Compare the2024 Genesis G80VS 2023 Mercedes C-Class Sedan

Both the G80 and C-Class Sedan have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The G80 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The C-Class Sedan’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the G80 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The C-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The G80 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The C-Class Sedan doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The G80 has standard Anti-Whiplash Front Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Anti-Whiplash Front Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The C-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the G80. But it costs extra on the C-Class Sedan.

The G80’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The C-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the G80 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist and automatically engage the brakes. Mercedes charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Alert on the C-Class Sedan.

Both the G80 and the C-Class Sedan 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the G80 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The C-Class Sedan has not been fully tested, yet.

The G80 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The C-Class Sedan’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the G80 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the C-Class Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the C-Class Sedan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The G80’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the C-Class Sedan’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Genesis pays for scheduled maintenance on the G80 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Genesis will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the C-Class Sedan.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the G80’s reliability 37 points higher than the C-Class Sedan.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G80 first among upper midsize premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The C-Class Sedan isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 12 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The G80 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 more horsepower (300 vs. 255) and 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 295) than the C-Class Sedan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The G80 3.5T’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 120 more horsepower (375 vs. 255) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (391 vs. 295) than the C-Class Sedan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The G80 3.5T’s standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the C-Class Sedan (19.3 vs. 17.4 gallons).

For better stopping power the G80’s brake rotors are larger than those on the C-Class Sedan:

The G80 stops much shorter than the C-Class Sedan:

For better traction, the G80 has larger standard tires than the C-Class Sedan (245/50R18 vs. 225/45R18). The G80 Advanced/Sport/2.5T Sport Prestige’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the C-Class Sedan (F:245/45R19 & R:275/40R19 vs. F:225/40R19 & R:255/35R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the G80 3.5T Sport Prestige offers optional 20-inch wheels. The C-Class Sedan’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The G80 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the C-Class Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the C-Class Sedan don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The G80 offers an optional 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 C-Class Sedan’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the G80’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the C-Class Sedan (118.5 inches vs. 112.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the G80 is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the C-Class Sedan.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the G80 a Mid-size car, while the C-Class Sedan is rated a Compact.

The G80 has 10.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the C-Class Sedan (103.8 vs. 93).

The G80 has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the C-Class Sedan.

The G80 has a larger trunk than the C-Class Sedan (13.1 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

Both the G80 and the C-Class Sedan have standard heated front seats. The G80 also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the C-Class Sedan.

The G80 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the C-Class Sedan.

The G80 Sport/Sport Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the C-Class Sedan.

The G80 Sport Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The C-Class Sedan’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Genesis G80, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes C-Class Sedan isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G80 second among upper midsize premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The C-Class Sedan isn’t in the top three.