2026 BMW 4 Series vs 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins clearly, 93.4 to 77.8, on tech & comfort, safety. The BMW 4 Series is ahead on fuel & range.
2026 BMW 4 Series
The 2026 BMW 4 Series is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact sedan with 12 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 430i Coupe, is EPA-rated a…
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the C300, is EPA-rated…
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Clear winThe Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins clearly, 93.4 to 77.8, on tech & comfort, safety. The BMW 4 Series is ahead on fuel & range.
| Category · weight | 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Classoverall 93.4 | 2026 BMW 4 Seriesoverall 77.8 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 93.2 | 100 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 85.2 | 71 | ||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | ||||||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | ||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 50 | ||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | ||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 93.4 | 77.8 | ||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 4 of 7 categories compared
Mercedes-Benz C-Class: base trim C 300 RWD · BMW 4 Series: base trim 430i Convertible RWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins
- It lists 13 standard driver-assist features against 0.
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (6 points against 3 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 85).
Where the 2026 BMW 4 Series answers
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (2 against 4 filed with NHTSA).
- It costs $200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,650 against $2,850).
What they share
- 255 hp.
- 295 lb-ft.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
37 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $49,650 | — |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | twin turbo | — |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 2,000 cc | 1,998 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L inline-4 turbo with mild hybrid drive | 2.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 255 hp | 255 hp |
| Torque | 295 lb-ft | 295 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 25 mpg | 27 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 30 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 35 mpg | 35 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission speeds | 9 | 8 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Overall height | 56.6 in | — |
| Overall length | 187 in | — |
| Overall width | 74.4 in | — |
| Wheelbase | 113 in | 112 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 11.6 cu-ft | — |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | — |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40 in | 40.6 in |
| Second-row headroom | 37.5 in | — |
| Third-row headroom | — | 36.1 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 41.7 in | — |
| Second-row legroom | 36 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,825 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,825 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | 4-link independent | — |
| Rear suspension type | 5-arm multilink independent | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Rack-and-pinion with electromechanical power assist | — |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 18.8 ft | — |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 18 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 225/45R18 front and 245/40R18 rear | — |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 17.4 gal | — |
| Minimum recommended octane | 91 | — |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | Mercedes-Benz Digital Extras | — |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56.3 in | 57.7 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 55.6 in | — |
| Third-row shoulder room | — | 46.2 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
40 features · differences first, then sharedSafety13 differ · 13 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 7 air bags | std | — |
| Front center air bag | std | — |
| Attention Assist | std | — |
| Rear side-impact air bags | std | — |
| Active Brake Assist | std | — |
| Adaptive braking technology | std | — |
| Adaptive Highbeam Assist | std | — |
| Antilock Braking System (ABS) | std | — |
| Blind Spot Assist with Exit Warning Assist | std | — |
| Electronic Stability Program (ESP) | std | — |
| Pre-safe | std | — |
| PRE-SAFE Sound | std | — |
| Seat belt technology | std | — |
Infotainment4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| MBUX profiles, routines and templates | std | — |
| Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call Service | std | — |
| Over-the-air software updates | std | — |
| steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters | — | std |
Seating1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated front seats | std | — |
Interior4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster | std | — |
| 64-color LED ambient lighting | std | — |
| Headroom front / rear: 40.6 in / 36.1 in (Convertible) | — | std |
| Shoulder room front / rear: 57.7 in / 46.2 in (Convertible) | — | std |
Exterior4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Power-folding side mirrors | std | — |
| Body style: Convertible | — | std |
| LED Daytime Running Lamps | std | — |
| Rain-sensing windshield wipers | std | — |
Powertrain13 differ · 13 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 0-60 mph: 6 s (430i Convertible) | — | std |
| 2.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder | — | std |
| 255 hp | — | std |
| 295 lb-ft torque | — | std |
| 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission with Sport and Manual shift modes, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Launch Control | — | std |
| Displacement: 1998 cc | — | std |
| Fuel economy city: 27 MPG (430i Convertible) | — | std |
| Fuel economy combined: 30 MPG (430i Convertible) | — | std |
| Fuel economy highway: 35 MPG (430i Convertible) | — | std |
| Gasoline fuel type | — | std |
| Hybrid Integrated Starter-Generator (48V mild hybrid with ISG, up to 20 hp / 148 lb-ft electric assist) | std | — |
| Rear-wheel drive | — | std |
| Top speed: 130 mph | — | std |
Chassis1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase: 112.2 in (Convertible / Coupe) | — | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPMercedes-Benz C-Class
Top recalls
- high Electrical System 26V281000 · 144,049 vehicles
BMW 4 Series
Top recalls
- critical Electrical System 25V643000 · 4 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Mercedes-Benz C-ClassC 300 RWD | BMW 4 Series430i Convertible RWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49,650 (base trim) | — (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $49,650 – $88,000 4 trims | — 12 trims |
| Powertrains | HEV | HEV |
| EPA configuration compared | C300 | 430i Coupe |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 29 | 31 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,850 | $2,650 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class or the 2026 BMW 4 Series?
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins clearly, 93.4 to 77.8, on tech & comfort, safety. The BMW 4 Series is ahead on fuel & range. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class scores 93.4 and the 2026 BMW 4 Series 77.8. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class or the 2026 BMW 4 Series?
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 BMW 4 Series: no NHTSA rating yet, grade B, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the 2026 BMW 4 Series?
Where the 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins: it lists 13 standard driver-assist features against 0, lists more comfort and tech equipment (6 points against 3 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½), and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 85). Where the 2026 BMW 4 Series answers: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (2 against 4 filed with NHTSA) and costs $200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,650 against $2,850). What they share: 255 hp and 295 lb-ft.