2
NEWS
Mazda3 versus Mercedes S-Class
One car has more bells and whistles, the other has price on its sideThere's a long history in the automotive industry of technology trickling down to the lowest level.
But as time passes and more componentry is bought by the vehicle manufacturer in sealed-box form, that trickle is becoming a geyser. In the modern context, furthermore, 'geyser' is the right expression to use, because the technology flow is just as likely to be directed upmarket.
A popular British TV show arrived at the conclusion a few years ago that the first truly modern car – with controls located where a modern driver would expect them to be – was a 1915 Cadillac. Seven years later the Austin 7 came along and adopted the same layout, offering that design pattern to a wider audience for a quarter of the price.
The best part of a century later technology is being developed outside the hallowed halls of the vehicle manufacturers. Daimler-Benz didn't develop electronic stability control in isolation, it had help from Bosch – a company that also played a part in the development of the earliest electronic fuel-injection systems.
And the wait for new technology to reach all sectors of a market is dwindling as a consequence of an off-the-shelf approach to system integration.
Just a week apart, the respective global launches of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the new Mazda3 clearly demonstrated that the once-were backmarkers are rapidly catching the front-runners.
As you work your way through the brochure for the S-Class many of the new car's features trigger a sense of déjà vu. 360° Vision has been available in Nissan's local range (as the Around-View Monitor) for some time. The ‘4 impulses’ active perfuming system is a development of a feature that French brands have been offering to Aussie buyers for many years.
TFT screens are nothing new, it's simply that they're huge in the new Benz. The same type of instrument display has already earned the latest Range Rover high praise, but infotainment displays employing TFT have been available in volume-selling brands for some years.
What about the advanced safety features aboard the new S-Class? These include: Adaptive High Beam Assist, PRE-SAFE Brake, PRE-SAFE Plus, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist – in Mercedes-Benz terminology.
The Mazda3, by contrast, offers advanced safety features like: High Beam Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning System, Forward Obstruction Warning, Smart City Brake Support and Active Cruise Control – to use Mazda's own labels.
That's in a car set to start from around 10 per cent of the S-Class's 'entry-level' price.
The Mazda's active safety features share the same aims as many of those available in the S-Class. In most cases the Mercedes takes the technology to a new level, and well beyond the design parameters of the Mazda, but the Japanese brand is to be commended for bringing in such sophisticated technology at what is expected to be an affordable price.
That's not to take anything away from the S-Class. It simply demonstrates the strides affordable small cars are making and how hard it is for prestige brands to stay ahead in the technology race.
But the S-Class still comes with an extraordinarily rich feature list, numbering full LED lighting throughout the car, for instance, or the convenience of the Stop&Go Pilot, or the safety of PRE-SAFE Plus, PRE-SAFE Impulse and Night View Assist. These are features that are either unique to the Benz or have been refined to a high standard that other brands can't match – for the present.
Even though the Mazda's High Beam Control and the Benz's Adaptive High Beam Assist achieve essentially the same outcome, the S-Class system is far more sophisticated and makes no compromise – reducing the light levels only in the direct path of the on-coming vehicle.
Don't forget Magic Body Control either. The Merc's optical system, designed to adjust the ride settings of the suspension in advance of a bump or pothole, is truly unique.
Now that it's been publicised around the world, however, how long before other manufacturers selling lower-cost models introduce a similar system?
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Share this article
Written byKen Gratton
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayRelated articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.