Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class starts from $278,900 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class opens at $105,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz E-Class the more affordable entry point by $173,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $306,790 and $116,490 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz E-Class by roughly $1,710 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class features a 12.8-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets a 14.4-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class stands out with heated front seats, ventilated seats and Burmester audio that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets nappa leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers synthetic leather. Climate control is 4-zone in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and 2-zone in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class uses a Petrol producing 280kW and 500Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.9 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class responds with a Petrol making 150kW and 320Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has the clear power advantage at 280kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is 3.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class measures 5,179mm long on a 3,106mm wheelbase, 230mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class at 4,949mm (2,961mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 510L in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and 540L in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, giving the Mercedes-Benz E-Class a 30L advantage.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class leads with a 2,100kg braked capacity vs 2,100kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,394/year for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and $2,052/year for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. That is a $342 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Estimated annual total: $2,394 (Mercedes-Benz S-Class) vs $2,052 (Mercedes-Benz E-Class). The Mercedes-Benz E-Class saves you roughly $342 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz S-Class) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz E-Class). Both match on warranty length.