Audi A5 vs Tesla Model 3
A detailed look at how two of Australia's most popular Sedans compare on price, running costs, safety, and everyday livability.
Tesla Model 3 scores higher, 71 vs 67
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 29 Oct 2026, price 1 Oct 2026
Audi A5
19 of 27 standard · 3 optional · 5 no dataFrom
$89,900
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- Sedan
- Fuel type
- Plug-in Hybrid
- Engine
- 4-cylinder inline petrol with turbocharging and plug-in hybrid technology
- Power
- 270kW
- Economy
- 2.6 L/100km with a full battery
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2024
- Boot (seats up)
- 331L
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Tesla Model 3
10 of 27 standard · no option data · 17 no dataFrom
$45,900
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- Sedan
- Fuel type
- Electric
- Engine
- Electric Motor
- Power
- No data
- Energy use
- No data
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2025
- Boot (seats up)
- No data
Top CarSorted Score, 71 vs 67
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Audi A5: we're still completing kerb weight, braked towing and energy consumption.
Tesla Model 3: we're still completing wheelbase, kerb weight, power, torque and transmission, plus 3 others.
Blank cells below mean we don't have that figure, not that the car scores badly on it. We leave them empty rather than estimate, so any row where one car is blank isn't a like-for-like comparison yet.
$89,900RRP
- with the Tesla Model 3's standard kit: $94,890
1 added option
- Panoramic Roof: $4,990
$45,900RRP
- no option data for this car
Printed option prices only. A pack is counted once and makes the figure a floor when it carries no printed price. Nothing is inferred from the other car.
A plug-in hybrid is compared on its fuel use as a hybrid (battery depleted), the figure that is like for like with the other car; its certified combined figure, which assumes every trip starts with a full battery, is printed under it. Electric range is how far it goes before the petrol engine is needed.
Price and cost per week
Audi A5 e-hybrid quattro 270 kW Sedan
$89,900
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 24 June 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $393 a week in repayments ($89,900 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive
$45,900
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 1 Oct 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
About $189 a week in repayments ($45,900 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a.). An estimate, not a loan offer.
The Tesla Model 3 starts $44,000 lower on RRP.
The Tesla Model 3 currently qualifies for the electric-vehicle FBT exemption, which applies to novated leases. The Audi A5 does not: plug-in hybrids lost the fbt exemption on 1 april 2025.
Matching the Tesla Model 3's standard equipment adds one factory option ($4,990) to the Audi A5, taking it to $94,890, $48,990 dearer than the Tesla Model 3 as standard.
On-road costs (stamp duty, registration, CTP and dealer delivery) depend on your state and the dealer; ask for a written drive-away price before you sign.
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Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$189/wk(≈$820/mo)
Estimate on the Tesla Model 3 at $45,900 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Tesla Model 3Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Safety Rundown
ANCAP lists the Audi A5 at 5 stars (2024) and the Tesla Model 3 at 5 stars (2025). ANCAP tested these in different years (2024 vs 2025). Its criteria get stricter about every three years, so the stars are not like for like. Adult occupant protection scored 87% for the Audi A5 and 90% for the Tesla Model 3, under different test years.
Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. We can confirm 7 of 10 key ADAS systems on the Audi A5, against 5 on the Tesla Model 3.
Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control.
Driver assistance, as the manufacturer lists it
Driver assistance, system by system. We can confirm 7 of 10 key systems on the Audi A5 and 5 on the Tesla Model 3.
Swipe across. Tap a feature to see what it does and each car's source.
StandardOptional: printed price, +pack or NCO (no-cost)No, not offeredNo dataCounts beside each car use the same colours; ? is no option data.
From each manufacturer's Australian equipment list. No data means that car's document does not say. The drawings are our own illustrations of how each kind of system works.
Recalls on our record
Audi A5
- REC-005841 · published 30 Nov 2023Due to a manufacturing defect, the outer backrest frame of the front seats may have been incorrectly welded.Year range on the notice: 2023
- REC-001665 · published 3 Sep 2021Some nuts fitted to the rear axle assembly did not meet manufacturing specifications and may break.Year range on the notice: 2019 - 2021
- REC-001650 · published 23 Jul 2021The seatbelt warning (acoustic warning tone and visual display) may occasionally operate rather than continuously, in circumstances such as a seatbelt not fastened or unfastened while the vehicle is moving.Year range on the notice: 2018 - 2021
- 10 more on the model page.
Tesla Model 3
- REC-006300 · published 3 Mar 2025Due to a software issue, the Electronic Power Assist Steering system (EPAS) may not operate as intended.Year range on the notice: 2022 - 2023
- REC-006042 · published 1 Aug 2024Due to manufacturing defect, the bonnet latch assembly may not detect when it is opened by the driver and therefore fail to warn the driver of "open bonnet".Year range on the notice: 2020 - 2024
- REC-005879 · published 30 Jan 2024The rear centre seat position of the Model 3 does not have an accessible top-restraint anchorage point as required by Australian Design Rule 34/03.Year range on the notice: 2023
- 8 more on the model page.
A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.
Charging times
How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.
How long to charge
20.7kWh usableEstimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (7.4kW AC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
Feature Showdown
The Audi A5 features a 14.5-inch touchscreen paired with a 11.9-inch digital dash, while the Tesla Model 3 gets a 16-inch display.
The Audi A5 stands out with Apple CarPlay and wireless charging — features our data doesn't list for the Tesla Model 3. The Tesla Model 3 counters with panoramic roof, V2L and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.
Interior trim differs: the Audi A5 gets leather upholstery while the Tesla Model 3 offers vegan leather with textile inserts.
Equipment few rivals have, on either carShowHide
Drivetrain
Detailed powertrain specifications are not yet available for both models.
Space & Comfort
The Audi A5 measures 4,829mm long on a 2,900mm wheelbase, 109mm longer than the Tesla Model 3 at 4,720mm.
The Audi A5 turns in a 12.2 m circle, kerb to kerb; the Tesla Model 3's turning circle is not on our record.
Cost to own
We do not hold a like-for-like fuel or energy figure for both cars, so we do not cost them against each other.
Warranty: 5 years / Unlimited (Audi A5) and 5 years / Unlimited (Tesla Model 3). Capped-price servicing: 5 years (Audi A5), no data (Tesla Model 3).
Where each one leads
The Audi A5: nothing in the figures we hold puts it ahead of the Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model 3: the lower starting price ($45,900 against $89,900).
The Verdict
Tesla Model 3 scores higher, 71 vs 67
The Tesla Model 3 scores 71 to the Audi A5's 67 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 2 of the 3 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: performance (Audi A5 ahead by 30 points), value (Tesla Model 3 ahead by 17 points), safety (Tesla Model 3 ahead by 5 points).
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$189/wk(≈$820/mo)
Estimate on the Tesla Model 3 at $45,900 RRP, before on-road costs; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the Tesla Model 3Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Common questions
Which is cheapest, Audi A5 and Tesla Model 3?
The Tesla Model 3 is the cheapest at $45,900 before on-road costs. That undercuts the Audi A5 by $44,000.
What are the ANCAP safety ratings?
Audi A5 holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2024) and Tesla Model 3 holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2025). ANCAP tested these in different years (2024 vs 2025). Its criteria get stricter about every three years, so the stars are not like for like. Compare the active-safety features above to separate them.
Which can tow the most?
The Tesla Model 3 has the highest braked towing capacity at 1,000kg.
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How to read this page. Prices, specifications, ANCAP ratings, warranty, the CarSorted Score and the verdict come from our records for the grades shown, sourced from the manufacturers' Australian documents, and change when those records change; the date each was last checked is printed under the headline. Prices are recommended retail prices before on-road costs unless marked drive-away. A plug-in hybrid's fuel figure is labelled with its basis: with a full battery (the certified combined figure) or as a hybrid (battery depleted). Charging and running costs are estimates on the stated assumptions. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
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