Which is cheaper to maintain?

BMW is slightly cheaper for basic maintenance due to free scheduled maintenance programs. Mercedes maintenance costs are higher but include more premium service. Both are significantly more expensive than non-luxury brands.

Which has better resale value?

BMW generally holds value slightly better, especially M models and the 3 Series. Mercedes S-Class and AMG models hold value well. Both depreciate more than Toyota/Lexus.

What are the best alternatives to Mercedes?

Top alternatives include BMW (sporty luxury), Audi (tech-focused luxury), Lexus (reliable luxury), Genesis (value luxury), and Porsche (performance luxury). Each offers a different take on premium driving.

Mercedes vs BMW

Updated March 15, 2026

Mercedes-Benz

German luxury automaker, known for comfort and innovation

Buyers who prioritize luxury, comfort, and cutting-edge technology

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BMW

German luxury automaker, 'Ultimate Driving Machine'

Buyers who want a luxury car that's exciting to drive

Short Answer

Mercedes-Benz excels in luxury comfort, interior quality, and cutting-edge technology. BMW is known for superior driving dynamics, sportier handling, and more engaging performance. Both are premier German luxury automakers.

Our Verdict

Choose Mercedes for luxury and comfort. Choose BMW for driving pleasure and performance. Both offer excellent build quality and prestige.

Mercedes-Benz7.5

7.5BMW

Choose Mercedes-Benz if

Buyers who prioritize luxury, comfort, and cutting-edge technology

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Key Differences at a Glance

💰

Starting Price (Sedan): BMW wins ($42,000 (3 Series) vs $44,400 (C-Class))

🔹

Horsepower (Base): 255 HP vs 255 HP

🔹

Interior Quality: Mercedes-Benz wins (Superior vs Very Good)

See all 6 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	Mercedes-Benz	BMW	Diff
Global Sales(million)	2.1M	2.0M	+5%
Starting Price(USD)	$44,400	$42,000	+6%
Horsepower (Base Sedan)(HP)	255	255	—
0-60 mph(seconds)	5.9s	5.6s

Key Differences

Mercedes-Benz

Attribute

BMW

$44,400 (C-Class)

Starting Price (Sedan)

$42,000 (3 Series)🏆

255 HP

Horsepower (Base)

255 HP

Superior🏆

Interior Quality

Very Good

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Last updated: March 15, 2026Human reviewed

Buyers who want a luxury car that's exciting to drive

All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated May 2026.

MBUX + Drive Pilot🏆

Technology

iDrive 9

2.1M🏆

Global Sales (2025)

2.0M

Starting Price (Sedan)

Mercedes-Benz

$44,400 (C-Class)

BMW

$42,000 (3 Series)🏆

Horsepower (Base)

Mercedes-Benz

255 HP

BMW

255 HP

Interior Quality

Mercedes-Benz

Superior🏆

BMW

Very Good

Driving Dynamics

Mercedes-Benz

Comfortable

BMW

Sporty🏆

Technology

Mercedes-Benz

MBUX + Drive Pilot🏆

BMW

iDrive 9

Global Sales (2025)

Mercedes-Benz

2.1M🏆

BMW

2.0M

Full Comparison

Attribute	Mercedes-Benz	BMW

Global Sales(million)	2.1M	2.0M

Starting Price(USD)	$44,400	$42,000

Horsepower (Base Sedan)(HP)	255	255
0-60 mph(seconds)	5.9s	5.6s

J.D. Power Reliability	Average	Average

EV Option	EQS, EQE, EQB	i4, i5, i7, iX

Mercedes-Benz

BMW

Global Sales(million)

2.1M

2.0M

Starting Price(USD)

$44,400

$42,000

Horsepower (Base Sedan)(HP)

255

0-60 mph(seconds)

5.9s

5.6s

J.D. Power Reliability

Average

EV Option

EQS, EQE, EQB

i4, i5, i7, iX

Visual Comparison

Side-by-side comparison of numeric attributes