Compare the2026 Mercedes AMG E-Class SedanVS 2026 Audi S8

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the AMG E-Class Sedan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The S8 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Audi S8 has not been tested.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The AMG E-Class Sedan has a standard Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S8 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The AMG E-Class Sedan has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the S8’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the AMG E-Class Sedan has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the S8.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The S8 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the AMG E-Class Sedan and the S8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, around view monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the AMG E-Class Sedan’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the AMG E-Class Sedan second among upper midsize premium cars in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The S8 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 59 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 14 more horsepower (577 vs. 563) than the S8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid. The AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan’s optional 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (604 vs. 563) than the S8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan is faster than the Audi S8:

On the EPA test cycle the AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan running on electricity gets better mileage than the S8 (55 city/68 hwy MPGe vs. 15 city/24 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the S8 (22 city/27 hwy vs. 15 city/24 hwy).

The AMG E 53 HYBRID Sedan can travel with zero emissions for 43 miles. The S8 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi S8 (2). This means the AMG E-Class Sedan produces up to 27.7 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the S8 every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the S8.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The S8 doesn’t offer launch control.

The AMG E-Class Sedan stops shorter than the S8:

For better traction and acceleration, the AMG E-Class Sedan has larger rear tires than the S8 (295/35R20 vs. 265/35R21).

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s optional 295/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S8’s 35 series tires.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the AMG E-Class Sedan is 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the S8.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class Sedan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 pounds less than the Audi S8.

The AMG E-Class Sedan is 1 foot, 2.6 inches shorter than the S8, making the AMG E-Class Sedan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The S8 doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

The AMG E-Class Sedan’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The S8’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The S8’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG E-Class Sedan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Mercedes AMG E-Class comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Audi S8 isn’t available as a station wagon.

Motor Trend selected the AMG E-Class Sedan as their 2025 Car of the Year. The S8 has never been chosen.

The Mercedes E-Class outsold the Audi A8/S8 by almost 9 to one during 2024.