Audi A4 vs Mercedes-Benz E53
What's the difference?

Audi A4

$28,850 - $47,950

2021 price

View pricing & specs

Mercedes-Benz E53

—

2025 price

View pricing & specs

Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2021 Audi A4

2025 Mercedes-Benz E53

By Marcus Craft

By James Cleary

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo, 2.0L

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Diesel

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.2L/100km (combined)

1.7L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

—

Electric range

100 km

Battery capacity

28.60 kWh

Seating

Likes

Nice to drive
Looks good
Impressive interior

Looks
Performance
Safety

Dislikes

Space-saver tyre
Short warranty
Paying extra for driver-assist tech

No spare tyre
Steep service pricing
Modest boot

2021 Audi A4 Summary

The Audi A4 allroad is the off-roader of the A4 line-up. I’m using the term ‘off-roader’ loosely here because this wagon is obviously best suited to daily duties in a city and suburbs, with perhaps an occasional foray into very light off-roading, i.e. driving on a well-maintained gravel or dirt road with few, if any, corrugations, and in dry weather only.

But that’s not a negative factor because the great thing about adventures is that they can be scaled to suit you, your lifestyle and your vehicle of choice.

However, is this allroad your best option for a comfortable, nice-driving all-rounder? Read on.

View full pricing & specs

2025 Mercedes-Benz E53 Summary

You like performance, love a bit of luxury and fancy a traditional sedan. The budget is healthy and there’s a surprising amount of choice. But Mercedes-AMG believes it’s created the car that perfectly answers your new-car brief.

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ is a fresh expression of an established high-performance sedan formula mixing internal-combustion power with electric punch and all-wheel drive.

We were invited to its local launch, so stay with us to see if this newcomer is ready to fill that primo European performance car shaped space in your garage.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2021 Audi A4 2025 Mercedes-Benz E53

Verdict

The Audi A4 allroad 40 TDI quattro S Tronic is a nice-looking wagon that’s fun to drive.

It’s packed with tech, adequately functional for daily life and it’s also capable enough off-road as long as the driving surface is nothing more challenging than well-maintained gravel or dirt tracks in dry weather, and you’re not planning a rough-and-tumble expedition into remote bushland.

As I mentioned earlier, the great thing about adventures is that you can scale them to suit you and your vehicle and the allroad offers a nice stepping-stone for people who’d like to experience the outdoorsy lifestyle, before perhaps diving deeper into it.

Verdict

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ is a superb blend of high-tech hybrid muscle and cossetting top-end luxury. Value is competitive, it looks (and feels) the business, despite the conventional sedan configuration it’s surprisingly practical (except for the modest boot), fuel-efficiency is a key benefit and safety is stellar. The ownership proposition is okay for the category but that’s not top of mind when an enticing series of corners ranges into view. It’s an impressive package.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Audi A4 vs Mercedes-Benz E53 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi A4 vs Mercedes-Benz E53
What's the difference?