Overview

We are here considering two somewhat similar cars, but we can't deny some of the obvious differences. For a start, they are not even classified under the same segment, with the BYD being a large family car and the Mercedes Benz representing luxury car vehicle class. The first one has a BYD-engineered powertrain under the hood, a PMSM Electric unit in formation 0 / 1 with 313hp unit, while the other one gets its power and torque from a PMSM Electric unit in formation 0 / 1 with 292hp engine designed by Mercedes Benz.

Safety

Both vehicles got tested by European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), with the same number of safety stars gained in the process. That aside, let's consider some other aspects which affect safety. The second vehicle is a luxury car and that gives it a marginal advantage over the large family car competitor, at least that's what statistics show. Furthermore, taking kerb weight as an important factor into account, the German car offers a considerable difference of 16% more metal.

Reliability

Reliability is not the best thing to consider on the make level, but it is worth mentioning that BYD is significantly less fault-prone, at least on all of the models level. That's the official data, while our visitors describe reliability of BYD with an average rating of , and models under the Mercedes Benz badge with 4.3 out of 5. Unfortunatelly, I don't have enough insight that would allow me to comment in more details on the specific models level. That apart, owners of different cars powered by the same engine as the Chinese car rank it on average as 3.0, while the one under the competitor's bonnet gets 1.0 out of 5.

Performance & Fuel economy

BYD is a bit more agile, reaching 100km/h in 0.5 seconds less than its competitor. In addition to that it accelerates all the way to 240 kilometers per hour, 30km/h more than the other car. When it comes to fuel economy things look pretty much the same for both cars, especially if you take into account all the free charging points provided by the manufacturer and/or the local government's environmental programs. One of the essential things to consider when it comes to this type of vehicles would be range, although here it's more or less the same, orbiting around 550 kilometers on a single charge.

Verdict

BYD appears just a bit more reliable, although the difference is truly marginal. The most important thing when deciding between any two vehicles should always be safety, both passive and active. In my opinion, everything taken into account, the German car offers much better overall protection, which launches it ahead of the other contender. From there things take a different direction, with BYD outracing its opponent in any situation possible, making it better choice for boy racers. The German car offers somewhat better range. No mistake, whatever you decide here, but I'd still go for the BYD. Nevertheless, let's not forget that people have different preferences and needs, so what really counts is your personal feel. I'm only here to help. I suggest you spend two more minutes in order to find out which car, based on your needs and budget, would be picked by the virtual adviser™, among more than 12.000 different ones in our database.