The Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6 have been at constant odds for the last 30 years or so. For 2017, this trend does not change, thanks to the turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that is found under the hood of both luxury sedans. Using this engine platform and an almost identical body size, it takes a lot of digging to find pertinent differences between the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6. That being said, the differences do exist, and they do make a difference depending on your driving style.
On the outside, the Audi and the Mercedes-Benz are almost the exact same size, but the E 300 is slightly smaller in every direction except height, which the two vehicles share to the nearest tenth of an inch. The larger size of the A6 does make more room on the inside for cargo and passengers, but it comes with certain performance drawbacks.
The Audi A6 has more horsepower, weighs a little bit less, and still takes longer to get to 60 miles per hour than the E-Class. The secret sits underneath the engine in the transmission. Mercedes-Benz introduced the 9-speed transmission for 2017 and so far, it is in the GLC, SLC, and the E-Class. The result of two more gears is more acceleration, more ride comfort, and more efficiency. Granted, the dual-clutch transmission in the Audi A6 is tempting, but this kind of transmission is heavy and tends to be problematic before you get to the 100,000-mile mark. Given the performance numbers between the two luxury sedans, we think the dual-clutch transmission should be reserved for the race track.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6 could be siblings, but which one is best for you comes down to one question. Are you looking for a luxury sedan with sporty undertones or an extra square foot of cargo space? If you have any questions about why the E-Class is the best luxury sedan on the market, come to Mercedes-Benz of Arrowhead for a test drive!
