The 2027 BMW 4 Series and the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLE are the two obvious answers to the same question: a two-door luxury car with a real engine, a proper interior and a badge that means something. They are closer on paper than most cross-brand pairs. The four-cylinder cars make identical power, 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft, and the six-cylinder cars reach 60 mph in the same 4.2 seconds.

Where they separate is structure. The CLE is sold in the US as an all-wheel-drive coupe or cabriolet. The 4 Series is offered with rear-wheel drive or xDrive, in three bodies including a four-door Gran Coupe, and it carries four more cubic feet in the trunk. BMW of Napa Valley in Fairfield sells the 4 Series, and we think it is the better buy for most Solano County drivers. The reasons are below, in numbers you can check.

2027 BMW 4 Series vs 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLE: Overview

The 4 Series is BMW's two-door interpretation of the 3 Series, sold as a coupe, a soft-top convertible and a four-door Gran Coupe, with a 255-horsepower turbo four or a 386-horsepower turbo inline-six, rear-wheel drive standard and xDrive available on both. Starting MSRPs run from $51,200 before destination.

The CLE is Mercedes-Benz's consolidation of what used to be two separate coupes into one model line, sold as a coupe or a cabriolet. In the US it comes as the CLE 300 4MATIC with a 255-horsepower turbo four, or the CLE 450 4MATIC with a 375-horsepower turbo six. Both are all-wheel drive.

Powertrain and Performance Compared

Spec	BMW 430i Coupe	Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC	BMW M440i xDrive	Mercedes-Benz CLE 450 4MATIC
Engine	2.0L turbo I4	2.0L turbo I4	3.0L turbo I6	3.0L turbo I6
Horsepower	255	255	386	375
Torque	295 lb-ft	295 lb-ft	398 lb-ft	369 lb-ft
0-60 mph	5.6 sec	6.2 sec	4.2 sec	4.2 sec
Drive	Rear-wheel drive	All-wheel drive	All-wheel drive	All-wheel drive
EPA city/hwy/comb	28 / 36 / 31	24 / 33 / 27	26 / 33 / 29	23 / 33 / 26

The four-cylinder cars are separated by six tenths to 60 mph and four combined miles per gallon, both in the BMW's favor, on identical power figures. The six-cylinder cars are level on acceleration, with the BMW carrying 11 more horsepower and 29 more lb-ft and returning three more combined mpg.

Pricing Compared

Model	MSRP including destination
BMW 430i Coupe	$54,650
Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4MATIC	$60,800
BMW M440i xDrive Coupe	$70,450
Mercedes-Benz CLE 450 4MATIC	$70,250

Both columns are quoted on the same basis, including destination, so the comparison is like for like. The entry cars are $6,150 apart in the BMW's favor, a figure derived by subtracting one published price from the other. The six-cylinder cars are within $200 of each other. Prices exclude taxes, title, registration and dealer-installed equipment, and the selling price is set by the dealer.

Where Each Car Wins

Where the BMW 4 Series wins

Three things, and all three are measurable. The trunk is 15.5 cubic feet against 11.2, which is four more cubic feet in a class where nobody has enough. The entry car costs $6,150 less on the same pricing basis and half a second quicker to 60 mph on identical power. And the 4 Series gives you a choice the CLE does not: rear-wheel drive if you want the classic setup, xDrive if you want traction, and a four-door Gran Coupe if you carry people. The Gran Coupe seats five and starts at $51,200 before destination, below every other way into either lineup.

Where the Mercedes-Benz CLE wins

The CLE's case is genuine and it is about consistency. Every US CLE is 4MATIC all-wheel drive, so there is no configuration in the range that will surprise you on a wet grade, and no option box to get right. The CLE 450's inline-six matches the M440i's 4.2 seconds to 60 mph while sitting $200 below it on the same pricing basis, so at the top of the range the value argument is close to even. And Mercedes-Benz's interior design language is a real preference for a lot of buyers; that is a matter of taste rather than a specification, and taste decides plenty of car purchases.

Which One Should You Buy?

• You want the most car for the money at the entry point: the BMW 430i, $6,150 less on the same basis and quicker. See 4 Series inventory.
• You need the trunk: the 4 Series, by four cubic feet.
• You carry passengers regularly: the 4 Series Gran Coupe, because the CLE has no four-door body.
• You want rear-wheel drive: the 4 Series, since every US CLE is all-wheel drive.
• You want all-wheel drive as standard across the whole range, and you prefer the Mercedes cabin: the CLE is worth a look, and at CLE 450 money it is within $200 of the M440i.

The typical buyer walking into our Fairfield showroom off Interstate 80 chooses the 430i or the 430i xDrive: it is the better-priced, quicker, roomier car at the volume end of the class, and the drivetrain choice is theirs rather than the factory's.

Coverage and Capability

Every new BMW 4 Series carries a basic warranty of four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, with BMW Ultimate Care scheduled maintenance for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles and roadside assistance for 4 years and unlimited miles. On load-carrying, the M4 is the one member of the 4 Series family with a published figure, at 1,058 pounds of payload capacity; neither car in this comparison is rated for towing.

Shop the 2027 BMW 4 Series at BMW of Napa Valley

Numbers narrow it down and twenty minutes in the seat settles it. BMW of Napa Valley is on Auto Mall Parkway in Fairfield, straight off Interstate 80, serving Vacaville, Vallejo, Suisun City, American Canyon and Napa. Call (707) 402-1500 or book a test drive.

BMW 4 Series vs Mercedes-Benz CLE FAQs

Is the BMW 4 Series bigger inside than the Mercedes-Benz CLE?

In the trunk, clearly: 15.5 cubic feet against 11.2. The 4 Series also offers a four-door Gran Coupe body rated for five, which the CLE lineup does not include.

Which is quicker, the 430i or the CLE 300?

The 430i, at 5.6 seconds to 60 mph against 6.2, on identical power figures of 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft.

Does the Mercedes-Benz CLE come in rear-wheel drive?

Not in the US. Both the CLE 300 and CLE 450 are 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The BMW 4 Series offers rear-wheel drive or xDrive on both engines.

Which gets better gas mileage?

The BMW. The 430i Coupe is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined against the CLE 300's 27, and the M440i xDrive at 29 against the CLE 450's 26.

Is the M440i or the CLE 450 the better buy?

They are close enough that it comes down to preference. Both reach 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and they are within $200 of each other on the same pricing basis. The BMW carries 11 more horsepower, 29 more lb-ft and three more combined mpg; the Mercedes has the interior some buyers prefer.

Where do the CLE figures come from?

Published specifications, quoted as the manufacturer states them.

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