2022 Audi A4 vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, part of the W213 generation introduced in 2017, showcased a departure from the sharper, boxier angles of its predecessor to adopt the fluid, curvier forms seen in the 2014 S-Class and 2015 C-Class. Mercedes' chief designer Gorden Wagener described this design theme as "sensual purity." The 2021 model featured a slightly edgier front with squinted headlights and an inverted trapezoid grille, while the rear resembled the W212 with horizontal taillights cutting into the trunk lid. New bumpers with larger air intakes, new exhaust tips, and new wheels were among the major changes. Despite these updates, the E-Class remained a handsome and elegant car, available as a sedan, wagon, coupe, or convertible.

Inside, the E-Class was a showcase of decadent materials and exuberant style, even in its base trims. Rich woods, aluminum, and carbon fiber adorned the cabin, sweeping across the curved dash, around the four circular air vents, and along the intricate doors. The interior featured metal speaker grilles, elaborate stitching, and incredible ambient lighting that interacted with the car's climate and mood settings. The black monolith on the dash revealed two 12-inch screens with crisp detail and brilliant color. For 2021, the instrument panel transitioned to a standard digital display, and all steering wheels were redesigned, making the E-Class feel ahead of its time. The interior of the E-Class was unmatched by any car at its price point.

The 2022 Audi A4 lineup included the A4 sedan, the A4 Allroad, and the performance-tuned S4 model. Our review focused on the A4, which came in 40 TFSI and 45 TFSI model series and Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trim levels. Prices started under $40,000 and rose to over $50,000. Our test car, a Prestige 45 TFSI, featured Tango Red paint, the Black Optic Plus package, 19-inch wheels, the S-line Interior package, and ventilated front seats, with an MSRP of $55,890.

The A4's exterior was simple, clean, and conservative, serving as a perfect canvas for the Tango Red paint and Black Optic package detailing. Inside, the A4 maintained a similar aesthetic restraint. The test car had a predominantly black interior with enough aluminum trim, gloss black décor, and metallic accents to avoid feeling cave-like. Audi integrated the air vents into the dashboard and properly labeled the controls with white markings on a matte-black background. The test car featured high-quality materials, a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation panel, and ambient interior lighting. However, the tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system looked out of place, like an afterthought rather than an integrated part of the design.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class saw a significant change with the switch from conventional V6 engines to electrified inline-six powertrains for the highest-volume models. The E450 became a hybrid, featuring a 3.0-liter inline-six engine with a single turbo, producing 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, with an additional boost from a 48-volt electrical system. This system provided extra power and torque for brief moments, allowed the engine to shut off more often, and replaced the starter motor, alternator, and accessory belt drive. Despite these changes, the new I6 engine felt similar to the previous V6 in terms of performance and smoothness.

The AMG E53 model added a second turbo, technically a supercharger, powered by the 48-volt battery, resulting in 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The AMG E63 S, with a hand-built 4.0-liter V8 engine, produced 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, making it a high-performance variant with features like variable-rate air suspension and rear-biased all-wheel drive. Fuel economy for the AMG models was lower, with the E53 sedan rated at 25 mpg combined and the E63 sedan at 18 mpg combined. The more common E450 4Matic and E350 4Matic sedans returned 26 mpg and 25 mpg combined, respectively.

The 2022 Audi A4 40 TFSI featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 201 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard Quattro Ultra all-wheel-drive. It achieved an EPA fuel economy rating of 29 mpg combined and accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. The A4 45 TFSI, with 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, had a lowered sport suspension and accelerated to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, with an EPA rating of 27 mpg combined.

Both engines required premium gas and offered Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual driving modes. The A4 45 TFSI averaged 24.8 mpg during testing. The Quattro Ultra AWD system powered the front wheels unless conditions warranted power transfer to the rear wheels. The A4's engine was refined, delivering a solid punch of torque, and the S-tronic DCT performed beautifully. The car's tire grip was outstanding, and the brakes remained effective even in high temperatures. The A4's steering was adequate but could be improved.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a redesigned infotainment system with a touchscreen, making everyday tasks easier. The touchpads on the steering wheel were reshaped, and shortcut buttons for navigation, stereo, and other settings remained. The cabin was spacious for four adults, with ample headroom and legroom, supportive cushions, and knee cutouts on the seatbacks. However, the E53 model lacked rear USB ports, a separate climate zone, soft-close doors, and heated rear seats, despite its high price.

The coupe's rear seats were usable and comfortable, while the convertible's rear seats were less so due to the folding soft top. The wagon offered a stowable rear-facing jump seat and more cargo space, with 35 cubic feet or 64 with all seats folded. The sedan had 13 cubic feet of trunk space, and the two-door models had 10 cubic feet or less with the roof down. The E450 All-Terrain wagon raised ground clearance and added plastic body cladding.

The 2022 Audi A4 sat low to the ground, making entry and exit challenging. The front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with soft leather, power adjustment, and a thigh-support cushion. The A4 featured a three-zone automatic climate control system, separate from the infotainment screen, and an intuitive layout. The rear seats were comfortable for shorter trips but lacked space for stretching out, and the hard plastic and storage netting on the front seatbacks were unfriendly to knees and shins.

Interior storage space was limited, with the center console bin housing the wireless charging pad and Audi Phone Box signal booster, rendering it useless for carrying items. The A4's 13 cubic-foot trunk was nicely finished, with enclosed hinges and storage nets on either side. The trunk lid had grab handles for easy closing.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured the MBUX infotainment system with a touchscreen interface. The system was better organized, with fewer menus and submenus, and included shortcut buttons for major functions. Gesture control magnified icons when a hand was near the screen, and natural voice processing operated like Siri or Alexa. The system displayed a live feed from the front camera with overlay arrows and street names when approaching a turn and could turn on the front camera automatically when stopped.

Optional features included massaging seats with side bolsters, seat kinetics, and a wireless phone charger. Standard features included 4G WiFi, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto (though not wireless). Optional driving assists could move the car into adjacent highway lanes, slow down for curves, and drive itself for limited times. The instrument cluster offered various display options, from traditional analog gauges to bar graphs and zany colors.

The 2022 Audi A4 featured the next-generation MIB3 version of Audi Multi-Media Interface (MMI) with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. The screen supported common smartphone functions and provided acoustic feedback. Features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Audi Connect connected services, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system.

The MMI was simple to configure, with an obvious Home button for easy navigation. The voice recognition technology was accurate but slow to respond. The climate controls were separate from the touchscreen, and Audi provided a knob on the center console and buttons on the steering wheel for adjusting stereo volume and tuning the radio. The Bang & Olufsen stereo was satisfying, though sound quality degraded at high volumes. The head-up display was difficult to see with polarized sunglasses.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was one of the safest cars on sale, with a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The E-Class featured innovations like Pre-Safe Sound, which played a "pink noise" during a crash to protect eardrums, and side bolsters that inflated in a side collision. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included 14 additional driver-assist features.

The 2022 Audi A4 stair-stepped the availability of safety features based on trim level. The top-of-the-line Prestige model included front and rear collision preparation, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a safe exit warning system, a surround-view camera system, and Park Assist. The A4 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.