2016 Mercedes-Benz E Class vs. Its Competition

Kirk Bell Senior Editor

One of the longtime leaders in luxury sales, the Mercedes E-Class comes in a wide variety of drivetrains and body styles, from diesel to AMG.

That makes vehicles like the Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series its closest rivals, in both performance and prestige.

The 5-Series has grown big and complex over the years like the E-Class, but in all but the most posh versions its interior is stark, and its adaptive driving controls don't always converge on a happy medium.

The M5 variant can be a thrilling performer at supernatural speeds but overkill at anything resembling regular duty.

The A6 has relative lightness and user-friendly road manners in its corner, but we'd still prefer its sexy hatchback A7 counterpart.

The RS7 is the highest-output version on that platform, and it makes a good E63 competitor, while the A6 is offered with a diesel.

The Cadillac CTS is the best American rival, and it offers dynamics that arguably beat the best from Europe.

We're also still fans of Infiniti's Q70 sedan.

It's a pretty four-door, with a choice of hybrid, six-cylinder, and eight-cylinder engines, and rear- or all-wheel drive, plus it's available in long-wheelbase form.