Audi and Volkswagen use a lot of the same parts, but there are a number of differences as well as similarities.
Look, the badges are different! Actually, if you’re not clued up on cars you might not have realised that both are part of the wider VW Group, given how different an Audi feels and looks to an equivalent Volkswagen. Audi and VW both have their own styling and engineering teams, and Audi cars are generally a little more premium.
Audi vs Volkswagen compared
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Design
Volkswagen is known for its clean and conservative styling, which won’t upset the suburban apple cart. Its cars look solid and sophisticated without looking showy. There’s an exception for every rule, of course, and the Arteon stands out as a more style-led product in VW’s range.
Audi’s cars are usually a little more sculpted, a little more technical-looking with some intricate details. The brand’s design is characterised by angled headlights and a tall, wide ‘singleframe’ grille. High-spec models add extra visual bling, while entry-level Audis typically look quite restrained.
Interior, luxury and quality
Considering much of the actual hardware is shared between Audi and Volkswagen, it’s very hard to spot that inside each of the brands’ cars. Volkswagen has been intent on stripping out buttons in the last few years, with more focus on a minimalist look and heavy reliance on the touchscreen. While this is likely to be in response to Tesla’s interior design, it has meant that some recent Volkswagens feel cheaper and less user-friendly than they had done in the past.
Audi interiors have a real mix of digital and analogue. Its ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital dials and its touchscreen are some of the best in the business, but Audi cabins still tend to feature a lot of buttons. The further up the range you go, the more likely you are to see haptic touch buttons rather than pressable plastic buttons.
Build quality is equally strong in both brands, although Audi tends to cover more of the surfaces in premium materials – as you’d hope, given its upmarket positioning.
Price
Compare new Volkswagen and Audi cars, and you’ll typically find that Audi cars are more expensive. However, on the used market, the difference is much less clear-cut.
If you’re planning to buy using PCP finance, you might find very similar monthly prices for an Audi and for an equivalent Volkswagen. That could be because Audis often hold their value better than most other brands – they’re anticipated to be worth more at the end of your contract, which reduces your monthly payments.
Once you’ve signed on the dotted line, you might need to budget a little more for insurance and servicing for an Audi than for a Volkswagen.
Engines and performance
In broad terms, Audi and Volkswagen use the same range of engines. A couple of small VWs use a non-turbo 1.0-litre petrol engine, which you won’t find in Audi’s brochures. At the other end of the range, Audi has access to a 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that isn’t offered in any Volkswagen, and Audi’s large electric cars share their underpinnings with Porsche rather than VW.
Audi has more performance models than Volkswagen, with almost every Audi model offering a hotted up S and/or RS model. Surprisingly, some of Audi’s recent S models have been diesel-powered, giving you a high-torque, high-power car that’ll also manage reasonable fuel economy on a long trip.
Both brands are forging ahead with electric car development, with Audi again focusing on more upmarket models and Volkswagen offering more mainstream EVs.
Reliability and safety
Because the main bits of most Audi and Volkswagen models are shared, there’s very little in it when it comes to both reliability and safety. If you’re unlucky you might suffer electrical glitches in the infotainment systems, but otherwise cars from either brand will be reliable and dependable.
Safety is equally strong – both brands typically score the full five stars when their cars are tested in Euro NCAP’s crash tests.
Which is best?
That’s a tough one. There’s no denying that an Audi will have more of a premium feel than a Volkswagen, so it’ll feel like you’re getting a good deal if the Audi you’re looking at is the same price or not much more expensive than an equivalent Volkswagen.
However, with Audi’s premium positioning also comes slightly higher running costs, so it’s worth considering how much each car will cost you over the entirety of your finance contract.
Shop used Audi and used Volkswagen cars for sale, or read our in-depth Audi reviews and Volkswagen reviews.
