2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 vs. 2009 Audi A4
The battle to choose a luxury sedan can be hard, dealing with two marquee makes and a slew of models. Luxury and tradition often go hand in hand, an agreement that has allowed Mercedes Benz and BMW to remain at the forefront of the luxury market. The latest offerings from Audi have worked on that perception. Pitting the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 against the 2009 Audi A4 could be a worthy match.
The 2009 Audi A4 offers this headline spec: cargo space; lots of it.
Its off the forecourt form boasts 17.3 cubic feet of luggage capacity,
huge by any standards. And when compared to the already admirable
amount of space in the C300, it flaunts almost five cubic feet extra.
Not even the half of it, playing around with the seat arrangement can
get an A4 owner 50 cubic feet of all-purpose space.
While you can carry more in the Audi, you can take what you can with a
lot more power in the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300, 268 horsepower against
the 211 produced by the Audi. Skipping ahead in the spec read may bore
you with similarities; fuel economy is pretty much identical between
the two models.
2009 Audi A4
| Model Line Overview | |
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| Model lineup: | A4 2.0T sedan ($31,000); A4 2.0T sedan Premium quattro ($31,850); A4 2.0T Avant Premium ($34,500); A4 2.0T sedan Premium Plus ($36,700); A4 2.0T Avant Premium Plus ($38,500); A4 2.0T sedan Prestige ($40,000); A4 3.2 sedan Premium Plus ($40,000); A4 2.0T Prestige ($42,300); A4 3.2 sedan Prestige ($43,300) |
| Engines: | 211-hp 2.0-liter I4 turbo; 265-hp 3.2-liter V6 |
| Transmissions: | 6-speed manual; 6-speed automatic; CVT |
| Safety equipment (standard): | two-stage driver and adaptive passenger frontal airbags, side-impact airbags, curtain airbags, Backguard headrests; electronic stability control, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, tire pressure monitors |
| Safety equipment (optional): | rear side airbags, all-wheel drive, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, rear camera, park assist |
| Basic warranty: | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled in: | Ingolstadt, Germany |
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| Specifications As Tested | |
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| Model tested (MSRP): | Audi A4 Avant quattro ($34,500) |
| Standard equipment: | leather upholstery, climate control, power steering, power disc brakes, fog lamps, all-wheel drive, Open Sky moonroof, power windows, power locks, power heated mirrors, cruise control, split-fold rear seat, tilt/telescoping steering column, MMI driver interface, alloy wheels |
| Options as tested (MSRP): | Ash wood trim, ($400); Audi Symphony sound system ($380); HomeLink ($200); Bluetooth phone prep ($500) |
| Destination charge: | ($825) |
| Gas guzzler tax: | N/A |
| Price as tested (MSRP): | $36,805 |
| Layout: | all-wheel drive |
| Engine: | 2.0-liter dohc 16-valve I4 turbo |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm): | 211 @ 4200-6000 |
| Torque (lb.-ft. @ rpm): | 258 @ 1500-4200 |
| Transmission: | 6-speed automatic |
| EPA fuel economy, city/hwy: | 21/27 mpg |
| Wheelbase: | 110.6 in. |
| Length/width/height: | 185.2/71.9/56.5 in. |
| Track, f/r: | 61.6/61.1 in. |
| Turning circle: | 37.4 ft. |
| Seating capacity: | 5 |
| Head/hip/leg room, f: | 40.4/na/41.7 in. |
| Head/hip/leg room, m: | N/A |
| Head/hip/leg room, r: | 38.2/na/35.2 in. |
| Cargo volume: | 34 cu. ft. |
| Payload: | N/A |
| Towing capacity: | not recommended Lbs. |
| Suspension, f: | independent, upper/lower A-arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Suspension, r: | independent, trapezoidal link, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Ground clearance: | 4.1 in. |
| Curb weight: | 3814 lbs. |
| Tires: | 225/50R17 |
| Brakes, f/r: | vented disc/disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist |
| Fuel capacity: | 16.9 gal. |
2008 Mercedes Benz C-Class
| Model Line Overview | |
| Model lineup: | Mercedes-Benz C300; C350 |
| Engines: | 228-hp 2.8-liter V6; 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 |
| Transmissions: | 7-speed automatic; 6-speed manual |
| Safety equipment (standard): | frontal airbags, side-impact airbags, curtain airbags; electronic stability control, traction control, ABS, EBD, Pre-Safe |
| Safety equipment (optional): | none |
| Basic warranty: | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled in: | Sindelfingen, Germany |
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| Specifications As Tested | |
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| Model tested (MSRP): | Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport |
| Standard equipment: | N/A |
| Options as tested (MSRP): | N/A |
| Destination charge: | N/A |
| Gas guzzler tax: | N/A |
| Price as tested (MSRP): | N/A |
| Layout: | rear-wheel drive |
| Engine: | 3.5-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm): | 268 @ 6000 |
| Torque (lb.-ft. @ rpm): | 258 @ 2400 |
| Transmission: | 7-speed automatic |
| EPA fuel economy, city/hwy: | N/A |
| Wheelbase: | 108.7 in. |
| Length/width/height: | 180.4/69.7/57.0 in. |
| Track, f/r: | 60.4/60.5 in. |
| Turning circle: | 35.4 ft. |
| Seating capacity: | 5 |
| Head/hip/leg room, f: | 37.1/52.3/41.7 in. |
| Head/hip/leg room, m: | N/A |
| Head/hip/leg room, r: | 36.9/54.9/33.4 in. |
| Cargo volume: | 17.6 cu. ft. |
| Payload: | N/A |
| Towing capacity: | N/A |
| Suspension, f: | independent, coil springs, gas struts, stabilizer bar |
| Suspension, r: | independent. five-link with coil springs, gas shocks, stabilizer bar |
| Ground clearance: | N/A |
| Curb weight: | 3498 lbs. |
| Tires: | P225/40ZR-17 front; P245/40ZR-17 rear |
| Brakes, f/r: | disc/disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist |
| Fuel capacity: | 17.4 gal. |