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Audi A5 Avant vs. BMW 3 Series Touring vs. Mercedes C-Class Estate

The new A5 Avant is set to shake up the German premium estate car market. We make an initial comparison

Audi A5 Avant vs. BMW 3er Touring vs. Mercedes C-Klasse T-Modell

Photo by: Motor1.com

By: Stefan Wagner

Published by: Brian Potter

Jul 21, 2024 at 12:27pm ET

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Audi has been somewhat lethargic when it comes to new models in recent years, but now it seems the Ingolstadt-based company is back. There is still a lot to come in the next few months.

But despite the obsessive electric optimism of its own boss Gernot Döllner ("The future of the car is clearly electric"), one of the most important Audis of the next few years will still be burning petrol. We are of course talking about the new Audi A5, which made a rather strong and pleasing debut at the beginning of the week.

So things are finally happening in the premium D-segment, probably still the German motorist's favourite child. Can the new A5 Avant (which will account for 80 per cent of all A5 sales in Germany) hold its own against the top dogs, the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes C-Class Estate? We dare to make an early comparison.

Exterior

All three car manufacturers can produce beautiful estate cars, so there should be little disagreement. The new A5 Avant sets itself apart from the competition with its very modern lighting design. Whether the many configurable light signatures are a real reason to buy is another question.

Mercedes C-Class Estate (2024)

Mercedes-Benz

BMW 3er Touring (2024)

BMW

Audi A5 Avant (2024)

Audi

More importantly, the A5 has grown considerably and, at 4.83 metres, is now a good deal larger than the Benz and, above all, the BMW. It also leads the field in terms of wheelbase. This provides significantly more space in the interior than before. After an initial seat test, it is clear that the four rings are now ahead in the rear.

Model Length Width Height Wheelbase Audi A5 Avant 4,829 mm 1,860 mm 1,460 mm 2,900 mm BMW 3 Series Touring 4,713 mm 1,827 mm 1,440 mm 2,851 mm Mercedes C-Class Estate 4,751 mm 1,820 mm 1,454 mm 2,865 mm

Interior

The predecessor A4 certainly had the most catching up to do here. The quality of the interior was top-notch, as is typical for Audi, but bear in mind that it had almost nine years under its belt (market launch in October 2015). And even the major facelift was five years ago. Now, Audi has really upped the ante with the new A5 Avant in terms of cockpit design and material quality.

Audi A5 Avant (2024)

Audi

BMW 3er Touring (2024)

BMW

Mercedes C-Class Estate (2024)

Mercedes-Benz

With the very high-quality curved display, the new passenger display and the way the cockpit wraps around the front passengers, they have set the benchmark for us in terms of style, solidity and quality (but the 3 Series and C-Class have also been on the market for a few years).

It remains to be seen how the handling works. Despite the annoying touch steering wheel buttons, the Mercedes is certainly good here thanks to its sensible menu navigation and first-class voice control. But for us, the BMW ranks right at the top with its mix of rotary pushbuttons, touch controls and also excellent voice control.

Unfortunately, Audi now relies on capacitive steering wheel buttons, and there are no longer any real buttons for the climate control. Instead, the hand rest in front of the infotainment screen is a welcome change. This makes operation easier because you can tap more steadily. The voice assistant will get help from ChatGPT in future.

With its increased dimensions, the A5 Avant is right at the front in terms of legroom in row two. The others are better at boot space. Here, the Audi even delivers slightly less than its predecessor. In addition, there is no storage space under the boot floor, as this is where the 48-volt battery of the new super mild hybrid system is located.

Model Digital instruments Infotainment Passenger display Boot volume Audi A5 Avant 11.9 inches 14.5 inches 10.9 inches 476 - 1,424 litres BMW 3 Series Touring 12.3 inches 14.9 inches erm ... no 500 - 1,510 litres Mercedes C-Class Estate 12.3 inches 11.9 inches um ... no 490 - 1,510 litres

Powertrains

Audi is using its new Mild Hybrid Plus engines for the first time in the upcoming A5. Here, an electric motor located on the transmission output shaft provides up to 24 PS boost and 25 kW recuperation. The lithium iron phosphate battery has 1.8 kWh. The system is said to save up to 0.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and can be driven purely electrically when gliding or manoeuvring. All in all, it weighs 65 kilograms. This means that the A5 runs in the ideal Lambda1 range across the entire map - a basic requirement for compliance with future emissions standards.

There are two 2.0-litre petrol engines, a 2.0-litre TDI and a 3.0-litre V6 in the new S5 and S5 Avant. The basic petrol engine comes with front-wheel drive, the S5 with all-wheel drive, and there is a choice of all other engines. All come with a 7-speed dual clutch. Two four-cylinder plug-in hybrids will follow in 2025, which should offer an electric range of more than 60 miles. A V6 plug-in hybrid is expected for the new RS 5.

Gallery: 2025 Audi S5 Sedan / Avant

Audi S5 (2024) and Audi S5 Avant (2024)

Source: Audi

The 3 Series still has a relatively large engine portfolio, and let's be honest. Whether four or six-cylinder, diesel or petrol, it has always been one level better than its two competitors. An 8-speed automatic transmission is now obligatory. In addition to rear-wheel drive, xDrive all-wheel drive is also available for many engines.

The current Mercedes engine range is relatively economical, but not overly exciting. Always included: a 9-speed automatic gearbox. Depending on the model, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive is available. The decision to offer only four-cylinder engines in the current C-Class is still the subject of controversy. The new AMG C 63, which relies on a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid instead of a V8, has so far proved to be a fatal flop.

Model Petrol Diesel Plug-in hybrid Audi A5 Avant

2.0 litre: 150 PS, 204 PS

3.0 litre: 367 PS

2.0 litre: 204 PS

2.0 litre: 300 PS, 367 PS

(from 2025)

BMW 3 Series Touring

2.0 litre: 156 PS, 184 PS, 245 PS

3.0 litre: 374 PS, 510 PS

2.0 litre: 150 PS, 190 PS

3.0 litre: 286 PS, 340 PS

2.0 litre: 204 PS, 292 PS

Mercedes C-Class Estate

1.5 litre: 170 PS, 204 PS

2.0 litre: 258 PS, 408 PS

2.0 litre: 163 PS, 200 PS, 265 PS

2.0 litre: 313 PS, 381 PS, 680 PS

2.0 litre diesel: 313 PS

Prices

So far, we only know the entry-level price of the new A5 Avant in Germany. With the 150 PS petrol engine and front-wheel drive, it starts at just over €46,000 (approx. £38,000 at the current exchange rate).

More about the A5:

Audi A5 saloon (2024): Worthy successor to the A5 Sportback and A4?

Audi A5 Avant (2024) vs A4 Avant (2024): New and old in comparison

New Audi A5: Interior details

Audi A5 Coupé and Cabriolet end without successor

What do you think?

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Comments

To enjoy the benefits of a BMW 3 Series Touring, you need to pay at least £42,430. For this, there is a 320i with 184 PS and automatic transmission.

Mercedes starts at £46,870. This gets you a C 200 with 204 PS mild hybrid and 9-speed automatic transmission.