Compare the2026 Mercedes AMG E-Class SedanVS 2026 Audi RS 7

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 AMG E-Class Sedan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The AMG E-Class Sedan 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 RS 7 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Audi RS 7 has not been tested.

The AMG E-Class Sedan has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the RS 7’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the AMG E-Class Sedan has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the RS 7.

Both the AMG E-Class Sedan and the RS 7 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, around view monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the AMG E-Class Sedan’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the AMG E-Class Sedan second among upper midsize premium cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The RS 7 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 59 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

On the EPA test cycle the AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan running on electricity gets better mileage than the RS 7 Performance (55 city/68 hwy MPGe vs. 14 city/21 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the RS 7 Performance (22 city/27 hwy vs. 14 city/21 hwy).

The AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan can travel with zero emissions for 43 miles. The RS 7 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi RS 7 (2). This means the AMG E-Class Sedan produces up to 27.7 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RS 7 every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the RS 7.

The AMG E-Class Sedan stops shorter than the RS 7:

For better traction and acceleration, the AMG E-Class Sedan has larger rear tires than the RS 7 (295/35R20 vs. 275/35R21). The AMG E-Class Sedan’s rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the RS 7 (295/35R20 vs. 285/30R22).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the AMG E-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer than on the RS 7 (116.6 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

The Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 650 pounds less than the Audi RS 7.

The AMG E-Class Sedan has 5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RS 7 (100 vs. 95).

The AMG E-Class Sedan has .3 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the RS 7.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the AMG E-Class Sedan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The RS 7 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the AMG E-Class offers cargo security. The RS 7’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The RS 7’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The AMG E-Class Sedan’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the RS 7’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The RS 7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG E-Class Sedan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the AMG E-Class Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi RS 7 isn’t available as a station wagon.

Motor Trend selected the AMG E-Class Sedan as their 2025 Car of the Year. The RS 7 has never been chosen.

The Mercedes E-Class outsold the Audi A7/S7/RS 7 by over 10 to one during 2024.