Compare the2023 Audi A6VS 2022 Mercedes E-Class Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the A6 and E-Class Sedan have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The E-Class Sedan’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi A6 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The A6 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6. But it costs extra on the E-Class Sedan.

The A6’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the E-Class Sedan.

Both the A6 and the E-Class Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi A6 is safer than the Mercedes E-Class Sedan:

	A6	E-Class Sedan
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	30%
Leg Forces (l/r)	292/435 lbs.	387/481 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi A6 is safer than the Mercedes E-Class Sedan:

	A6	E-Class Sedan
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	215
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	514 lbs.	836 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The A6’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the E-Class Sedan’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the A6’s reliability 36 points higher than the E-Class Sedan.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 6 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

Engine

The A6 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (261 vs. 255) than the E 350 Sedan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 gets better mileage than the E-Class Sedan:

			MPG
A6
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy
E-Class Sedan
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/30 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A6’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The A6 has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the E-Class Sedan 350’s standard fuel tank (19.3 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The A6 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the E-Class Sedan:

	A6	E-Class Sedan
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	11.8 inches

The A6 stops much shorter than the E-Class Sedan:

	A6	E-Class Sedan
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A6’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the E-Class Sedan (255/40R20 vs. 245/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the E-Class Sedan. The A6’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the E 350 Sedan.

The A6 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the E-Class Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the A6 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the E-Class Sedan.

The A6 Prestige handles at .93 G’s, while the E 450 4MATIC Sedan pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the E 450 4MATIC Sedan (24.9 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.2 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The A6 has .7 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the E-Class Sedan.

Cargo Capacity

The A6 has a larger trunk than the E-Class Sedan (13.7 vs. 13.1 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

The A6’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The E-Class Sedan does not have an oil pressure gauge.

Consumer Reports rated the A6’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the E-Class Sedan’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the A6 Prestige to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A6 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The E-Class Sedan’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the A6 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the A6 with a number “3” insurance rate while the E-Class Sedan is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the A6 is less expensive to operate than the E-Class Sedan because it costs $45 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the A6 than the E-Class Sedan, including $101 less for a water pump, $466 less for a muffler, $503 less for a timing belt/chain and $622 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes E-Class Sedan isn't recommended.