Variety

The BMW 5 Series comes only in a sedan style. The E-Class comes in four body styles. The stylish sedan is joined by a wagon, a favorite with families. This has the largest cargo hold in the bunch, and the seats fold to create 64 cubic feet of space. It also offers a rear-facing, fold-down third row seat. For singles and couples, Mercedes-Benz updated the racy coupe and sexy cabriolet for the 2018 model year, bringing them more in line with the rest of the E-Class.

Powertrain Comparisons

Mercedes-Benz and BMW start off their series with similar horsepower from inter-cooled turbos. The E-Class turbo generates 241 horsepower, giving the 248-horsepower BMW a slight advantage. A look at the torque tells a different story. The 5 Series is rated for 258 lb.-ft. of torque while the E-Class is rated for 273 lb.-ft. of torque. This gives the advantage to the Mercedes-Benz E 300 sedan. Torque is the force that gets the load moving, and the E-Class really delivers. Its nine-speed automatic transmission helps it make the most out of its power outlay.

If you love driving, Mercedes-Benz has introduced the E 400, available in all four body styles. It offers a 329-horsepower V6 turbo. This powertrain generates 354 lb.-ft. of torque. Once again, it leads in torque while having almost the same horsepower. The BMW V6 generates 335 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque.

Mercedes-Benz is offering two high-powered choices while the E series offers one faster choice. The AMG® E 43 sedan kicks out 396 horsepower. Reintroduced for 2018, the AMG® E 63 S has a handcrafted V8. This new turbo generates 603 horsepower. This vehicle can do the 0-60 mph sprint in only 3.3 seconds. The BMW M5508 XDrive edition slots in between these two with a 456-horsepower engine.

Semi-Autonomous Driving

While BMW has some of the following crash avoidance features, only Mercedes-Benz has them all and puts them together in such a way that you enjoy semi-autonomous driving. The active blind spot system reacts if you try to change lanes when there is traffic on that side of the car. A lane-keeping assist corrects the car's trajectory. Even better, active lane change assist can actually change lanes for you when the coast is clear. Evasive steering assist reacts to deliberate swerving to help maintain stability. An automatic braking system reacts to forward collision dangers. This system combines with cruise control to give you Drive Pilot. It recognizes traffic speed, stopping or slowing as necessary. It also responds to speed limit changes. Wrapping it all up, Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers Steering Pilot. This semi-autonomous system allows you to actually remove your hands from the steering wheel and let the car drive itself. You must stay alert as you do with cruise control, but it is definitely a step toward autonomous driving, and you'll only find it at Mercedes-Benz.

For a closer look at the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, stop by our dealership. You'll find there are more technologies and amenities than can be discussed in this brief comparison.