BMW M5 vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class

What's the difference?

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering. 

What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me. 

The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing. 

The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy. 

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

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class C200 is such a stylish sedan and I would totally have one. The driving performance, luxurious features and practical size made it a winning combo for my family. The price point is definitely up there but you do get a high-end build for the cash. I've seen bigger boots in other sedans and not being able to fit a third child seat will limit some families, but this still easily earns an 8.5/10 from me.

My son really loved this one. The ambient lighting was the highlight for him and he thought it looked like a "space car" inside. He gave it a 9/10.

The M5’s raw size is what you notice first. The G90 M5 is a whopping 113mm longer, 67mm wider and 37mm taller than the car it replaces, with the wheelbase stretched 24mm.

It is also the most pumped M5 yet, compared to a 520i it is 70mm chubbier at its flared wheel arches. The ‘M5’ insignia on the C-pillar means you’ll know this is the fast one. 

Presence is not in question, then, but beauty? Not the right word. The G90 makes its predecessors — especially the original ‘E28’ — look demure. 

The cabin layout builds on the concept debuted by the iX electric SUV, with twin integrated screens and focus on technology and minimal buttons. Materials are mostly high quality and feel fitting for the M5’s asking price.

The C200 is a sleek and elegant steed.

Initially, you may think this is just a standard Merc showcase. There's the nice big badge on the pronounced nose. Beautiful sleek lines in the body... but it's the attention to detail that make this feel special.

There's a repeated badge motif in the grille and a cute cursive Mercedes logo tucked into the corner of the windscreen. The puddle lights on the doors project the badge at night time and you can often spot a badge etched into the LED lights.

However, it's the interior that's the highlight for me and I feel like it's a big step up from previous models I've been in.

Our model has the grey 'Artico' synthetic leather trim (says grey but it's really white) and a lovely mix of piano black and shiny chrome inserts that are set against soft touchpoints throughout.

The quality of the build oozes through every stitch and join. Don't even get me started on the cool customisable ambient lighting system inside, which makes this feel like you're on the set of Tron and really elevates the interior.

It's quite fun to build one of these in Mercedes' online configurator. You can customise your trims to make it feel like your own and their blue paintwork options are great (I do love a blue car).

BMW has persevered with its twin-screen, minimal-button approach for its 'Operating System 8.5' in the M5. 

The 14.9-inch central touchscreen is bright, responsive and high resolution but the software remains a little strange. The main interface is classy but when looking for settings to adjust you’re presented with a Windows 95-esque panel of small square touch targets. It’s not intuitive. 

Wirelessly mirroring Apple CarPlay or Android Auto works a treat, at least. Digital climate controls keep temp adjustment persistently on screen and a shortcut to fan speed. The nipple-like vent direction adjustment grows on you, as do the digital vent sliders. 

The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display still doesn’t have the freedom of customisation and clarity of Audi’s interface. 

The M5 has two cupholders, a deep central storage cubby, door bins that swallow two 600mL plastic bottles and twin wireless charging pad that resolutely grips smartphones even under the sort of tummy-churning G-Forces this M5 can manage. 

Setting the M5 apart from the regular sedan is a unique centre console bunching 'M Drive' modes, 'M Hybrid' modes and other shortcut functions together next to the gear toggle and M-engraved crystal 'iDrive' controller.

Comfortable front seats are power adjustable with in/out, up/down lumbar support and have two memory positions. 

The 5096mm long M5’s back seat is very spacious. Headroom is good for those beyond 182cm (six-foot), the bench is extremely supportive, while leg and toe room are adequate.

A fold-down centre armrest has two cupholders and there are USB-C charge ports in the back of each bucket seat for a total of four. 

You can buy an accessory mount that holds tablets or smartphones for rear seat passenger entertainment, too.

When you look in the boot, BMW offering a Touring version of the latest M5 makes even more sense. The load aperture is big but the usable space is narrow; the sides intrude on load space. 

The 466-litre space will make fitting suitcases for an airport run tricky and, even with the 40/60 split-fold rear bench, you will struggle to fit a bike in the back. There’s no spare tyre, either.

I'm not going to lie – there are sedans out there that have an almost limo-like space inside but the C200 isn't one of them.

It's not small by any means and all occupants enjoy the comforts of decent legroom and headroom but it's not cavernous considering the specs (1437mm high/1820mm wide/4751mm long).

The optional panoramic sunroof does cut into the headroom for back seat passengers, which is something to consider if your family is very tall.

The storage is maybe a tad leaner-than-average for a car of this size. The glove box and middle console aren't massive but will suffice.

The cupholders up front can be removed if you need extra storage space for larger items and back seat passengers enjoy retractable cupholders in the armrest.

The way the front doors curve out creates a larger than normal storage bin and drink bottle holder – which help make up the difference. There is a dedicated phone pocket, to tuck it out of the way.

The boot space is 455 litres (VDA), which isn't as large as some others on the market but it was plenty big enough for my family's needs.

There's a handy under-floor storage pocket for smaller items, like the puncture repair kit, because you don't get a spare tyre in this.

When it comes to ease of use, my six-year-old loved not needing my help to get into his seat and he still enjoyed a decent view out of the wide back window.

The amenities in each row are good but not class-defining. Still, creature comforts have be well-thought through.

Front occupants enjoy heated seats and fantastic lumbar and under thigh support. Dual-zone climate control sorts out the temp, and the cool circular air vents that make loud audible 'clicks' when manoeuvred give the interior a jet cockpit vibe.

While I've never had an issue opening or closing a sedan boot, the powered lid was a nice feature to have this week.

The tech throughout is great and intuitive to use. The massive 11.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system is cool and is easy to use once you become acclimatised to Mercedes system.

The customisable digital instrument panel makes the driving experiences feel individualised.

The interior is a chilled out space with gentle scrolling touchpads taking the place of most 'push' buttons and dials.

Think of each surface as being a bit like a touchscreen tablet in how you operate it. I was a little worried the touchpads would be laggy but they're very responsive.

There's only one USB port in the whole car, which limits charging for other passengers but I did enjoy the easy connectivity of the wireless Apple CarPlay.

The electric heated front seats are a nice touch but I was amused by the 'kinetic' function on both. It's what you might call a 'massage' function on another car but here they don't really work. It's best to think of them as a way to do some (very) gentle stretching on a long trip.

The 360-degree camera view is super clear and crisp but the dynamic guidelines (which tilt the camera angle) are a bit too dynamic for my liking and I relied mostly on the bird's eye view to park.

As I've mentioned, the ambient lighting system creates a stellar atmosphere inside. I've often wondered why other car manufacturers haven't jumped on that bandwagon because it's a relatively cheap way of creating wow factor. And it generates massive wow factor in here.

Herein lies the rub. There are four models for the C-Class sedan and ours is at the bottom of the pack.

But don't let its position fool you in thinking it'll be cheap because this model starts at $78,900... and that's before you start adding the option packs. 

Our model is fitted with the 'Vision Package' which adds a host of features – like a panoramic sunroof, head-up display and heated front seats, to name just a few. This adds about $3000 to the price tag.

This also has the optional 'Sport Package' which adds 19-inch AMG alloy wheels and rear privacy glass, among other things, for an extra $1300.

Unfortunately, even without all of those options, this is still one of the most expensive 'entry-level' sedans in the luxury class!

Unlike the Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW has kept the M5’s eight-cylinder heart and this has proven to be a good decision. 

The 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol engine has been optimised with “a cross-bank exhaust manifold and optimised oil separation”, says BMW.

The V8 spins to 7200rpm though it isn't a screamer, outputting a full-bodied 430kW (5600-6500rpm) and 750Nm (1800-5400rpm).

Augmented with a transmission-mounted 145kW electric motor that can produce up to 450Nm, thanks to pre-gearing, maximum combined outputs are 535kW and 1000Nm. 

Weight blunts punch, though, so despite nearly 100kW and 250Nm more, the new M5 is a tenth slower to 100km/h than its predecessor (claimed), at 3.5 seconds for the sprint.

You can thank a 220kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio, worse than the old car's 233kW/tonne figure. The new G90 claws some time back with brute force, hitting 200km/h in just 10.9 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 305km/h.

You can choose from five powertrain settings, starting with 'Electric' and 'Hybrid' for everyday use, while 'eControl' lets you store battery power for urban use.

'Dynamic' provides the best balance, says BMW, while 'Dynamic Plus' is like a qualifying mode. Think maximum combined punch for up to 10 minutes, at which point you’ll have drained the battery. 

Driving in pure electric mode, the take-off can be a little jerky but the quietude and decent power make it pleasant. Power sources are combined expertly in Hybrid and giving it some stick in Dynamic is more than enough to make your passengers feel queasy.

The C200 has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with an integrated starter-generator. 

What's that, you ask? So, glad you did. It's basically an electric battery that also acts as your starter... or alternator.

It smooths out vibrations from the engine and generates some power from braking. Making this a very mild hybrid. Note the 'mild'.

Is it powerful? Surprisingly, yeah. It has a maximum output of 165kW and 300Nm of torque. Combine that with the starter-generator and we have a powerful little engine that can push the C200 from 0-100km in 7.3 seconds, while still feeling like there's power in reserve.

The nine-speed auto transmission is damn smooth and there's no clunky gear changing at any speed. It's got great pick-up, too, for when you need to overtake or zip across traffic.

Electric-only range is rated up to 69km in WLTP testing, but the 18.6kWh battery is more likely to give you around 60km in real-world driving. It can be topped up in about two hours using an 11kW AC charger, or overnight on a three-pin socket. 

BMW includes both Mode 3 (public) and Mode 2 (home) charging cables with the M5. 

The M5 uses 3.2L/100km of 98 RON premium unleaded in ADR testing, corresponding to just 72g/km of CO2, so it should sail through the first rounds of Australian emissions regulations. 

Indulging in what the V8 has to offer sees that consumption spike, though. An enthusiastic road drive saw the M5 gulp 12.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 6.9L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 7.2L, which was awesome for the heavy driving I did this week on a combo of urban and open-roads.

The light regen braking probably helps this coast comfortably into being a very efficient sedan for its size.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and you'll need 66 litres of it to fill the tank.

Driving range using the official consumption figure is around 950km, and 915km using our real-world number.

The three M5 elements start with daily usability. We trundled out of Bathurst in electric mode, with the adaptive dampers (and other myriad settings) in Comfort. 

The M5 has steel springs, double wishbone front suspension and a five-link rear axle, all of which has been heavily reworked by the boffins at M. Naturally, the ride is firm, though in Comfort the body moves through its motions smoothly. 

The M5 is an effortless tourer, its eight-speed automatic shmoozing through ratios as it climbs and descends steep gradients. Wind and tyre noise insulation is good on coarse chip tarmac, though a bit more burble from the V8 would be appreciated. 

The M5 has nine adjustable parameters to wake it up: 'Drivetrain', 'Energy Recovery', 'Drivelogic' (gear shift aggression), 'Chassis', 'Steering', 'Brake', 'M xDrive', stability control settings and 'M Sound'. Favourite settings can be stored to the wheel-mounted M1 and M2 buttons. 

With the dampers still in Comfort the M5 remains fantastically capable with power delivery from the xDrive mighty rewarding on corner exit. Sport dampers sharpen the experience up further, amplifying the M5’s surprising agility. Thank the rear-wheel steer for this big sedan’s switchback performance. 

Step beyond the limit of grip, brake too late, or get on the power too early, though, and the M5’s mass reveals itself rapidly. It doesn’t help that the accurate steering is devoid of feel. The brake-by-wire pedal is too numb and light, as well, making it tricky to judge grip levels on the road.

Feel is less of an issue on a dry Mount Panorama circuit, where the M5 turns out to be a total pussycat. The all-wheel drive, consistent dynamics, strong brakes and well-tuned stability control make for an approachable but seriously fast sedan.

The responsive transmission will hold gears to redline and is eager on the downshift in its most aggressive setting while tactile shift paddles make commanding ratio changes yourself that bit more engaging. 

Prodigious punch out of corners is matched by the impressive consistency of the carbon ceramic brakes. The M5 pulled up for The Chase every time with minimal fuss, even from above 250km/h.

Similar credit goes to the 285mm front and 295mm rear Hankook S1 Evo tyres which remained consistent and predictable all day despite reaching temperatures over 130 degrees, according to the tyre pressure monitor.

The steering feels solid and concise. The tyres seem like they're glued to the road, making winding roads downright fun to tackle. Oh, and the sharp 11 metre turning circle is wonderful.

The handling makes this your best friend in a car park. The lower ground clearance did elicit some unladylike grunts when I parked on a hill, but otherwise the wide door apertures makes it easy to get in and out of.

The only thing I would note is the low-profile ground clearance. Just be aware of your speed and angle when you handle car park ramps or road bumps in this. They are not your friends.

The safety sheet is well-stocked and has the usual suspects you want in a family car, like: AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist (effective speed 7.0-90km/h); forward and back-over collision warning, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning and emergency lane keeping assist, as well as, blind-spot monitoring.

I quite like the 'Active Distance Assist' which helps to automatically slow your vehicle speed to keep a set distance to the car in front in stop-start traffic.

Perfect for those busy city commutes. And if you're not confident on parking, this also has a 'Park Assist' feature.

It's nice to see that this has nine airbags, which include a driver's knee airbag and the newer front centre airbag.

This has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating which is nice and new from testing done in 2022.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats and three top tether anchor points but because of the narrower rear seat, you'll only comfortably fit two side-by-side.

It was super easy to fit my seats and there's a good amount of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

In Australia, BMW has moved to match other manufacturers in offering a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on all its cars. 

Servicing is recommended on a condition basis, with the M5’s multimedia system prompting a visit to the mechanics. BMW offers pre-paid service packs for five years/80,000km at a price of $5059 for the basic offer and $8152 for 'Inclusive Plus', which covers brake pad and rotor replacements. 

It is expensive next to a regular 5 Series but when you consider the purchase price and performance level, the M5’s service pricing is not astronomical. 

The C200 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.

There are multiple servicing options and on the five-year plan, the services average $1090 annually, which is quite expensive.

Servicing intervals are pretty good at every 12 months or a longer than usual 25,000km, whichever comes first.