When you get the market flooded with options and when you have the best German car brands like Volkswagen, and Porsche in the market.
Reliability is and will be one of the most important factors every car buyer would consider before buying any vehicle, let alone one of the most dominant car brands.
BMW, Mercedes, or Audi – These three names will always come to your mind when thinking about buying a luxury car that is also amazingly reliable and for a good reason.
In this article, we will make the ultimate brand war and SUVdiscuss everything you should know when comparing these brands.
History Overview
BMW
The company initially entered the German market in 1916 with the denomination BFW as an aircraft engine manufacturer. But with the change in the post-World War I landscape in general, and the demand for aircraft engines shrinking considerably, things were pretty challenging for the brand.
BMW tried to stay in business by manufacturing motorcycles following up with manufacturing autos in 1928 by acquiring Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach. During the 1930s, BMW produced designer automobiles but was forced to switch to the production of military equipment during World War II.
Post-war, BMW produced kitchen utensils and restarted motorcycle production in 1948. in 1952, the brand stabilized with the BMW 501 luxury saloon that laid the foundation of BMW.
Mercedes
Karl Benz built the first petrol-powered Motorwagen in 1885 after Siegfried Marcus invented the first combustion engine in the automobile industry in 1864. It wouldn’t be wrong to call him the father of today’s luxury automobile industry.
Doesn’t Karl Benz’s name sound familiar? Yes, you guessed it right, it’s the same Benz name used in Mercedes Benz but from where Mercedes came into existence.
Later in 1902, an Australian entrepreneur Emil Jellinek trademarked the name Mercedes after her daughter. Both these companies came into coalition and became Mercedes-Benz in 1926 which went on to create some of the most iconic vehicles in the 90s and now being among the top brands globally.
Audi
One of the earliest cars introduced by this prolific German automotive engineer was the Type A Sport-Phaeton, which hit the market in 1910 and introduced Audi as a separate carmaker.
It wasn’t until 1932 that Audi was merged with Horch, Wanderer, and DKW under one umbrella, Auto Union AG, a company well recognized for its engineering prowess and quite successful on the race track.
Then in 1985, Audi stepped out of this coalition, changing its name to Audi NSU Auto Union AG at a time when evolution and concentration on modern automotive design and technology were needed to institute a strong brand identity of Audi as it exists today.
This is all about the history of each car brand, and now we discuss each brand’s famous vehicles and the reliability rankings of the brands from some authentic websites like JD. Power and try to find out the winner of BMW vs Audi vs Mercedes.
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Overall Reliability Rankings
BMW
BMW is known for its superior engineering, innovative technology, unparalleled comfort, perfect designs, and impressive resale value. The sports cars of BMW make them distinguishable from the other brands and one of the main reasons for their popularity.
The famous brands include, X5, X3, XM, M1, iX2, X6, i7, and X7. Let’s hold on to the BMW X3 below……
BMW’s Best: 2017 BMW X3
The 2017 BMW X3 is a well-regarded luxury compact SUV and is one of the most reliable BMWs with a J.D. power rating of 86 out of 100.
Being the second generation from this popular F25 X3 that offers a 2.0L four-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 240 hp in the xDrive28i models to BMW X3 giving extremely powerful B58 3.0L inline-six with 300 hp channeled to the xDrive35i.
Returning responsive handling, a pleasurable ride, and offering fuel economy as high as 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway, the X3 has an interior composed of quality materials, comfortable seating, and abundant cargo space.
Standard interior equipment includes a power liftgate, rain-sensing wipers, and BMW’s iDrive infotainment. A rearview camera and front/rear parking sensors are available as optional safety features.
Audi
Every Audi model is a solid performer and launched to attain the brand’s commitment to excellence and performance.
It manufactures many different types of vehicles, such as electric cars, sportbacks, coupes, convertibles, SUVs, sedans, wagons, and sports vehicles. It has many reliable options in the market.
Among the most reliable ones are Audi Q5, A4, and S4. Let’s review the 2022 Audi Q5 real quick…
Audi’s Best: 2022 Audi Q5
The 2022 Audi Q5 is a luxury mid-size SUV. This powerful hybrid model has a plug-in hybrid drive train system, which delivers 362 hp and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds. It has a turbo charge 4 cylinder engine and a 7-speed S tronic transmission system.
Talking about reliability, This model gets stellar 5 out of 5 ratings in terms of safety from NHTSA, and a reliability rating of 76 out of 100 from J.D Power making it not so much but still a safer option for buyers.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes- being the pioneer of the German automotive world, is all about performance and advanced engineering. They manufacture exotic SUVs, luxury sedans, cabriolets, and the advanced EVs.
Mercedes also has many reliable options available in the market, such as C-class, E-class, GLA, GLS, GLC, and more. Today, we will discuss the 2024 Mercedes GLE to give you an idea about the brand’s vehicle.
Benz’s Best: 2024 Mercedes GLE
The new 2024 Mercedes GLE comes in multiple trims, such as the GLE350, GLE 450, GLE 450e, GLE plug-in hybrid, and GLE 580.
The most reliable among all is the GLE 350 due to its performance and reliability- powered by a 255-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces a 362-hp powertrain, offers a nine-speed automatic transmission, and comes with both rear and all-wheel drive options.
According to JD Power, this model gets 81 out of 100 good reliability scores- a good one to rely on.The average yearly maintenance cost for the model is about $788 (repairPal). This maintenance price is higher than the average, and you may visit multiple shops to get it repaired.
Winner – BMW
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Which Brands Need More Maintenance?
For those concerned about the maintenance cost of these brands, let’s have a face-off, BMW vs Audi vs Mercedes, and understand which one is cheaper in terms of maintenance.
According to data from WhoCanFixMyCar, Audi is the cheapest of the three German luxury brands in terms of maintenance costs. The average annual maintenance cost for Audi is $566.10, compared to the BMW maintenance cost of $570.83 and $589.25 for Mercedes.
Mercedes consistently had the highest costs across all maintenance categories. However, it’s important to note that these figures are averages, and actual costs can vary depending on specific models and individual circumstances.
Additionally, other sources like RepairPal indicate that Audi’s overall maintenance costs may be higher than the industry average when considering a longer timeframe and including repair costs.
Winner– Audi
Safety Features and Driving Experience
In the battle of these high-end luxurious German brands, safety is one of the deciding factors that will help us find the more reliable option.
Mercedes- Standard in all Mercedes vehicles include safety features like active brake assist, attention assist feature, blind spot assist, rearview camera, advanced airbag technology, LED headlamps & taillamps, crosswind assist, and LED daytime running lamps.
Models like GLA and A class get high ratings on NCAP safety tests and positive reviews from drivers.
Audi– Audi has integrated different safety features in its vehicles, such as anti-lock brakes, security systems, overhead bags, Audi pre-sense, adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, and parking lane assist. Audi’s models A6 and A3 get 5 out of 5 ratings according to NCAP rating- However, it is still below BMW & Mercedes.
BMW– BMWs are considered one of the safest vehicles by drivers and different surveys. BMW offers an active protection system, active blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and frontal collision warning with city collision in all its vehicles to ensure the safety of the passengers. NCAP gives full five-star ratings to its X5 and BMW 3 Series.
Driving Experience
Better Driving experience comes with technologically advanced integrated systems in the cars. It is crucial to understand the brand to find the most reliable car brand in the market.
Mercedes offers keyless start, sportier styling, panoramic sunroof, and front heated seats, and some AMG Models offer iconic AMG styling and larger alloys which indicate the importance of the best driving experience for the users.
Audi keeps its vehicles updated with the latest technological features, lush interiors, and exotic exterior designs. Its Quattro all-wheel drive, LED lights, Android Auto, MMI Navigation Plus infotainment, and advanced technological features make its driving experience one of the good brands to choose cars.
BMW is long known for its sporty vehicles, speed, upgraded wheels, and suspension. This automobile brand offers powerful engines, lower rides even on the larger wheels, and a sportier design. These vehicles give powerful, youthful rides, and aggressive racing.
Comparing the driving experience of all three automotive brands, BMW and Mercedes are better than the Audi. And in the final round of comparison, BMW has an edge over both due to its driving dynamics and user reviews.
Undisputed Winner – BMW
Final Words
As far as the stats are concerned, BMW and Mercedes are competitors in the race for reliability. Audi is a reliable option as far as the maintenance cost is concerned.
Moreover, comparing the reliability score from the JD Power and safety ratings, BMW is more reliable and safe than Mercedes and Audi. Mercedes gets the second place followed by Audi.
In a nutshell, If you are a calm driver, Mercedes would suit you, if you are a sportsman, BMW will amaze you, and if you need low maintenance cost, Audi is best for you.
In this battle of car brands, winners can be different in different periods, and people with change their preferences with each new model launch.
