Compare the2023 Mercedes AMG E-Class SedanVS 2023 Audi RS 7

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The AMG E-Class Sedan 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 RS 7 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The AMG E-Class Sedan 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the RS 7’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the AMG E-Class Sedan 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 RS 7.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’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 RS 7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the AMG E-Class Sedan and the RS 7 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, around view monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

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 Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan is safer than the Audi RS 7:

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its available vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” to “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the AMG E-Class Sedan the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 174 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RS 7 has not been tested, yet.

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 Sedan’s warranty.

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.

The AMG E 63 S’ standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 12 more horsepower (603 vs. 591) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 590) than the RS 7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the AMG E-Class Sedan gets better mileage than the RS 7:

The AMG E-Class Sedan has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the RS 7 (21.1 vs. 19.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

A nine-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the RS 7.

The AMG E-Class Sedan 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 RS 7 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The AMG E-Class Sedan stops shorter than the RS 7:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the AMG E-Class Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The RS 7 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’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 RS 7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The AMG E 63 S handles at 1.01 G’s, while the RS 7 pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 500 pounds less than the Audi RS 7.

The AMG E-Class Sedan has .5 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the RS 7.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the AMG E-Class offers cargo security. The RS 7’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

The AMG E-Class Sedan 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 RS 7 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’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 RS 7’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 Sedan to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The RS 7 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The RS 7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG E-Class Sedan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the AMG E-Class Sedan has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The RS 7 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the AMG E-Class Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The AMG E-Class Sedan offers an optional 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 RS 7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Audi RS 7 isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

Insurance will cost less for the AMG E-Class Sedan owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the AMG E-Class Sedan will cost $3745 less than the RS 7 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan will be $28228 less than for the Audi RS 7.

Motor Trend selected the E-Class as their 2021 Car of the Year. The RS 7 has never been chosen.

The Mercedes E-Class/CLS outsold the Audi A7/S7/RS 7 by over 8 to one during 2022.