2015 Mercedes CLS-Class vs 2015 Audi A7: German Review Finds Audi Is Better

The car the guys at Autogefuhl got their hands on is the A7 ultra, a brand new nameplate from Audi. "ultra" stands for high fuel economy, so it's only available with front-wheel drive and an updated 3.0 TDI making 218 hp and 400 Nm of torque, delivered through an all-new 7-speed S tronic gearbox. The review says the cabin feels much more luxurious then before and wind noise is down to a minimum, ideal for cruising long distances. As was the case before the facelift, the lift gate of the A7 means it's more practical than the sedan-style trunk opening of the CLS-Class.

Autogefuhl's test also found that the A7 rides nicely and is a was place to be in than the Mercedes model because of its roomier cabin. However, the fuel economy numbers claimed by Audi are tricky to achieve and the front end feels light under hard acceleration because this is a front-wheel drive car.

But maybe we need to show the CLS-Class a little more respect, since it invented this very popular and lucrative segment in the first place. The same German reviewer praised the new 9-speed G-Tronic automatic transmission is very smooth and the steering more direct than before the facelift. Perhaps the reason he was underwhelmed with the car is that it was the CLS 250 BlueTEC diesel model with a 2.2-liter turbo churning out 204 hp and 400 Nm of torque, a little down on the Audi, but not surprising considering it's got two less cylinders.