Compare the2023 Mercedes AMG E-Class CabrioletVS 2023 Audi S5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S5 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet 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 S5’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet 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-path warning on the S5.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s 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 S5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the AMG E-Class Cabriolet and the S5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class Cabriolet weighs 441 to 761 pounds more than the Audi S5. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard 850-amp battery. The S5’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 50 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.

Engine

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 80 more horsepower (429 vs. 349) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (384 vs. 369) than the S5’s 3.0 turbo V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the S5 (17.4 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG E-Class Cabriolet higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi S5 (5). This means the AMG E-Class Cabriolet produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the S5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes AMG E-Class Cabriolet, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the S5.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s brake rotors are larger than those on the S5:

	AMG E-Class Cabriolet	S5
Front Rotors	14.6 inches	13.8 inches
Rear Rotors	14.2 inches	13 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction and acceleration, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet has larger rear tires than the S5 (275/35R19 vs. 255/35R19). The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the S5 (275/35R19 vs. 265/30R20).

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the AMG E-Class Cabriolet can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The S5 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the AMG E-Class Cabriolet uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the S5, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The S5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s 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 S5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the S5 (113.1 inches vs. 108.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the AMG E-Class Cabriolet is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the S5.

Passenger Space

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet has 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S5 Cabriolet (87 vs. 81).

Ergonomics

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet 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 S5 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the S5, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The S5 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. Audi does not offer a locking feature on the S5’s standard power windows.

In case of a sudden change of weather, the AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard remote convertible top that can be raised from a distance to protect the interior of the vehicle from damage. On a hot day the AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard remote opening feature, to lower the top from outside. The S5 doesn’t offer a remote top, so the driver will have to run to the car, get in, turn the ignition on and raise the top to prevent the interior from being damaged.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The S5’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the AMG E-Class Cabriolet to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The S5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the S5.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes AMG E-Class has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the S5 Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The AMG E-Class Cabriolet’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The S5 Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

Motor Trend selected the E-Class as their 2021 Car of the Year. The S5 has never been chosen.

The Mercedes E-Class/CLS outsold the Audi A5/S5/RS 5 by 469 units during 2022.