Compare the2024 Porsche PanameraVS 2023 Mercedes E-Class Sedan

Both the Panamera and E-Class Sedan have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Panamera 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 E-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.

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

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Panamera helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard and even aims one of the vehicle’s headlights in the direction of the person or object. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Panamera’s standard 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. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the E-Class Sedan.

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

Both the Panamera and the E-Class Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Panamera’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the E-Class Sedan’s (12 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 34 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 21 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Panamera has more powerful engines than the E-Class Sedan:

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the Panamera’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Mercedes only offers a regenerative brake system on the E-Class Sedan 450.

The Panamera’s standard fuel tank has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the E-Class Sedan 350’s standard fuel tank (21.1 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Panamera’s standard fuel tank has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the E-Class Sedan 450’s standard fuel tank (23.9 vs. 21.1 gallons).

The Panamera offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Panamera’s optional 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 E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The Panamera offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the Panamera has larger standard tires than the E-Class Sedan (F:265/45R19 & R:295/40R19 vs. 245/45R18). The Panamera’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the E-Class Sedan (F:275/35R21 & R:325/30R21 vs. 245/45R18).

The Panamera’s standard 295/40R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the E-Class Sedan’s standard 45 series tires. The Panamera’s optional 275/35R21 front and 325/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the E 350 Sedan’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Panamera has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the E-Class Sedan. The Panamera’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the E 350 Sedan.

The front and rear suspension of the Panamera uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the E-Class Sedan, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Panamera offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Mercedes doesn’t offer an active suspension on the E-Class Sedan.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Panamera is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the E-Class Sedan.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Panamera’s available rear seats recline. The E-Class Sedan’s rear seats don’t recline.

Standard Trailer Stability Management on the Panamera uses the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 30% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

The Panamera’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The E-Class Sedan does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Panamera’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Panamera 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 E-Class Sedan.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Porsche Panamera has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Wireless charging costs extra on the E-Class Sedan.

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