Compare the2023 Mercedes S-ClassVS 2022 BMW 7 Series

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes S-Class have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 7 Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes S-Class are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 7 Series doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 7 Series doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the S-Class. But it costs extra on the 7 Series.

Both the S-Class and the 7 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are over 9 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the S-Class’ warranty.

The S-Class has more powerful engines than the 7 Series:

As tested in Motor Trend the S 580 4MATIC Sedan 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid is faster than the 745e 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the S-Class gets better mileage than the 7 Series running its gasoline engine:

The S-Class has 10.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series 745e’s standard fuel tank (22.2 vs. 12.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The S-Class has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 7 Series’ standard fuel tank (22.2 vs. 20.6 gallons).

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes S-Class higher (5 to 6 out of 10) than the BMW 7 Series (3). This means the S-Class produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 7 Series every 15,000 miles.

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 7 Series.

For better stopping power the S-Class’ standard brake rotors are larger than those on the 7 Series:

The S-Class stops much shorter than the 7 Series:

For better traction, the S-Class has larger standard tires than the 7 Series (255/45R19 vs. 245/50R18).

The S-Class’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 7 Series’ standard 50 series tires. The S-Class’ optional 255/35R21 front and 285/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the 7 Series’ optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S-Class has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 7 Series. The S-Class’ optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the 7 Series.

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 7 Series doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Maybach S-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 7.3 inches longer than on the 7 Series (133.7 inches vs. 126.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the S-Class is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 7 Series.

The S 500 4MATIC Sedan handles at .92 G’s, while the 750i xDrive pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the S-Class Sedan w/Rear-Axle Steering’s turning circle is 6.1 feet tighter than the 740i’s (35.9 feet vs. 42 feet).

The design of the Mercedes S-Class amounts to more than styling. The S-Class offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .22 to .25 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the 7 Series (.27 to .31) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S-Class get better fuel mileage.

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 7 Series doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the S 500 4MATIC Sedan is quieter than the 750i xDrive:

The S-Class Sedan has 2.2 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 7 Series.

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. The 7 Series doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

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 7 Series doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The S-Class has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The 7 Series doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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 7 Series isn’t in the top three.

The Mercedes S-Class outsold the BMW 7 Series by almost three to one during 2022.