Audi A5 Cabrio and BMW Serie 3 Cabrio, road test (Equipment, prices and overall assessment)

Over the last few days, in our road test section, some launches have been sharing the spotlight with our two convertibles. As we told you at the start of this comparison, we set out to buy two convertibles that compete in the same segment but take two distinct approaches.

So it is not exactly a comparison, but rather we evaluate and tell you about two options for those looking for a premium convertible. With a fabric soft top or a hard-top roof, with a petrol engine or a diesel engine; in any case, both exceed 200 CV. We covered all of this in the first part of the test, going over the advantages and drawbacks of both engines, as well as the handling and consumption of our convertibles.

In the second part, design was the protagonist, where we talked about the fabric roof, space in the rear seats and the exterior design of both models. The boot was also a point we reviewed, and a crucial one at that, because this is where the use of the fabric roof or the hard top really shows.

And now, in the third part of the test, we will begin by going over the safety equipment, with all those elements that come as standard on both convertibles, before commenting on the rest of the equipment on our test units.

Equipment

In safety it is curious how we find hardly any differences: both the Audi A5 Cabrio and the BMW Serie 3 Cabrio come with the same safety arsenal. Front and side airbags are not missing, nor are stability control or active head restraints, plus the steel bars that protect the car in the event of a rollover.

Within the optional equipment, the list of items is also almost identical. Both convertibles had bi-xenon lights with automatic high-beam technology. In addition, the BMW was fitted with adaptive cruise control (an extra also available on the A5 Cabrio), which worked really well and detected the car in front without any problems.

Some differentiating elements were the ventilated seats on the Audi or the “Individual” leather upholstery on the BMW. In the case of the ventilated seats, it is an extra that is appreciated in a convertible, while the quality of the “Individual” finish was beyond doubt and on a par with a Serie 7 or a similar saloon.

The navigation systems are both familiar but updated: the Audi features the revised MMI, which has changed some buttons and improved usability, while the BMW still sticks with the joystick system on the centre console.

Both navigation systems are very complete, and in the case of the BMW it already includes internet connectivity from our smartphone. The Serie 3’s system screen is also larger than that of the A5 Cabrio.

Finally, the BMW came standard with the sound system, which offers good quality but needed a bit more power to feel complete, while the Audi had 180 W premium speakers. Again, they were not over-powered, but the sound quality was high.

Overall Assessment

When we talk about these two convertibles, we have to take into account their differentiating characteristics, as well as each person’s tastes. The Audi A5 Cabrio presents itself as a traditional convertible with several strong points, one of them being the space in the rear seats and the larger boot.

Meanwhile, the BMW Serie 3 Cabrio offers the versatility of a hard top, which turns it into a coupé whenever the roof is up, but in exchange it loses boot space and rear-seat room. The quality of the finishes is common to both models, and neither of them shows much imagination in its design, since the interiors have already been seen in other models or feature familiar components and shapes.

The two engines we present are quite well known: one favours the economy of diesel, while the other is more traditional and emotive. Both engines stand out for their smoothness; indeed, one is a V6 and the other a six-cylinder inline engine. The BMW was not outstanding for its consumption, but it did stand out for its linear and smooth power delivery.

Finally, in terms of prices, the BMW starts at 41,900 euros, compared with the 43,340 euros base price of the Audi A5 Cabrio. All the pricing information is available on the respective websites of both brands.

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Photos | Diego G. Moreira and test team

Technical specifications of this car

SedanBMW Serie 318 versions · from 50,200 €