BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: Which Model is the Best?

Car manufacturers tend to produce similar models as brands compete for sales and popularity. To consumers, models released by rival brands might look incredibly similar. However, each manufacturer or brand has their own signature features that set them apart from their competitors.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are luxury car manufacturers that offer many similar SUVs, sedans and electric models, too. The BMW 3 Series typically competes with the Mercedes C Class lineup. The BMW 33i is regarded as the competitor for the Mercedes C300 model. When comparing the BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300, which model is the best?

Here’s how these two models compare by price, dependability, base features, fuel efficiency and safety.

BMW 3 Series vs. Mercedes C Class: One Brand Offers More Vehicle Options

The BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class lineup both offer numerous different models. When comparing the BMW 3 Series vs. Mercedes C Class, consumers will notice that one brand has more models in their model segment. BMW offers four models in its 3 Series, while the Mercedes-Benz C Class lineup includes two different options.

The BMW 3 Series includes the following vehicles:

• 330i
• 330e (electric)
• M340i
• M3

The Mercedes-Benz C Class includes just two models:

• C300 Sedan
• C300 4Matic Sedan

BMW 33i vs. Mercedes C300: The Price of Luxury Sedans

Price might or might not be a factor for luxury car buyers. While some consumers might have a bottomless budget and buy what they want, others might be a bit more frugal. The BMW 330i is the lowest-priced model in BMW’s 3 Series. The Mercedes-Benz C300 Sedan also is the most inexpensive option of the two models in Mercedes’ C Class.

The BMW 330i is available in two options: the standard 330i Sedan and the 330i xDrive Sedan. The 330i Sedan has a starting MSRP of $41,450, while the xDrive Sedan starts at $43,450. What’s the difference between the two? The 330i Sedan has rear-wheel drive, while the xDrive Sedan features ‘xDrive all-wheel drive.’

The C300 also is offered in two options: the C300 Sedan and the C300 4Matic Sedan. The C300 Sedan has a starting MSRP of $43,550, while the 4Matic Sedan starts at $45,500. The C300 Sedan has rear-wheel drive, but the 4Matic offers all-wheel drive capabilities.

BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: Which is Most Dependable?

J.D. Power names a car in every segment/class as the dependability award winner. Models are three-years-old when they are ranked, and the scores are based on the ratings of car owners. J.D. Power explains that “This rating focuses on the type and number of problems owners experienced during the preceding 12 months with their 3-year-old vehicle.”

Both the 2018 3 Series (for BMW) and the 2018 C Class (from Mercedes-Benz) were placed in the Compact Premium Car category. They each received a composite score of 80.

However, the 3 Series was ranked just above the C Class. The 3 Series received a score of 82 for Quality/Reliability, an 82 for Driving Experience but only a 75 for Resale Value. It placed 10^th overall.

The C Class received an 80 for Quality/Reliability. However, it nudged out the 3 Series for Driving Experience; the C Class scored an 84 in this area. The C Class also received a 75 for Resale Value. It placed 11^th overall for the Compact Premium Car category.

The dependability of 2022 models won’t be evaluated until 2025. However, consumers trying to decide between the C Class or the 300 Series can review previous scores for both options. J.D. Power offers dependability data on models going back to the year 2000.

BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: Stacking Up the Standard Features

Luxury automobiles are pricier than the more basic models, but they also offer high-end features that could make the price worthwhile. Luxury features come standard in many luxury or premium models. How does the BMW 330i compare to the Mercedes-Benz C300 by the features they offer?

The BMW 330I includes welcome light carpet (this illuminates the ground when the door is opened), a power moonroof (with sunshade), 3-zone climate control, SensaTec upholstery, BMW ConnectedDrive, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, power front seats, and more.

The Mercedes C300 offers many luxury standard features, including power front seats (with a memory option), heated front seats, folding rear seats, a year of Mercedes me service, LED ambient lighting (64 hues), remote start (via app), MB-Tex upholstery, power tinted glass sunroof (featuring tilt/slide) and much more.

Consumers will notice that many features are similar. Both brands come standard with their own branded upholstery options—BMW offers SensaTec, and Mercedes offers MB-Tex. In addition, both offer their own car connectivity (Mercedes me or ConnectedDrive for BMW).

BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: The Fuel Efficiency Can Impact Choice

Gas prices depend on supply and demand. When prices are on the rise, car buyers might be more cognizant of the fuel efficiency of the vehicles they choose. Which model gets better gas mileage? Here’s how the two compare.

The BMW 330i offers decent fuel efficiency; smaller vehicles typically provide the most miles per gallon on the road. The BMW 330i can get 26 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.

The Mercedes C300 is much less fuel efficient than its BMW competitor. The Mercedes C300 only gets 22 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.

Buyers who want the most fuel efficient model might gravitate towards BMW.

BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: The Safety Ratings

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) releases safety reports for vehicles related to crash tests. Car buyers can search for vehicles by make/model and year to review the safety report and understand how the model fared in crash tests.

IIHS also awards the safest cars with a Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick rating. The difference between these two is related to headlights; while the Top Safety Pick+ winners offer acceptable/good headlights as standard, the Top Safety Pick winners only offer these headlights as an available option.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class received a Top Safety Pick+ rating/award from IIHS. The 2022 BMW 3 Series received a Top Safety Pick award/rating from IIHS. The C-Class barely nudges out the 3 Series.

BMW 330i vs. Mercedes C300: Which is the Best?

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series are comparable in many respects. However, BMW might be the least expensive option based on starting MSRP stats. The difference in price, though, isn’t huge.

Both offer similar dependability scores, although the 3 Series scored higher than the C-Class for Quality/Reliability. Mercedes nudged out BMW’s 3 Series for Driving Experience. Both scored a 75 for Resale Value.

The standard features for the 330i and the C300 also are comparable. Buyers might opt for a more luxurious leather interior, as this option does not come standard. Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer their own branded standard upholstery.

BMW’s 3 Series is the more fuel efficient option. Buyers who want to maximize their fuel might choose this model for its fuel efficiency.

Both models received good safety scores from IIHS. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class bumped the BMW because of headlights and earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating/award.

Is one model better than the other? That might just depend on the opinion of the consumer. Both models have their own advantages. Buyers might test drive both models to find out which is the better car for their needs and lifestyle.

Explore Both Models from Home Using RelayCars

Consumers who are comparing the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class can download the RelayCars app or use the RelayCars mobile website to explore both models–and thousands of other vehicles–using interactive technologies. The RelayCars app is free to download from either Google Play or the App Store; the app lets buyers explore cars via 3D immersive models or in virtual reality (with Google Cardboard).

Those who don’t want to download the app can choose to explore vehicles on the RelayCars’ mobile website from their phone or tablet. The mobile site lets car shoppers interact with 3D vehicle models on their screen or use augmented reality to explore cars.

With augmented reality, car shoppers can capture their environment using their smartphone or tablet camera. The augmented reality experience will drop a 3D model of a selected vehicle into this selected environment.

Both the app and the mobile site also allow users to explore a vast inventory of vehicles via 3D interactive car models. The cars can be rotated 360 degrees using a fingertip; car buyers can view cars from any angle. They also can swap out the paint hue and explore the interior, too.

The RelayCars’ app also features a virtual reality option for car buyers to preview any car from the RelayCars inventory in a virtual reality showroom. However, users must have access to Google Cardboard to enjoy the virtual reality experience.

Use RelayCars to explore different makes/models to better understand specs and prices, too. RelayCars offers extensive information on every car in the inventory. With RelayCars, buyers can enjoy numerous interactive preview experiences to explore all their options and help them find the best vehicle.