Compare the2023 Mercedes CLSVS 2023 BMW 5 Series Sedan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes CLS 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes CLS 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The CLS offers an optional Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 5 Series Sedan only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the CLS and 5 Series Sedan offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the But the CLS with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert also has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 5 Series Sedan’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the CLS and the 5 Series Sedan 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, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and lane departure warning systems.

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

The CLS’ 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 114 more horsepower (362 vs. 248) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the 530i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The CLS’ 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 27 more horsepower (362 vs. 335) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 331) than the 540i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes CLS is faster than the 530i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the CLS gets better mileage than the 5 Series Sedan:

The CLS has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the 5 Series Sedan (21.1 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes CLS, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the 5 Series Sedan.

For better stopping power the CLS’ standard brake rotors are larger than those on the 5 Series Sedan:

The CLS stops shorter than the 5 Series Sedan:

For better traction and acceleration, the CLS has larger rear tires than the 5 Series Sedan (275/35R19 vs. 245/45R18).

The CLS’ standard 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 5 Series Sedan’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CLS has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 5 Series Sedan.

The CLS has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The CLS’ 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The CLS’ 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The CLS 450 4MATIC handles at .93 G’s, while the 540i pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CLS 450 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 530i (25.8 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CLS’ turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the 5 Series Sedan’s (39 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The CLS’ turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the 5 Series Sedan xDrive’s (39 feet vs. 40.8 feet).

The design of the Mercedes CLS amounts to more than styling. The CLS has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the 5 Series Sedan (.27 to .29) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the CLS get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the CLS 450 4MATIC is quieter than the 540i (37 vs. 38 dB).

The CLS has .5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the 5 Series Sedan.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the CLS to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The CLS 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 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The CLS’ optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The 5 Series Sedan doesn’t offer an automated parking system.