Audi A4 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Audi A4

Audi’s compact executive saloon.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes' executive sedan on the MRA platform.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Audi A4

Pick the A4 for quattro, the frugal 2.0 TDI and the 480-litre boot.

Best engine: The mid-range 2.0 TDI diesel for the best balance of economy and torque — or the 2.0 TFSI petrol.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Pick the E-Class for space, comfort and efficient engines in a premium executive sedan.

Best engine: The E 220 d (diesel) or E 200 (petrol) — the sweet spot.

Read the full guide

Performance

EA888 40 TFSI · Petrol vs M274 E 200 · Petrol

	Audi A4	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Power	190 hp Winner	184 hp
Torque	320 Nm Winner	300 Nm
0–100 km/h	7,3 s Winner	7,7 s
Top speed	240 km/h	240 km/h
Power-to-weight	129,3 hp/t Winner	114,6 hp/t
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	137 g/km Winner	138 g/km
Consumption (WLTP)	6,0 L/100km	5,9 L/100km Winner

Dimensions & space

	Audi A4	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Boot	480 L	540 L Winner
Boot (seats folded)	—	—
Wheelbase	2,82 m	2,94 m Winner
Length	4,73 m	4,92 m
Width	1,84 m	1,85 m
Height	1,43 m	1,47 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Audi A4	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Platform	MLB Evo (longitudinal)	MRA (rear-wheel-drive base, shared with the C-Class W205)
Drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive	Rear-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
Engine family	EA888 petrol · EA288 diesel · plug-in hybrid	M274/M264 petrol · OM654 diesel · plug-in hybrid
Fuel	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid
Transmission	7-speed S tronic (DSG)	9G-TRONIC automatic
Euro standard	Euro 6 (early) · Euro 6d-TEMP (later)	Euro 6d-TEMP (early) · Euro 6d (later)
LEZ access	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)	Euro 6 diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Audi A4

S tronic (DSG) mechatronics are the best-known weak point, especially on diesels
EA288 diesels: AdBlue/SCR needs attention with mainly short trips
Direct-injection TFSI petrols: carbon buildup with lots of short trips

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Early OM654 diesel: rocker arm / camshaft concerns
9G-TRONIC: fluid changes recommended earlier than official intervals
AIRMATIC air suspension can leak at high mileage
Electronics/software: MBUX and driver-aid glitches (mostly fixed via updates)

Pros

Audi A4

quattro optional on the 2.0-litre engines
2.0 TDI (40) returns ~4.3 l/100 km
480-litre boot

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

540 L boot (Estate: 640–670 L) — roomy for an executive sedan
Efficient OM654 2.0 diesel (E 220 d: 194 hp / 400 Nm, ~4.6 L/100 km)
MRA rear-wheel-drive platform with optional 4MATIC
E 300 e PHEV: 320 hp system output and 700 Nm, company-car friendly

Cons

Audi A4

Automatic only on later models — early pre-facelift versions have rare manual options
S line suspension rides firmly on large wheels

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

OM654 diesel: AdBlue/DPF watch-points with lots of short trips
PHEV (E 300 e) shrinks boot space
Complex electronics and air suspension need dealer maintenance

Driving experience

Audi A4

As a model line, the A4 steers accurately with light, consistent weighting and stays quiet at motorway speeds. Front-drive versions feel light and easy; quattro adds strong traction out of corners on the 2.0-litre engines. The 2.0 TDI is strong and frugal, the 2.0 TFSI is smooth, and the 40 TFSI e plug-in hybrid runs on electric for short trips. The S tronic shifts quickly. It leans toward comfort over sharp handling.