Audi A8 vs Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class burns about $2,700 of fuel annually against $2,850 for the Audi A8. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class is the stronger commuter at 24 mpg city, while the Audi A8 pulls ahead on the interstate at 36 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Audi A8 is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, SIDI), the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class with 1 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid). Across 28 recorded Audi A8 configurations and 23 for the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Audi A8 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Large Cars and Subcompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Audi A8 emits 213 g/mile of CO2 versus 323 g/mile for the Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.