Compare the2025 Audi RS 7VS 2025 Mercedes AMG S-Class

Both the RS 7 and AMG S-Class have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The RS 7 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 AMG S-Class’ 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 Audi RS 7 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 AMG S-Class doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the RS 7 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. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the RS 7 and the AMG S-Class 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, around view monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The RS 7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the AMG S-Class’ (12 vs. 5 years).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the RS 7’s fuel efficiency. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

For better stopping power the RS 7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the AMG S-Class:

For better traction, the RS 7 has larger standard tires than the AMG S-Class (275/35R21 vs. 255/45R20). The RS 7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the AMG S-Class (285/30R22 vs. 255/45R20).

The RS 7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the AMG S-Class’ standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires. The RS 7’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the AMG S-Class’ optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS 7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the AMG S-Class. The RS 7’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the AMG S-Class.

The Audi RS 7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 850 pounds less than the Mercedes AMG S-Class.

The RS 7 is 11 inches shorter than the AMG S-Class, making the RS 7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the RS 7 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The RS 7’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

Laser headlights, standard on the RS 7, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the AMG S-Class’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RS 7 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RS 7 has standard extendable sun visors. The AMG S-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.