2024 G60 BMW 5 Series vs W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – both high tech, but very different approaches

2024 G60 BMW 5 Series vs W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – both high tech, but very different approaches

Making their respective global debuts a month apart, the latest generations of the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have been rivals over decades, and while both emerge to be the most technology-laden iterations yet, each one takes a distinct approach to electrification and overall design.

Compared to their predecessors, the G60 5 Series is a marked departure from the G30 in terms of styling, with more angular lines on its ‘face’ and a different set of crease lines in profile view. By comparison, the W214 E-Class appears more conservative with its its less radical rework of styling from its predecessor, the W213 facelift.

It somewhat harks back several generations to the E60 5 Series, which was a vast departure from the much-loved E39, and the W211 E-Class which was considerably less radical in its progression from the W210.

The G60 5 Series shares its Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform with the i5 that premiered simultaneously, as the platform has been designed to accommodate both internal combustion powertrains (with varying levels of electrification) as well as fully electric drive.

By contrast, the W214 E-Class is built on the MRA2 platform which is a predominantly internal-combustion platform; its pure EV equivalent, the EQE, uses the EV-dedicated Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA).

Similarities return in the combustion engine selection at launch for these mid-sized models of each German brand, where four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines (208 hp 520i, 197 hp 520d for the G60 5 Series, 204 hp E 200 and 197 hp E 220 d for the W214 E-Class) feature for their native European market.

Meanwhile, both bring to the North American market a more powerful four-cylinder petrol as well as a six-cylinder petrol (255 hp/400 Nm 530i and 375 hp/520 Nm 540i xDrive, and 255 hp/400 Nm E 350 4Matic and 375 hp/500 Nm E 450 4Matic.

Moving inside, the cabin of each car continue to showcase the design language of each brand; display screens take centrestage in this era, and BMW and Mercedes-Benz demonstrate their different approaches, with the Curved Display and Superscreen designs respectively.

Both the G60 BMW 5 Series and the W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class come loaded with active safety and driver assistance systems; BMW claims a world-first with Active Lane Change Assistant that executes a lane change (where safe) when the driver looks at the exterior mirror after a prompt, while the Attention Assist on the E-Class adds a driver distraction alert.

Feature sets from the consumer electronics realm feature heavily, as both the G60 5 Series and W214 E-Class pack a selfie camera, as well as a host of applications which include games. In this area, the new 5 Series features AirConsole, bringing games such as “Go Kart Go”, “Golazo”, “Music Guess” and “Overcooked”, in addition to video streaming.

For comparison, the new E-Class notably rolled out the availability of the Angry Birds game along with TikTok, Zoom, Webex and more.

With those aspects considered, which of the two gets your pick?

GALLERY: BMW 5 Series Family

GALLERY: BMW i5 M60 xDrive

GALLERY: BMW i5 eDrive40

GALLERY: W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

Learn more:

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • Fanboy on May 25, 2023 at 12:25 pm

    BMW FTW

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 51 Thumb down 6
  • 5 series is back to the E60 eagle eyes?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • Love 5 Series

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 5
  • @NotBruceWayne on May 25, 2023 at 1:45 pm

    BMW needs to change their design language soon.
    Tech is great but we’ve seen it all in other marques too.
    SAIC will be changing the game in Solid-state battery tech in coming years. Hope everybody start doing so.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 20
  • Audi Fans on May 25, 2023 at 2:04 pm

    Audi look better

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 20
    • Up to preference choice. But yeah, not only Audi looks good but BMW looks good too

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 2
  • Sohai on May 25, 2023 at 2:14 pm

    Hidden due to lowcomment rating. Click here to see.

    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 115 Thumb down 252
    • But if you tried EQE/EQS since almost similar design as E Class W214, you feel bored. Even reliability and quality for mercedes also not reach to BMW level

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 4
    • mercftw on May 25, 2023 at 2:55 pm

      doubt that 3 screens is available across all models in e-class, that crappy burmester is easy pass. Handphones sounded better.

      bmw looked edgy, not really like the rear lights, gonna wait for the actual car.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • BMW > Mercedes

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 6
  • Holder on May 25, 2023 at 2:33 pm

    5 Series have more beauty than E Class

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 4
  • ROTI CANAI on May 25, 2023 at 2:33 pm

    both look terrible

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 2
  • Peppa on May 25, 2023 at 2:34 pm

    Both are ugly and showcased only gimmicks. P.S BMWs fans are the the worst of the worst.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 23
    • escalator on May 26, 2023 at 10:10 am

      Really….but heard from many said 5 series doesn’t look as ugly as E Class

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 4
  • Jonas on May 25, 2023 at 3:15 pm

    5 series takes the win in exterior and interior department. Even, 5 series can easily fight E Class for reliability, performance and fc

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 6
  • Myvi King on May 25, 2023 at 3:26 pm

    Since the tech stuff are almost equal, it now boils down to beauty (very subjective!) and handling. I’d go for the G60 for its sporty chunky looks; the W214 is still ‘uncle’ type :P

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 3
  • So the competition on “Who is the ugliest” begins….lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Niadruob Ynohtna on May 25, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    Merc takes the cake this round. Merc design looks more upmarket. The BMW looks sporty but somehow has the look the lower tier 2 series sedan. BMW design looks too busy.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 49 Thumb down 133
  • Why buy E Class when E Class is rated as worst design and poor durability in its class

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 7
  • B33mer on May 25, 2023 at 8:27 pm

    BMW G60 is Ugly AF .. Mercedes is killing it in terms of looks .. the previous G30 is miles better

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 23
    • E Class copying from BMW. Rear design for E Class looks terrible. Interior for E Class is uninspiring but full

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 31 Thumb down 13
  • BMW The Best

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 110 Thumb down 39
  • Aaron on May 25, 2023 at 11:44 pm

    Honestly, this design will grow on me. Don’t get me wrong it’s underwhelming but between the BMW and Mercedes….the Merc is uglier a it’s trying too hard…common Merc fanboys this is your cue to take potshots at me…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 2
    • Isaac on May 26, 2023 at 11:13 am

      And Mercedes fanbois thinks that mercedes is more like maserati looking with lexus reliability where other competitors can’t beat mercedes but don’t know about either the weaknesses or can’t accept people’s opinion about mercedes nowadays

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 1
  • beamcruiser on May 26, 2023 at 8:15 am

    BMW cars styling are not nice anymore, tech and driving experience may still be superb.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • escalator on May 26, 2023 at 10:10 am

    Of course la, 5 Series

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 102 Thumb down 41
  • SayangMalaysia on May 26, 2023 at 11:31 am

    Wah its already 2023 and still got people buy BMW/Mercedes ka?? Drive or no drive and it is programmed to rosak after 5 years and still got people beli? Hahaha. Buy Tesla la or other EV. Only sohai will pay for Europe’s inflation today.Pay more but get less.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • stick on May 26, 2023 at 12:30 pm

    with that fugly Lancer headlamp on the 5, they should really fire the designer, what a failure

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • E Class looks way worse than this

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 43 Thumb down 15
  • E class looks way worse than 5 series

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
  • E Class W214 is Ugly AF .. BMW G60 is way better than E Class W214 in terms of looks .. even the previous W213 is also better than E Class W214 though not as good as BMW G60

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Ezlan on Sep 12, 2023 at 12:50 am

    Previous design of 5 series was way better than this crap. G30 wayy much better than this mess.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required