Audi A4 vs BMW 3-Series vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The last time the Audi A4 2.0TDI, the BMW 320d and the Mercedes C220 CDI went head-to-head on these pages, we found the C-class wanting in a number of areas, especially in terms of comfort equipment. Now though, with the introduction of the Avantgarde rim for the C220 CDI, the Mercedes is on a better footing. but, is it good enough to beat the well rounded A4 and the fun-to-drive 3-series?

Plushest cabin here and nicely put together. The array of buttons can be confusing at fi rst, but soon make sense

The chassis balance and steering feel and response of the A4 around corners is superb, but the 3-series is still more fun

A better face In the looks department, the C with its new grille and the larger alloys certainly looks betterand sportier than the 3; these do wonders for the car’s street presence. But, the A4 with its daytime running lights, the sporty lower bumper, a long drawn grilleand larger proportions is still the best looking.

Inside too, the Audi feels the plushest. Sure, it does has a million buttons and knobs everywhere you look, but the red backlighting and the positive click with which each of these controls work, especially the roller type steering mounted controls andthe MMI dial, just leave you feeling good about your purchase.The layout also begins to seem logical after a while.

The Mercedes and BMW interiors are more intuitive and the ones on the latter are wellput together too. Except, these lack the flair and contemporary air of the Audi. Both cars have difficult to use steering mounted controls as well, and there isn’t as much stowage space as on the A4 either. The Audi also has the most flexible and usable boot of the lot with 60:40 folding split rear seats.

BMW's cabin is well built but the design now needs an upgrade. We do love the new iDrive system and its display, nonetheless

BMW feels a lot more planted and sure-footed on the highways

The only area where the Audi finds itself playing catch up is the design of its seats. Up front, the class has the most supportive seats. And in the Avantgarde trim it also gets fully electric seats with memory function. Moreover, as an additional feature, its electrically adjustable steering is linked to the memory function as well. The 3 and the A4 in comparison lack the right back support.

The BMW though is well thought out at the rear. It has the most knee room to begin with. Then the support offered by both the seat back and bottom is better and one can also use the central and door armrests better on the 3 which should make long journeys a comfy affair.

Riding the rough. But, comfy the BMW isn’t. It’s designed to handle well; we know that, and surely enough it goes around corners with fl air, sporting the most communicative steering and chassis combo. It also urges you to push hard. And when you do, with some skill and the car’s oversteering nature, it can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately though, its ride can get quite uncomfortable. Almost every bump thuds through and it is also prone to crashing into any pothole deeper than a frying pan.

Aluminium finish inserts instead of faux wood, a good touch. Steering mounted controls though are not easy to use

Light steering doesn't help the C-class' cause in a straight line at high speeds

The C-class rides better. But don’t expect it to be cosseting because it too crashes into potholes and jars its occupants over squarish bumps, butcompared to the 3, it’s less livid. It does get adaptive suspension nonetheless and in Comfort mode, things do improve a bit but the improvementis more on the rebound side than compression which mainly helps negotiate undulations better than absorbing potholes or bumps with authority.

Authority is also something the Mercedes lacks in handling terms compared to the competition in this test. It has a light steering which doesn’t weigh up enough at speed and the car itself doesn’t feel as planted as either the Audi or the BMW in a straight line. Even around bends, there’s comparatively higher roll and wallowing, which tends to hold the driver back from exploiting the car’s limits.

No such issues plague the A4. Yes, it understeers more than the Mercedes and there’s some body roll too. It also doesn’t have the agility of the BMW, but throw it around a corner and its composure and expectedness, and the feedback it returns from all quarters, is an invitation to push it hard. Furthermore, it has superb high speed stability and its otherwise light steering also begins weighing up adequately and linearly as speeds climb.

The best bit however, is that for all its handing prowess it still manages to return a goodride. The A4 is stiffly setup so there’s no magic carpet ride to be had, but road surfaces where the 3-series and even the C-class struggle, the Audi soaks up the road faults well.

Audi A4 4-cylinder Ford engine is refined and rev happy. It needs more poke though

Off the line. Where the Audi begins to struggle though, is in performance terms.It only makes 143bhp compared to 170bhp of the C-class and 177bhp developed by the 3-series. It's also not the lightest car on test here.

As a result it is over a second behind the Mercedes and two seconds behind the Bimmer in the run up to 100kmph. And the difference increases dramatically as speeds rise; by the time the cars hit 150kmph, the A4 is trailing the C-class by nearly four seconds and the 3-series by seven seconds!

BMW 3-Series Micra's 3-cylinder engine has subdued vibes at idle. It's also most efficient

The difference in driveability between the Audi and Mercedes isn’t as stark however, but the BMW continues to be in a different league altogether. So, while you start executing your overtaking move in the A4, the 3-series is already a few cars ahead. And for all the brilliant performance,the 3 also manages to return the best fuel economy.

It has the best auto 'box' in the bunch as well which feels equally at home in manual as well as full automatic mode. The shifts are predictable and it’s reasonably quick too.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class 3-cylinder Polo engine is more vibey and loud. It's also the least efficient

The Mercedes 5-speed auto in comparison feels slow and unwilling. It is best left in auto mode with the throttle pedal dictating shifts.

Audi’s 8-speed CVT 'box meanwhile is quite the opposite. It works brilliantly in manual mode with quicker shifts than the BMW and better control too, but drive it in D mode and the elastic effect simply takes away from the fun-to-drive factor.