice about owning another Q5. We have dismissed the Range Rover Evoque for its small fuel tank and non-negotiable price. The BMW X3 M-Sport seems a much better car than the Q5 but is more expensive to buy. We would appreciate your views on which is the better car and which is likely to have the best residual value when it reaches three years old.

Asked on 24 November 2012 by MS, Lincoln

Answered by Honest John
For SUV status you can’t beat a white Audi Q5. That said, the BMW F25 X3 is generally the best of the bunch. Don't go for the M-Sport, but instead consider the 2.0-litre 4WD SE because the ride comfort on its smaller 17-inch wheels and deep profile tyres is better. Readers report that the BMW 8-speed autobox works well and that 2.0-litre diesel X3s are giving vastly better mpg than Land Rover Freelander IIs.

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