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BMW vs. Mercedes-Benz: Head to Head

There are many luxury brands on the market from all around the globe, but two names stand out when shopping for premium vehicles with outstanding interiors, the latest technology, and impressive driving dynamics: BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

By George Kennedy

Edited by Warren Clarke and Cody Trotter

Aug. 12, 2024, at 1:15 p.m.SaveMore

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Which Is the True Cornerstone of the Luxury Market?

The two German automakers have become the standard for luxury in many of the segments in which they compete. For decades, the two brands had two different personas. BMW was known as “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” focused on refined performance. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, takes comfort seriously, with some of the nicest interiors on the market before you step up to ultra-luxury like Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

If you are unsure where to start your luxury car-shopping journey, these are two terrific brands, with reputations that precede them. So which showroom should you head to first? To help make sense of it all, U.S. News & World Report has stacked up BMW and M-B in every vehicle segment in which the two compete, which is a lot. From compact crossover to full-size luxury flagships, in the following slides, you’ll find out who comes out on top.

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Luxury Compact SUVs

Winner: BMW

Premium crossovers and small SUVs are among the most popular cars on the road today. Both brands have two vehicles each in this category, with the highest-scoring being the BMW X3. It has a U.S. News overall score of 8.5/10 and provides a spacious, attractive cabin, athletic handling and stout powertrains. The Mercedes-Benz GLB (8.3/10) falls just behind it, and it has available three-row seating.

The BMW X4 (7.8/10) is a fastback version of the X3 that is engaging to drive. The Mercedes-Benz GLC (7.8/10) has a plush cabin and fuel-efficient powertrains.

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Luxury Electric Cars

Winner: BMW

While brands like Tesla and Lucid top the electric luxury car space, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have growing lineups of engaging EVs. The BMW i7 (8.3/10) is the brand’s electric flagship and is an EV version of the 7 Series, with bold, futuristic styling and dominant performance. BMW also offers the i4 (8.2/10), which is an EV take on the engaging 4 Series Gran Coupe.

Mercedes-Benz has a slightly confusing naming convention for its EVs. There is an EQE Sedan (7.8/10) and an EQS Sedan (7.8/10). Both boast serene driving dynamics and opulent cabins.

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Luxury Electric SUVs

Winner: BMW

The BMW iX (8.2/10) is the brand’s chief electric SUV. While it costs a pretty penny, it has powerful acceleration and a spacious, functional interior with cutting-edge technology and plenty of room for passengers and their cargo.

Mercedes-Benz offers three electric SUVs: the EQB (7.7/10), the EQS SUV (7.8/10), and the EQE SUV (7.2/10)… see what we mean about confusing naming conventions? The EQB is an EV version of the GLB, while the EQS and EQE are their own models. Both have elegant interiors, but the EQE has a so-so driving range, and the EQS is very pricey. Both also have subpar cargo capacity compared to rivals.

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Luxury Large Cars

Winner: Mercedes-Benz

Up to this point, BMW has had the edge in the categories covered, but when it comes to luxury flagship sedans, few can rival the comfort and opulence of the legendary S-Class (8.8/10). The cabin shields you from the outside world as you motor along in comfort. Like other Mercedes models, it comes with the advanced MBUX infotainment system that can understand complex commands and responds to voice prompts like “Hey, Mercedes…”

The BMW 7 Series (8.7/10) finishes just behind the S-Class, providing its own modern take on a world-class cabin. It also has a powerful infotainment system, though it has a bit of a learning curve. While the S-Class trades in comfort, the 7 Series has more engaging handling.

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Luxury Large SUVs

Winner: BMW

The BMW X7 (8.3/10) manages to scale up many of the terrific attributes of other BMW SUVs into a three-row machine that can move up to seven people. It has a sharp-looking interior, and the first- and second-row seats are comfortable for adults. It should be noted that the iDrive infotainment system does have a learning curve.

Mercedes-Benz offers two large SUVs: the GLS (8.1/10) and G-Class (7.2/10). The GLS is a direct competitor to the X7, with an upscale cabin and refined ride. The G-Wagen is a high-class off-road machine, though some of those overlanding attributes do hold it back as an overall luxury vehicle.

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Luxury Midsize Cars

Winner: Tie

Like its S-Class sibling, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (8.5/10) stands out as the cornerstone of its vehicle segment. The midsize E-Class has a comfortable, refined ride and a wildly high-tech cabin, though that tech can feel overwhelming at times. The E-Class also boasts an impressive list of driver-assistance tech. Mercedes also makes the CLE (7.7/10), a handsome two-door with stout powertrains.

The BMW 5 Series (8.1/10) is just as highly regarded in the segment, though for different reasons. Though long known for its athleticism, the redesigned-for-2024 5 Series lacks the steering feedback of its predecessors. It still packs the familiar punch from its lineup of potent engines.

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Luxury Midsize SUVs

Winner: Mercedes-Benz

The top spot in the midsize SUV category goes to the Mercedes-Benz GLE (8.5/10) (as well as the Porsche Cayenne). The GLE has a spacious, refined cabin that effortlessly blends modern technology without being overbearing. For 2024, the GLE gets standard all-wheel drive, an updated infotainment system and a new plug-in hybrid model.

The BMW X5 (8.4/10) is equally as revered in the category. It has an upscale interior and more athletic handling than its Mercedes counterpart. For the 2025 model year, the X5 adds active lane-change assist to its options list.

BMW also offers the X6 (7.7/10), which is a fastback version of the X5. Mercedes-Benz offers a similar vehicle in the GLE 53 (8.4/10).

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Luxury Small Cars

Winner: BMW

The BMW 3 Series (8.5/10) has long been one of the top small luxury sedans on the market, and the current model is no different. It is fun to drive, has powerful engines, a large trunk (for the class) and a spacious interior. It outshines the still-commendable Mercedes-Benz C-Class (8.4/10), which is more comfortable but not as engaging to drive.

As small cars go, BMW also offers the sporty 2 Series coupe (8.4/10) and 4 Series (7.9/10), which is offered in coupe, convertible, and four-door Gran Coupe versions. Mercedes-Benz also offers an entry-level car called the CLA (7.6/10), which is nimble and packs a lot of tech into a sharp-looking interior.

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Luxury Sports Cars

Winner: BMW

In luxury sports cars, BMW has the edge, but it depends on what you are looking for. If it’s pure performance, the M3 (7.9/10) is a renowned sport sedan, and the M4 (8.0/10) has splintered off as its own high-horsepower coupe. The M2 (8.6/10) might be the vehicle that is most true to BMW’s performance heritage. And if you want a bit of flair, the Z4 (8.5/10 provides open-air driving.

While BMW offers performance variants of its vehicles, Mercedes-Benz offers dedicated sports cars, such as the GT (8.1/10), which is exciting to drive. Mercedes-Benz also offers the SL (7.9/10), which is more of a droptop grand-touring car.

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Luxury Subcompact SUVs

Winner: BMW

The BMW X1 (8.7/10) stands alone atop the luxury subcompact SUV rankings. It makes great use of its size and features a sharp, well-crafted cabin outfitted with a long list of standard features. The handling dynamics strike a terrific blend of comfort and responsiveness. BMW also offers the X2 (8.1/10), which does not have as much cargo space but is still fun and functional.

The Mercedes-Benz GLA (7.8/10) ranks mid-pack among small SUVs. While it is fun to drive and has an upscale cabin, it’s not quite as refined as other Mercedes SUVs and lacks cargo space.

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Safety

Winner: BMW

Both brands offer stellar safety scores and both lineups come loaded with the latest driver assistance technologies. The BMW 2-Series,3-Series, 5-Series and X3 all have nearly as good as you can get for safety scores. They offer full suites of safety tech, including forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning and much more.

TheMercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class, GLC-Class and GLE-Classperform nearly as well in this regard. It should be noted that for both BMW and Mercedes-Benz, none of the EVs have been evaluated for safety and many of the newer conventionally powered vehicles have not yet been tested by safety organizations.

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Performance

Winner: BMW

Across the board, BMW performs well as a premium brand for driving enthusiasts. From cornerstone cars like the 3-Series to full-size machines like the 7-Series and 8-Series, BMW vehicles are designed to excite behind the wheel. In fact, its lineup of electric cars earns some of the highest performance scores, including the i4, i7 and iX. The M3 and M4 are performance stalwarts that are not to be overlooked.

For Mercedes-Benz, the S-Class, GT, SL and EQS sedan are among the cars that earn the highest performance ratings. The GLA and GLB earn some of the lowest scores for Mercedes, as these two vehicles put value over performance. But if you are looking for racy Mercedes-Benz vehicles, there are a number of AMG models from which to choose.

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Reliability

Winner: BMW

Reliability scores are a bit scattershot across both brands. BMW has more models reporting reliability and dependability scores, and those models generally score better. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.

The X3 and X1 both score 86 and the 2 Series and 7 Series both earn an 85. As a brand, BMW averages 82.8 and the only vehicles without a score are the EVs and Z4. Mercedes-Benz has reliability scores for just seven out of its 17 models. Those models earn an average score of 78 with the E-Class earning an 81 and the GLA and GLE earning a score of 80.

Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles are backed by a four-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty. BMW electric battery packs are backed by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. Mercedes-Benz EV batteries come equipped with a 10-year/155,000-mile warranty.

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Interior

Winner: Mercedes-Benz

If BMW is the performance brand, Mercedes-Benz is the cabin-comfort brand. Whether it’s the GLE, GLS, E-Class or gold-standard S-Class, Mercedes-Benz continues to set the bar for automobile interiors across the industry. The fit and finish across most of its models are top-notch, and some models, in particular, are among the best in the industry.

BMW has some bright spots, like the X1, X3 and i7, which offer outstanding cabins in terms of build quality. There is good fit-and-finish across many BMW models. But they don’t stack up to the level of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

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The Winner Is …

BMW

Both German luxury automakers offer solid products, but BMW wins out head-to-head, coming out on top in more segments than Mercedes-Benz.

BMW has shown that its vehicles can be engaging to drive while also being refined, modern and loaded with technology. Mercedes-Benz deals in comfort. Its interiors are world-class, and many of its vehicles set the bar for refinement in their respective segments.

As the electric vehicle market grows, it will be fascinating to see how these two brands tackle new segments and even newer technology, but for now, BMW has the edge in more vehicle categories.

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More Shopping Tools From U.S News & World Report

You can research more in-depth information about all Mercedes-Benz vehicles and BMW vehicles. You can also see how these cars stack up against other manufacturers’ offerings in our rankings. The luxury subcompact SUV ranking and luxury midsize car ranking might be good places to start.

When you’re ready for your new care, use our U.S. News Best Price Program to get the best price on a Mercedes, BMW, or any other vehicle in your area. Whether you’re buying or leasing, shoppers have saved more than $3,000 on average across all types of vehicles when using the program.