Audi A4 vs Mercedes C-Class vs BMW 3 Series vs Jaguar XE Saloons 2017 review _ Head2Head

**A Comprehensive Review of the Audi A4 vs BMW 3 Series and Jaguar XE**

The Audi A4 is a highly practical and desirable car that offers a brilliant blend of comfort, desirability, and technology. The engine, a 2.1 L diesel, provides excellent economy, with an average fuel consumption of 51 MP gallon. While this engine is a bit rattly, the car itself is pretty much as good to travel in as the Audi A4 now. In fact, it's almost comparable to the Audi A4.

The Audi A4 offers a comfortable ride and decent handling, making it a great option for those who want a practical yet enjoyable driving experience. However, some may find the suspension setup to be a bit lacking, especially when compared to the BMW 3 Series' sporty suspension setup. The Audi A4 also lags behind in terms of performance, with its manual transmission not being as smooth as the BMW's.

In contrast, the BMW 3 Series is known for its exceptional handling and driving experience. The car's Sport Package offers a more comfortable and engaging drive, making it a great option for those who want to enjoy their daily commute or long road trips. However, the Audi A4 offers better practicality and desirability, making it a more appealing choice for some buyers.

One notable aspect of the BMW 3 Series is its Adaptive Suspension system, which provides a comfortable ride without sacrificing handling. This feature is particularly useful for those who want to avoid the rigors of road potholes and bumps. The Audi A4 also offers a similar suspension setup, but at a higher cost.

The BMW 3 Series' automatic gearbox is widely regarded as one of the best in its class, providing smooth and seamless shifting. In contrast, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class' manual transmission can be a bit rough around the edges, making it less desirable for some buyers. The Jaguar XE also offers an excellent automatic gearbox, but the Audi A4's performance in this department is not as strong.

**A Review of the BMW 3 Series**

The BMW 3 Series is known for its exceptional handling and driving experience. However, there are some notable drawbacks to consider. While the car is highly fun to drive, it can be a bit noisy, with a noticeable amount of tire rumble and wind whistle. The visibility in the BMW 3 Series can also be a concern, particularly when compared to the Audi A4.

The BMW 3 Series' engine is punchy and responsive, with an average fuel consumption of around 48 MP gallon. However, the car's noise levels can be a bit high, making it less desirable for those who value peace and quiet. The manual transmission in the BMW 3 Series can also be a bit rough around the edges, particularly when compared to the Audi A4.

One notable aspect of the BMW 3 Series is its exceptional steering. The car's handling is responsive and precise, making it a joy to drive on twisty roads. However, some may find the suspension setup to be a bit too firm, particularly in Sport mode.

**A Review of the Jaguar XE**

The Jaguar XE is known for its stunning design and exceptional performance. The car's 2 L diesel engine provides plenty of poke and decent economy, with an average fuel consumption of around 48 MP gallon. One notable aspect of the Jaguar XE is its incredible handling and responsiveness, making it a joy to drive on twisty roads.

The Jaguar XE also offers a more comfortable ride than some of its competitors, particularly when compared to the BMW 3 Series. The car's adaptive suspension system provides a smooth and compliant ride, making it an excellent option for those who prioritize comfort over handling.

However, there are some notable drawbacks to consider. The Jaguar XE can be quite noisy, with a noticeable amount of tire rumble and wind whistle. The visibility in the Jaguar XE is also not as good as some of its competitors, particularly when compared to the Audi A4.

**A Review of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class**

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is known for its exceptional comfort and luxury features. However, there are some notable drawbacks to consider. While the car is highly desirable, it can be a bit expensive, particularly in terms of options and engines. The C-Class' 2 L diesel engine provides plenty of poke and decent economy, with an average fuel consumption of around 48 MP gallon.

However, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class lacks some of its competitors in terms of handling and driving experience. While the car is comfortable and refined, it can be a bit slow to change gear, particularly when compared to the BMW 3 Series' manual transmission.

One notable aspect of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is its exceptional interior quality and comfort features. The car's adaptive suspension system provides a smooth and compliant ride, making it an excellent option for those who prioritize comfort over handling. However, some may find the suspension setup to be a bit too firm, particularly in Sport mode.

**A Comparison of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Jaguar XE**

Ultimately, the choice between the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Jaguar XE will depend on your individual priorities. If you prioritize comfort, practicality, and desirability, the Audi A4 may be the best option for you. However, if you prioritize handling, driving experience, and performance, the BMW 3 Series may be the better choice.

The Jaguar XE offers a unique blend of stunning design, exceptional performance, and comfortable ride quality. While it lacks some of its competitors in terms of handling and driving experience, it provides an excellent option for those who value comfort and luxury above all else.

In conclusion, each of these cars has its strengths and weaknesses. The Audi A4 offers a highly practical and desirable package, while the BMW 3 Series prioritizes handling and driving experience. The Jaguar XE offers a unique blend of stunning design, exceptional performance, and comfortable ride quality.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: encompact executive cars they should offer it all a taste of luxury an element of fun impressive comfort and familyfriendly practicality but which should you choose between the new Audi A4 the BMW 3 Series the Jaguar XC or the Mercedes C-Class to help you decide I'm going to compare their design it's less track suit a more Lounge suit critique their cabins it's a bit like I'm sat in an abattoir test what they're like to drive and it just Corners like it's Got Claws see how practical they are the opening is pretty wide and finally explain what you get for your money combined they have a total of almost 227,000 worth of options fitted to them so let's start with the styling because these cars are all about elevating your status in the corporate car park as far as I'm concerned it's the XE which is the coolest looking of this group and I'm not biased in any way shape or form few family cars are as dramatic as this Jaguar it looks all snarly and angry like it's about to pounce but from the back it actually resembles another car an Audi A4 in fact this new Audi A4 looks rather like an a42 the old Audi A4 but hey that's how Audi does things he doesn't like to rock the boat or your world okay so while the design might have people questioning whe whether this is actually the latest version or not you know it won't excite but it's not going to offend anyone either the three series is a whole lot more polarizing but then BMW has always been more adventurous with its cars well for the last few decades anyway it reminds me of some angry stingy insect that is quite particular to trim level for instance less expensive versions just seem a bit less venomous in terms of desirability though well it's the Mercedes which looks the most EXP expensive and up Market it has a certain Elegance the others just can't quite match while rival's up for sporty the cclass as the name suggests s on the side of class it's less track suit a more Lounge suit that's the Mercedes way is a same inside the Mercedes cabin just has a little bit more Panache than the others with plenty of eye-catching styling trinkets it's just a shame about that knockoff iPad display also the Cheapo entry level Garin satin I've well look at it it's it's not particularly because of a car of this stat now is it and even the more expensive Mercedes command system it's it's not the nicest thing to use the BMW 3 Series however has the best system on the market it's slick intuitive and fully connected and the rest of the cabin is pretty impressive too just think wisely about the color of interior trim you go for because that can affect how easy it's going to be to sell the car on when you finish with it this red for instance it's a bit like I'm sat in an abattoir the Audi A4 is far more res oberved inside like the outside it's neat tidy sensible but the material quality well that seems to be just a little bit of A Cut Above the Rest the infotainment system is pretty much as slick as the BMWs it's really easy to use and check this out right you can get Google Maps for the satav look at that and check this out the virtual cockpit so I've got a full digital display for the driver and I can go full screen mappage the XE comes with Jaguar's latest infotainment system and there's even a phone app but the touchscreen system is the most frustrating of the bunch to use and while the Jaguar's interior design well it looks really nice but it just feels cheaper and less well thought out than the Germans for instance these air vents are too low they blow on your hand and these door armrests are just the wrong height and that brings us on to these cars practicality and the Jaguar Trails the field in this Respect by a margin which could actually be a deal breaker the interior cover is limited the narrow rear door openings make it a bit of a faf to fit a CH seat and it's tight in the back for anyone over 6t tall and three is most definitely a crowd and very uncomfortable for the person in the middle the boot is the smallest here too and it's awkward shape further limits the amount you can actually carry just two large suitcases will fit plus you have to pay £400 if you want folding rear seats even then the opening to the cabin is very restrictive on what you can actually carry the Mercedes has a large Boot and all versions get a power tailgate you do have to pay extra on the entry level model if you want fall down rear seats but they lie flat and the opening is pretty wide you can fit larger stuff through the opening than you can in the Jaguar though the shape of the actual boost opening itself means it's quite awkward to load a bike but while better than the XE it Trails the other two due to the uneven load area and this limits how many cases you can fit this theme continues with the rear seats they're fine for average size adults but tall people will struggle for Headroom the middle seat is okay for that passenger but other passengers on the outside will feel cramped due to the tight foot Wells fitting a baby seat is easy though thanks to flip up isopix covers and decent door openings incar storage is respectable however the glove box could do with being a touch larger the BMW's interior cubby spaces on the whole are pretty good it's just a shame the central cubby is ruined slightly by this pointless oldfashioned mobile phone charger also while the front door will hold a large bottle the won't the back seats are impressive though there's more Headroom than in any other car here though annoyingly the three series isn't so good for the person in the middle seat as it's raised up too high fitting a Char seat is fairly simple though however not quite as easy as in the C-Class the BMW's boot is better though while a similar size to the Merks the squarer shape means you can pack more stuff in there's more room with the seats folded though you have to pay extra for split seats so will the A4 Fair any better it's not only got the largest capacity but it shape makes it even easier to load than the three series it's class leading in this respect while three-way folding rear seats are standard on all models there's sufficient head and leg room even for tall adults and it's the least uncomfy of the four cars with three in the back annoyingly though it has easy to lose isopix covers other than that though fitting a child seat is a dodle while cubby spaces are good with very large door bins front and back so the Audi is the most practical but is it the best to drive now the Audi A4 is unique amongst its group because it's the only one not available with rear wheeel drive this is actually the front-wheel drive version and okay so it's not the most fun of the four cars to drive but I wouldn't say it was dull you know it still handles very well and if you go for one of the Quattro all-wheel drive models it's got bags of grip and for how people really drive this thing is perfect because it just goes about its business in the most unfl flappable fashion it's the here I reckon especially with the optional adaptive dampers and it's extremely quiet it also has the best engines the 2 L 190 horsepower diesel in this car is smooth it's quiet and in my hands it's doing almost 54 MP gallon can't complain at that so how does the Mercedes fair in comparison this is the 250d and it's got over 200 horsepower and you really do notice that extra punch over the other cars it just feels that little bit quicker yeah it gives similar economy so I'm averaging 51 MP gallon which is pretty good it's just a shame that this 2.1 L diesel engine is a bit rattly because other than that this car is pretty much as Qui to travel in as the Audi A4 now if you're buying a cclass you want to go for the midlevel sport botle because its suspension setup offers the best blend of comfort and handling that said it's still not the comfiest car here nor the most fun to drive but on the whole you know it's okay and it is the only car in this class that you can actually get with air susp supension the only problem is that's quite expensive and you might want to save your cash for the automatic gearbox because Mercedes manual isn't that good to use if you're on an all-wheel drive version unfortunately you're out of look in the UK because you can't get this car with four-wheel drive at the moment you can get four-wheel drive with the BMW and it's fitted to this 320d x drive now if you're worried about getting stuck in the snow just get yourself some winter tires save yourself some cash and then spend it on an option you must have and that's the adaptive suspension because without it the three series just doesn't handle or ride as well as it should now this car does have it fitted so in Comfort mode it's almost as comfortable as the Audi yet it's just that little bit more fun when you're on a twisty Road when you have it in sports mode also I think BMW's got the best automatic gearbox and if you want to change gear yourself using these pedals well it's just lightning quick and you absolutely have to have that automatic gearbox because the manual just isn't as good as the manuals you get in the Audi or the Jaguar also I think this BMW is just a little bit noisier than the other cars here you seem to get quite a bit of Tire raar a little bit of wind whistle from around there but the visibility is all right you know it's it's up there with the best in case you're wondering this car averaged 48 m per gallon from its Punchy but noisy 2 L diesel so how does the engine in the Jaguar compare it sounds more like a turbine than a tractor and I think that's a good thing and it's 180 horsepower version has plenty of poke and it'll give good economy so I'm averaging well pretty much mid-50s which is impressive but my favorite thing about this Jaguar is the fact it's the most fun car of the group to drive it's got the best steering and it just Corners like it's Got Claws and I love the fact that it Blends comfort with fun so as long as you avoid the r sport suspension it's nice and compliant the ride and unlike with the other cars you don't really have to upgrade to the Adaptive setup to get the best ride quality out of it it just does so well on the standard setup and that's really good and overall I just I just love driving this Jaguar to tell you the truth the only things that annoy me about it the fact that well you can get quite a lot of road noise just reverberating around the cabin which gets under your nerves after a while the automatic gearbox can sometimes be a little bit slow to change down when you want to suddenly accelerate and I think the visibility is by far the worst out of any of the four cars and that brings us on to costs and what you get for your money well all of these models here are pretty expensive as they're highly specified press cars in fact combined they have a total of almost 27,000 worth of options fitted to them however the BMW 3 Series range starts at £ 24,38 the Audi A4 £ 26,35 the Jaguar XE £ 26,990 while the Mercedes cclass kicks off at £ 27,600 equipment and engines there's actually very little between them essentially it will depend on the best price you can get on a particular car with a dealer so click on the card in the right hand corner of the screen to see what deals you can get at cow. co.uk so then where does that leave us well each of these cars offer something special the BMW it's great to drive that jagu XE just looks fantastic and the Mercedes is super luxurious but it's this Audi A4 with This brilliant blend of practicality comfort desirability and technology which wins this test click over there for individual in-depth reviews of each of the cars in this test and if you enjoyed this video please like it share it and subscribe to our Channel now did you know the 45 sliding armrest in the BMW 3 Series is the cheapest option fitted to any of these cars here\n"