Compare the2023 Mercedes S-ClassVS 2023 Audi A8

The rear seatbelts optional on the S-Class inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The A8 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The S-Class’ standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The A8 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The S-Class has standard Maneuvering Brake Function that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The A8 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The S-Class has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the A8’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the S-Class has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A8.

The S-Class’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A8 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the S-Class and the A8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the S-Class’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 37 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The S 500 4MATIC’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 94 more horsepower (429 vs. 335) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (384 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The S 580 4MATIC’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 161 more horsepower (496 vs. 335) and 147 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The S 580e 4MATIC’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 175 more horsepower (510 vs. 335) and 184 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The Maybach S 680 4MATIC Sedan’s standard 6.0 turbo V12 produces 286 more horsepower (621 vs. 335) and 295 lbs.-ft. more torque (664 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mercedes S-Class is faster than the Audi A8:

On the EPA test cycle the S 580e 4MATIC running on electricity gets better mileage than the A8 (53 city/48 hwy MPGe vs. 19 city/28 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the S-Class running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the A8:

The S 580e 4MATIC can travel with zero emissions for 46 miles. The A8 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes S-Class, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the A8.

For better stopping power the Maybach S 680 4MATIC Sedan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A8:

The S-Class’ optional 285/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A8’s optional 35 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the S-Class can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The A8 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The S-Class’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The A8 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the A8 (126.6 inches vs. 123.2 inches). The Maybach S-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 10.5 inches longer than on the A8 (133.7 inches vs. 123.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the S-Class is .6 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A8.

For better maneuverability, the S-Class Sedan w/Rear-Axle Steering’s turning circle is 6.3 feet tighter than the A8’s (35.9 feet vs. 42.2 feet).

The S-Class uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The A8 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The S-Class Sedan has 3.8 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the A8.

The S-Class Sedan has a larger trunk than the A8 (12.9 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

The S-Class has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A8 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the S-Class to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. Heated windshield washer fluid costs extra on the A8.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the S-Class has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The A8 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the S-Class second among large premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The A8 isn’t in the top three.

The Mercedes S-Class outsold the Audi A8/S8 by almost 10 to one during 2022.