Compare the2023 Mercedes E-Class SedanVS 2023 Audi A7

The E-Class Sedan’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The A7 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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 A7 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 A7’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 A7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the E-Class Sedan and the A7 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 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 A7:

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the E-Class Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A7 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the E-Class Sedan third among midsize premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The A7 isn’t in the top three.

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 E 450 4MATIC Sedan’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 27 more horsepower (362 vs. 335) than the A7’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the E 450 4MATIC is faster than the Audi A7:

On the EPA test cycle the E-Class Sedan gets better mileage than the A7:

The E-Class Sedan 450’s standard fuel tank has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the A7 (21.1 vs. 19.3 gallons).

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 A7.

For better stopping power the E 450 4MATIC Sedan’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the A7:

The E-Class Sedan stops much shorter than the A7:

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 A7 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The E-Class Sedan offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The A7’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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 A7 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 A7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The E-Class Sedan 4MATIC handles at .93 G’s, while the A7 55 TFSI Prestige pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The E-Class Sedan 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the A7 55 TFSI Prestige (25.1 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the E 350 Sedan’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the A7’s (38.1 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The E 450 4MATIC Sedan’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the A7’s (39 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Mercedes E-Class Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 pounds less than the Audi A7.

The E-Class Sedan has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A7 (98 vs. 95).

The E-Class Sedan has .3 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 A7.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the E-Class offers cargo security. The A7’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

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 A7 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The 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 A7’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 A7 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The E-Class Sedan’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the A7’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 A7 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 A7 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 A7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Mercedes E-Class comes in coupe, convertible, sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi A7 isn’t available as a coupe, convertible or station wagon.

The E-Class Sedan is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The A7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the E-Class Sedan owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the E-Class Sedan will cost $415 to $3770 less than the A7 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mercedes E-Class Sedan will be $10539 to $12523 less than for the Audi A7.

Motor Trend selected the E-Class as their 2021 Car of the Year. The A7 has never been chosen.

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