Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Audi A5 typically lists for $41,994 against $38,988 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Audi A5 takes fuel economy (26 MPG combined vs 22 MPG); the Audi A5 leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.8★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM at $32,990 vs the C300 at $37,489; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Audi A5 S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM ($32,990) faces the Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 ($37,489); the most common trims on the market are the S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS (28.9% of Audi A5 listings) and the C300 (50.2% of Mercedes-Benz C-Class listings); at the top of the market, the PRESTIGE ($61,710) faces the AMG C43 ($48,951). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Audi A5 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUMCheapest | $32,990 | 14.2% | C300Most popularCheapest | $37,489 | 50.2% |
| S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUSMost popular | $33,993 | 28.9% | C300 4MATIC | $38,491 | 38.0% |
| S LINE QUATTRO PRESTIGE | $37,945 | 2.1% | C300 4MATIC/C300 4-M TURBO | $38,698 | 7.7% |
| QUATTRO PREMIUM | $43,971 | 17.2% | AMG C43Priciest | $48,951 | 4.2% |
| QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS | $45,674 | 16.0% | — | ||
| QUATTRO PRESTIGE | $47,692 | 1.6% | — | ||
| PREMIUM PLUS | $59,109 | 17.1% | — | ||
| PRESTIGEPriciest | $61,710 | 3.0% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Audi A5 prices · Mercedes-Benz C-Class prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Audi A5 typical | Mercedes-Benz C-Class typical | Difference | Audi A5 MPG | Mercedes-Benz C-Class MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $59,050 | $53,449 | Audi A5 +$5,601 | 26 MPG | 27–29 MPG |
| 2025 | $41,994 | $38,988 | Audi A5 +$3,006 | 26 MPG | 27–29 MPG |
| 2024 | $32,503 | $38,363 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class +$5,860 | 27 MPG | 27–30 MPG |
| 2023 | $34,000 | $35,477 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class +$1,477 | 26–27 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,976 | $31,998 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class +$3,022 | 26–27 MPG | 24–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $25,869 | $25,998 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class +$129 | 26–27 MPG | 25–27 MPG |
| 2020 | $24,990 | $24,597 | Audi A5 +$393 | 26–27 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2019 | $21,986 | $20,990 | Audi A5 +$996 | 27 MPG | 24–27 MPG |
| 2018 | $18,959 | $18,946 | Audi A5 +$13 | 27 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2017 | $17,950 | $16,998 | Audi A5 +$952 | 24–26 MPG | 25–30 MPG |
| 2016 | $14,995 | $14,489 | Audi A5 +$506 | 24–26 MPG | 24–30 MPG |
| 2015 | $12,995 | $12,600 | Audi A5 +$395 | 24–26 MPG | 15–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $11,000 | $9,500 | Audi A5 +$1,500 | 23–26 MPG | 15–25 MPG |
| 2013 | $9,300 | $8,995 | Audi A5 +$305 | 23–26 MPG | 15–25 MPG |
| 2012 | $9,238 | $8,400 | Audi A5 +$838 | 24–25 MPG | 15–25 MPG |
| 2011 | $8,600 | $7,995 | Audi A5 +$605 | 24–25 MPG | 15–21 MPG |
| 2010 | $7,995 | $7,995 | even | 21–26 MPG | 15–21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is cheaper: it typically lists for $38,988 versus $41,994 for the Audi A5 (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
The Audi A5: its typical rated version returns 26 MPG combined versus 22 MPG for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Audi A5 averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.8 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.1 recalls per model year for the Audi A5 and 0.0 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class — an edge for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Audi A5 S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM typically lists for $32,990 vs $37,489 for a Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300; the most common trims on the market are the S LINE QUATTRO PREMIUM PLUS ($33,993, 28.9% of Audi A5 listings) and the C300 ($37,489, 50.2% of Mercedes-Benz C-Class listings); at the top of the market, the PRESTIGE ($61,710) faces the AMG C43 ($48,951). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/audi/a5/vs/mercedes-benz/c-class.
Dig deeper
Audi A5 — live listings & specs Mercedes-Benz C-Class — live listings & specs Audi A5 prices by year Mercedes-Benz C-Class prices by year Audi A5 MPG by year Mercedes-Benz C-Class MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.