BMW 5 Series vs Audi A6 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: which one is the best value for money?

The mid-size luxury saloon car is a vehicle segment on the decline, with the rise in popularity of SUVs and crossovers, these products have lost the popularity they once enjoyed amongst budding business executives. In addition to well-accomplished entrants from Sweden, Great Britain and Japan, the famous trio from Germany, namely Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are still the gold standard by which premium saloon cars are judged, which is why we have a representative from each in our comparison today.

For our purposes today, we have selected the small capacity diesel variant of the 5 Series, which is only available in M Sport guise, meaning that the diesel Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class models required for a fair comparison are the S Line and AMG Line models, respectively. These products make for an interesting comparison as they are so similar, which is to be expected when the respective brands in question all come from the same country and have been competing with each other in this segment for decades. The question is, which one of the three represents the best value for money?

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Facts and figures:

	BMW 520d M Sport	Audi A6 40TDI sports S Line	Mercedes-Benz E220d AMG Line
Engine type	2.0-litre turbodiesel	2.0-litre turbodiesel	2.0-litre turbodiesel
Power/Torque	140 kW/400 Nm	140 kW/400 Nm	140 kW/400 Nm
Kerb Weight	1 675 kg	1 645 kg	1 750 kg
0-100 km/h (claimed)	7.2 sec	8.4 sec	7.3 sec
Airbag count	6	6	7
Load Volume	530-litres	530-litres	520-litres
Gearbox	8-speed automatic	7-speed dual-clutch	9-speed automatic
Fuel tank capacity	66-litres	73-litres	66-litres
Fuel Consumption(claimed)	5.2 L/100 km	5.2 L/100 km	5.2 L/100 km
Maintenance plan	5 yr/100 000km	5 yr/100 000km	5 yr/100 000km
Price	R1 043 996	R969 200	R1 054 500

Analysis

Power, performance, and drivetrains

The similarities between the three products from an engine and output perspective are nothing short of remarkable, with all three four-cylinder turbodiesels producing identical power and torque figures. Each product has a unique transmission, with BMW using the famed ZF-sourced 8-speed torque converter automatic, the Audi a dual-clutch unit with seven forward ratios and the Mercedes-Benz a 9-speed hydrodynamic torque converter.

The difference in performance, on paper at least, seems to come down to the driven wheels, with both the E-Class and 5 Series featuring near-identical 0-100km/h times with their power being sent to the rear wheels, while the lightest vehicle in the comparison, the Audi, is the slowest in terms of acceleration, having its power sent to the front wheels.

From a top speed perspective, all three products are relatively equally matched, with claimed top speeds that vary by just 5km/h between the three vehicles. The performance and dynamics of vehicles such as these may appear relatively irrelevant, however, this segment is renowned for producing products that are dynamically adept, meaning that from a driving perspective, the 5 Series and E-Class may prove the more engaging products versus the Audi, by virtue of their rear-wheel drive set-up.

Related: Top 3 BMW 5 Series trims head to head: here’s our winner.

Efficiency

Those shopping for a large, executive saloon car may be able to afford a vehicle that is heavier at the pumps, but an argument can be made that those looking at vehicles such as these are concerned with fuel consumption as they are the most efficient within their respective model ranges.

As with the power and torque figures, these products are identical in their claimed fuel consumption figures, all at 5.2 L/100km. From a CO2 emissions perspective, both the 5 Series and E-Class emit 137 g/km while the A6 is marginally better, with a figure of 136 g/km.

Even though the trio is all the same from an efficiency perspective, it is the Audi that features the larger fuel tank, meaning that it offers 1 404km of range on a single tank of diesel versus the Mercedes-Benz and BMW which offer 1 269km of range on a single tank.

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Practicality

From a practicality perspective, all three contenders offer a capacious cabin and boot, with the E-Class offering the largest boot by some 10-litres. The Audi is front-wheel drive, meaning there is no need for a rear driveshaft tunnel which intrudes upon rear leg space, making it is the best for transporting three occupants in the second row. From a dimensions perspective, the three vehicles are very similar, with the 5 Series being the longest and tallest and the Audi the widest, albeit all by a very narrow margin.

Equipment

The three German models are all well-specified but have a long list of optional extras. The trio comes with large colour screen infotainment systems that offer Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB and voice control functionality, electrically operated windows, and mirrors(heated), automatic LED headlamps, comfort close doors, rear ISOFIX child seat mounting points, ambient interior lighting, front and rear Park Distance Control and a rear-view camera.

The only notable specification differences between the vehicles are that the Audi offers an additional ISOFIX child seat mounting point on its front passenger seat which is also electrically operated which is not the case with the 5 Series. The 5 Series offers a full leather interior as standard whereas the Audi and Mercedes-Benz offer artificial leather and in the case of the E-Class, partial suede.

Safety

From a safety perspective, all three perform admirably. The E-Class range was tested back in 2016 and achieved a 5-star safety rating, including 95% for adult occupant safety, 90% for child occupant safety,77% for pedestrian safety and 66% for its safety assist systems.

The 5 Series also received the maximum 5-stars when it was tested in 2017, scoring 91% for adult occupant safety, 85% for child occupant safety, 59% for its safety assist systems and 81% for pedestrian safety. The A6 is the vehicle which has been tested most recently. In 2018 it received the maximum 5-stars, scoring 93% for adult occupant safety, 85% for child occupant safety, 81% for pedestrian safety and 76% for its safety assist systems.

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Verdict

Having looked at the specifications for all three competitors, it becomes clear that these cars have been benchmarked against one another since each offers such a similar package to the consumer. All three will offer a fantastic luxury sedan ownership experience and in many ways, the decision for most buyers will come down to brand preference. However, today’s piece is concerned with determining the best value for money option between these three. Since all three are so similar in terms of the efficiency, performance, specification and packaging that they provide, it comes down to the list price, which sees the A6 take the victory, coming in at over R70 000 less than its main rivals while offering a fantastic mid-size saloon car package.

 

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