Compare the2024 Mercedes E-Class SedanVS 2024 Infiniti Q50

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes E-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 Infiniti Q50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 E-Class Sedan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mercedes E-Class Sedan has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q50 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The E-Class Sedan offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Q50 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the E-Class Sedan. But it costs extra on the Q50.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The E-Class Sedan has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Q50 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

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 Q50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the E-Class Sedan and the Q50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the E-Class Sedan’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. With 11 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Infiniti.

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 Infiniti With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Infiniti.

Engine

The E 450 Sedan’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 350) than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the E-Class Sedan gets better mileage than the Q50:

			MPG
E-Class Sedan
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/33 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/31 hwy
Q50
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	20 city/29 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/27 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	19 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the E-Class Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Q50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the E-Class Sedan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Q50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes E-Class Sedan higher (7 to 8 out of 10) than the Infiniti Q50 (3). This means the E-Class Sedan produces up to 30 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q50 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 Q50.

The E-Class Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Q50 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the E 450 Sedan’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Q50:

	E 350 Sedan	E 450 Sedan	Q50	Q50 Red Sport 400
Front Rotors	12.7 inches	14.2 inches	12.6 inches	14 inches

Tires and Wheels

The E-Class Sedan’s 245/35R21 front and 275/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the E-Class Sedan has standard 21-inch wheels. The Q50’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The E-Class Sedan has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q50 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the E-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the Q50 (116.6 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the E-Class Sedan is 3.5 inches wider in the front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

Cargo Capacity

The E-Class Sedan has a much larger trunk than the Q50 (19.1 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the E-Class Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q50 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the E-Class Sedan’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Q50 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Q50, 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 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q50 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The E-Class Sedan’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Q50’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the E-Class Sedan and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the E-Class Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Q50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The E-Class Sedan’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Infiniti Intelligent Key standard on the Q50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the E-Class Sedan to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Q50 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the E-Class Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q50 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Both the E-Class Sedan and the Q50 have standard heated front seats. The E-Class Sedan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q50.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the E-Class Sedan keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q50 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Q50.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes E-Class has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The E-Class Sedan’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Mercedes E-Class comes in coupe, convertible, sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Infiniti Q50 isn’t available as a coupe, convertible or station wagon.

Recommendations

The Mercedes E-Class/CLS outsold the Infiniti Q50 by almost three to one during 2023.