Compare the2026 Mercedes EQSVS 2025 Audi S6 e-tron

The EQS has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The rear seatbelts optional on the EQS inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The EQS has a standard Maneuvering Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the EQS and the S6 e-tron have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EQS’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 59 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 30 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The EQS can travel longer on a full charge than the S6 e-tron on a full charge:

The EQS AMG offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the EQS has larger standard tires than the S6 e-tron (255/45R20 vs. 235/45R20). The EQS’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the S6 e-tron (265/40R21 vs. 245/40R21).

The EQS’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EQS’ wheelbase is 10.3 inches longer than on the S6 e-tron (126.4 inches vs. 116.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the EQS 580 4MATIC’s turning circle is 4.4 feet tighter than the S6 e-tron’s (36 feet vs. 40.4 feet). The EQS’ turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the S6 e-tron’s (39 feet vs. 40.4 feet).

The design of the Mercedes EQS amounts to more than styling. The EQS has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .2 Cd. That is significantly lower than the S6 e-tron (.24) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the EQS get better fuel mileage.

The EQS uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The EQS has 5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the S6 e-tron (103 vs. 98).

The EQS has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 5.2 inches more rear legroom and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the S6 e-tron.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EQS’ rear seats recline. The S6 e-tron’s rear seats don’t recline.

The EQS has a larger trunk with its rear seat folded than the S6 e-tron with its rear seat folded (63 vs. 39.3 cubic feet).

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the S6 e-tron, the EQS has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The EQS’ optional power side swing out doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the car. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer a power rear door.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the EQS to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The EQS has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The EQS offers optional massaging front and rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the S6 e-tron.

Both the Mercedes EQS and the Audi S6 e-tron have a standard Qi wireless phone charging system in the front seat. To easily keep personal devices charged in the rear seat, without cables tangling and wearing out, the EQS also has a standard wireless charging system in the rear seat. The S6 e-tron does not.

The EQS’ Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The S6 e-tron Premium Plus/Prestige’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The EQS is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The S6 e-tron doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.