Compare the2025 Genesis G80VS 2024 Mercedes C-Class Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Genesis G80 is safer than the C-Class Sedan:

	G80	C-Class Sedan
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	135	238
Neck Tension	245 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.46 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	11 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	1049 lbs.
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	34	241
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	-89 lbs.	-45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.71 in	.87 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	379 lbs.	602 lbs.

The Genesis G80 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The C-Class Sedan is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

Warranty

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.

Reliability

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 25 points higher than the C-Class Sedan.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G80 first among upper midsize premium cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The C-Class Sedan isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Genesis higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 11 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

Engine

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.

Fuel Economy and Range

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 longer range between fill-ups. The G80 2.5T’s standard fuel tank has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the C-Class Sedan (21.9 vs. 17.4 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	G80 2.5T	G80 3.5T	C-Class Sedan
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	14.2 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	12.8 inches	13.6 inches	11.8 inches

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

	G80	C-Class Sedan
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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 Sport Prestige has standard 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.

Suspension and Handling

The G80 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 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.

Chassis

The front grille of the G80 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The C-Class Sedan doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

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 6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the C-Class Sedan (99 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.

Cargo Capacity

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

Ergonomics

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 Prestige/3.5T 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.

Recommendations

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

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