2019 BMW 5 Series Sedan vs. 2019 Mercedes E-Class Sedan

The 5 Series Sedan has standard Post-Crash Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 5 Series Sedan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the E-Class Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The 5 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the E-Class Sedan’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series Sedan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the E-Class Sedan.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 5 Series Sedan’s reliability 37 points higher than the E-Class Sedan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 11th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 8th in reliability, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 15th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ December 2018 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 9 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The 5 Series Sedan has more powerful engines than the E-Class Sedan:

As tested in Motor Trend the 530i 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the E 300 Sedan 2.0 turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better fuel mileage than the E-Class Sedan:

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the 5 Series Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Mercedes only offers a regenerative brake system on the E-Class Sedan 53 AMG.

The 5 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 5 Series Sedan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the E-Class Sedan:

The 5 Series Sedan stops shorter than the E-Class Sedan:

The 5 Series Sedan’s optional 245/35R20 front and 275/30R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the E-Class Sedan’s optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 5 Series Sedan offers optional 20-inch wheels. The E-Class Sedan’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 5 Series Sedan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. Run-flat tires aren’t available on some tire packages on the E-Class Sedan.

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the E-Class Sedan; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some models of the E-Class Sedan don’t even offer run-flats.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the E-Class Sedan (117.1 inches vs. 115.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 5 Series Sedan is 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the E-Class Sedan.

The M550i xDrive handles at .92 G’s, while the E 300 Sedan pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The M550i xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the E 300 Sedan (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 25.8 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

The front grille of the 5 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The E-Class Sedan doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 540i is quieter than the E 300 Sedan 4MATIC:

The 5 Series Sedan has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room and .3 inches more rear legroom than the E-Class Sedan.

The 5 Series Sedan has a much larger trunk than the E-Class Sedan (18.7 vs. 13.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the 5 Series Sedan easier. The 5 Series Sedan’s trunk lift-over height is 26.2 inches, while the E-Class Sedan’s liftover is 27.7 inches.

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the E-Class Sedan offer optional heated front seats. The 5 Series Sedan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the E-Class Sedan.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the BMW 5 Series Sedan will be $2809 to $2947 less than for the Mercedes E-Class Sedan.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 5 Series Sedan, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes E-Class Sedan isn't recommended.