Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Mercedes Benz C-Class VS 2015 BMW 4 Near Phoenix, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The C-Class Sedan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes C-Class Sedan are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The C-Class Sedan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the C-Class Sedan and the 4 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all wheel drive.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2015 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mercedes 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 18th.

The C300 Sedan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the 428i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. The C400 Sedan’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 29 more horsepower (329 vs. 300) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 300) than the 435i Gran Coupe’s standard 3.0 turbo 6 cyl.

As tested in Car and Driver the C400 Sedan is faster than the 428i Gran Coupe:

On the EPA test cycle the C-Class Sedan gets better fuel mileage than the 4 Series Gran Coupe:

The C-Class Sedan has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the 4 Series Gran Coupe (18 vs. 15.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The C-Class Sedan stops shorter than the 4 Series Gran Coupe:

The C-Class Sedan has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The C-Class Sedan’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the C-Class Sedan’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the 4 Series Gran Coupe (111.8 inches vs. 110.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the C-Class Sedan is 1.7 inches wider in the front than on the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

For better maneuverability, the C-Class Sedan’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The C-Class Sedan’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the 4 Series Gran Coupe xDrive’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The front grille of the C-Class 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 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The C-Class Sedan has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 4 Series Gran Coupe can only carry 2.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the C-Class Sedan offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The C-Class Sedan’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The C-Class Sedan’s optional air conditioned front seats cool the driver and front passenger and help take the sting out of hot leather in Summer. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer air conditioned front seats.

The C-Class Sedan will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The Intellichoice estimates that the C-Class Sedan will retain 48.51% to 55.31% of its original price after five years, while the 4 Series Gran Coupe only retains 46.25% to 47.99%.

Both the Mercedes C-Class Sedan and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe won an award in Kiplinger’s 2015 car issue.

The C-Class Sedan was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2015. The 4 Series hasn’t been picked since 2014.