The battle for the best executive car has been hard-fought by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5-Series for over four decades. The two top-tier German luxury manufacturers lock horns in almost every segment of cars and crossovers. Today, we will compare the 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs. 5-Series.
The 2023 E-Class is based on the fifth generation of the nameplate. It debuted in 2016 and got a facelift in 2021. The 2023 5-Series is from the model's seventh generation that entered the market in 2017, and it received a facelift in 2021. Both cars are manufactured in Germany, despite the two brands having factories in the United States.
This Mercedes-Benz vs. BMW comparison will cover both vehicles' performance, safety, and interior features. Read on, and you'll see just how close they are. And if you want to check out the 2023 E-Class in person, contact the team of Mercedes-Benz of Roanoke in Roanoke, VA, to arrange a viewing.
Interior Comparison
Mercedes-Benz offers the 2023 E-Class as a sedan, estate, coupe, and convertible. There's something for everyone. The coupe and convertible are proper four-seaters. The sedan offers spacious transportation for up to five adults, as does the estate. You can even spec two extra jump seats that neatly fold into the trunk floor when not in use. These rearward-facing seats are ideal for children. Meanwhile, the 2023 5-Series only comes as a sedan or estate, and you'll need to look elsewhere in BMW's range for two-door alternatives.
Both cars offer premium leather, natural wood, and metal trim as part of their luxurious interior surfaces and finishes. However, the 2023 E-Class is ahead of the rest, including the 2023 5-Series. Its dash enjoys a synergistic design with its twin 12.3-inch screens seamlessly blending into an ergonomic and attractive information display and control interface. The 2023 5-Series' design looks a bit more generic in comparison.
You'll find powered and heated front seats with memory functions, dual-zone climate control with four-zone options, standard digital instrument clusters, powered sunroofs, optional ventilated and massaging seats, and much more in the options list. Smartphone integration is taken care of by Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility across all variants. You'll also find premium speaker systems on offer, with Mercedes-Benz engaging the services of Burmester and BMW favoring Harman/Kardon.
We should also point out that the 2023 E-Class offers voice and handwriting recognition as well as touch input for its MBUX infotainment interface. The iDrive software on the 2023 5-Series only offers touch and voice recognition but no handwriting recognition.
E-Class Interior
5 Series Interior
Performance Comparison
The 2023 E-Class can be had in regular and AMG forms. Let's look at the regular forms first. The E350 sees a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder with 255 horsepower. The E450 grants you a nice 362 horsepower, courtesy of a smooth 3.0-liter in-line six with turbocharging and a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Both engines come with nine-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmissions and rear-wheel-drive. You can specify Mercedes-Benz's 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system if desired.
Now, let's venture into AMG territory. The 2023 Mercedes-AMG E53 enjoys the same 3.0-liter turbo six with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, but the wick has been turned up by the addition of a supercharger as well. This results in 429 horsepower sent to all four wheels via an AMG Speedshift nine-speed twin-clutch transmission and the 4MATIC system.
Let's see what the 2023 5-Series offers. The base 530i develops 248 horsepower courtesy of a 2.0-liter turbo four. Then, there's the 540i, which sees a 3.0-liter turbo six producing 335 horsepower. Moving into BMW M territory, there's the M550i, which gets a 4.4-liter turbo V8 with 523 horsepower. Finally, the M5 is right up there, with 591 horsepower from the same 4.4-liter turbo V8. An eight-speed automatic transmission by ZF is the sole transmission choice across the 5-Series range. Non-M-variants are rear-wheel-drive and can be optioned with BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system if desired. M variants come with xDrive as standard fitment.
Safety Features Comparison
You won't be left wanting much on the 2023 E-Class and the 2023 5-Series. They have automated emergency braking, brake assist, blind-spot monitoring, child safety locks, at least eight airbags, stability control, tire pressure monitoring, and daytime running lamps. You can also option adaptive cruise control on either car.
Find the 2023 E-Class in Roanoke, VA
The 2023 5-Series comes close, but the 2023 E-Class wins this Mercedes-Benz vs. BMW matchup. That's why you should check out the new E-Class at Mercedes-Benz of Roanoke. We'll gladly put you in the driver's seat.
