Compare the2023 Mercedes C-Class SedanVS 2023 Maserati Ghibli

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan 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 Maserati Ghibli doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The C-Class Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Ghibli doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The C-Class Sedan has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ghibli 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The C-Class Sedan offers an optional Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Ghibli doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the C-Class Sedan and Ghibli offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the C-Class Sedan with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert also has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ghibli’s Rear Cross Path doesn’t automatically brake.

The C-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 Ghibli doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the C-Class Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Ghibli has not been fully tested, yet.

The C-Class Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Ghibli’s (5/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

There are over 3 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Maserati dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the C-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 Maserati vehicles. With 66 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Maserati.

On the EPA test cycle the C-Class Sedan gets better mileage than the Ghibli:

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes C-Class Sedan higher (7 out of 10) than the Maserati Ghibli (1 to 3). This means the C-Class Sedan produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Ghibli every 15,000 miles.

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

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the C-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 Ghibli doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better maneuverability, the C-Class Sedan’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Ghibli’s (37.6 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The C-Class Sedan is 8.9 inches shorter than the Ghibli, making the C-Class Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan amounts to more than styling. The C-Class Sedan has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .24 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Ghibli (.29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the C-Class Sedan get better fuel mileage.

The C-Class Sedan has 4 inches more front legroom and 2.8 inches more rear legroom than the Ghibli.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the C-Class Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Ghibli doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Ghibli, the C-Class Sedan 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 C-Class Sedan offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Ghibli doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the C-Class Sedan the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Ghibli can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The C-Class Sedan’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Ghibli’s standard xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

Consumer Reports rated the C-Class Sedan’s headlight performance “Excellent,” a higher rating than the Ghibli’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the C-Class Sedan has standard extendable sun visors. The Ghibli doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The C-Class Sedan 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 Ghibli doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The C-Class Sedan’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Ghibli doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Mercedes C-Class comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Maserati Ghibli isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The Mercedes C-Class outsold the Maserati Ghibli by almost 16 to one during 2022.