Compare the2023 Mercedes E-Class SedanVS 2023 Audi A5 Sportback

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

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The E-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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The 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 A5 Sportback’s blind spot costs extra.

The 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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the E-Class Sedan and the A5 Sportback 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mercedes E-Class Sedan is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	E-Class Sedan	A5 Sportback
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	186 lbs.	232 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	55 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	204	236
Chest Compression	.4 inches	1 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	257/308 lbs.	324/341 lbs.

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

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 E-Class Sedan is safer than the Audi A5 Sportback:

	E-Class Sedan	A5 Sportback
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	132	172
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	149 lbs.	219 lbs.
Hip Force	223 lbs.	308 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	215	277
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	594 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
HIC	326	333
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	47 G’s

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 optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the E-Class Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A5 Sportback is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

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 E-Class Sedan’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the E-Class Sedan has a standard 180-amp alternator. The A5 Sportback’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the E-Class Sedan has a standard 850-amp battery. The A5 Sportback’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the E-Class Sedan third among midsize premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The A5 Sportback isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 E 350 Sedan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 54 more horsepower (255 vs. 201) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 236) than the A5 Sportback 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The E 450 4MATIC Sedan’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 101 more horsepower (362 vs. 261) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The E-Class Sedan 350’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the A5 Sportback (17.4 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The E-Class Sedan 450’s standard fuel tank has 5.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the A5 Sportback (21.1 vs. 15.3 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes E-Class Sedan higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi A5 Sportback (5). This means the E-Class Sedan produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A5 Sportback every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes E-Class Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A5 Sportback.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the E 450 4MATIC Sedan’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the A5 Sportback:

	E 450 4MATIC Sedan	A5 Sportback
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	13.3 inches

The E-Class Sedan stops much shorter than the A5 Sportback:

	E-Class Sedan	A5 Sportback
70 to 0 MPH	154 feet	164 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The E-Class Sedan has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The E-Class Sedan’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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The 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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the E-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 4.5 inches longer than on the A5 Sportback (115.7 inches vs. 111.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the E-Class Sedan is .5 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the A5 Sportback.

Passenger Space

The E-Class Sedan has 7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A5 Sportback (98 vs. 91).

The E-Class Sedan has .4 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the A5 Sportback.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the E-Class offers cargo security. The A5 Sportback’s hatchback body style defeats cargo security.

Ergonomics

The 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 A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the A5 Sportback, the E-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 E-Class Sedan’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

If the windows are left open on the E-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 A5 Sportback can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the E-Class Sedan to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the E-Class Sedan offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the E-Class Sedan has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the E-Class Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The E-Class Sedan offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the A5 Sportback.

The E-Class Sedan’s optional Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The A5 Sportback Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Model Availability

The Mercedes E-Class comes in coupe, convertible, sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi A5 isn’t available as a station wagon.

The E-Class Sedan is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The A5 Sportback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Motor Trend selected the E-Class as their 2021 Car of the Year. The A5 Sportback has never been chosen.

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