For many years, the Mercedes E-Class was somehow the pinnacle of affordable comfort. More spacious than the C-Class and cheaper than the S-Class, it offered a perfect mix of comfort, elegance and affordability. It was no coincidence that the E-Class has sold 16 million copies and should be one of Sweden’s most common cars in taxi use, at least among the better companies.
Electrification and SUV-ification have fragmented the Mercedes portfolio and today it is almost impossible to choose one. en classic model in the same way. Nowadays, it is the electrified portfolio – EQA/EQB/EQE/EQS – that gets the most attention.
But now that Mercedes is raising its E-Class (is it for the last time?), we want to take a look. For old time’s sake .
Exterior
On the outside, Mercedes has been careful with the dimensions: the new E-Class is a little longer and a little wider, to provide a little more comfort.
The big difference is in the front end, which is larger and much more prominent. The headlights have also been visually integrated with the grille for a slightly more futuristic look. As usual, the E-Class comes in three styles – Exclusive, Avantgarde and the AMG version. In the Exclusive, you still get a classic grille and the Mercedes badge on the bonnet. In AMG and Avantgarde, a large star is placed in the middle of the grille as usual, but Mercedes has also added a ‘field of stars’ to the grille.
The Mercedes star is also more prominent at the rear. The rear LED lights are also shaped like stars. All in all, the result is very attractive, but it’s no surprise that you’re driving a Mercedes – maybe that’s the idea?
The larger dimensions have also increased the already good luggage space to 540 liters. So far, Mercedes has only shown the sedan variant, but a hatchback with even more space is said to be on the way too.
Engines
The new Mercedes E-Class initially comes with six different engine options – three are plug-in hybrids and three are mild hybrids.
The E 300 e, E 300 e 4MATIC and E 400 e 4MATIC plug-in hybrids all have 129 horsepower (95 kW) electric motors to complement their 204 and 252 hp gasoline engines. The E 300 e thus has a total output of 310 hp and the E 400 e 4MATIC has 375 hp. The range on pure electricity is about 10 miles, which means that most people will be able to do all their everyday driving with electric power.
The mild hybrids are the gasoline-powered E 200 and the diesels E 220 d and E 220 d 4MATIC. They have 48-volt electrical systems with a combined starter/generator that can give the car an extra 23 hp and 205 Nm when required. But it also makes it possible to cruise at highway speeds without the combustion engine running.
The use of electric motors also helps acceleration. The E400 e 4MATIC is fastest, reaching 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, and the E 220 d 4MATIC is slowest, reaching 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds.
Interior and technology
It’s the interior that has seen the most change in the new Mercedes E-Class.
In line with the trend started by Tesla, the electronic architecture is now more software-driven than hardware-driven.
The interior features the MBUX Superscreen – a giant display that extends from the center console to the right side of the car and includes a separate screen for the passenger. When no one is sitting in the right-hand seat, this screen is used only for decorative motifs. The MBUX infotainment system has been significantly updated and can now be voice-controlled without a specific command. It is also possible to give the system complex instructions – called rutiner – which takes into account certain conditions. For example, “Turn on the seat heating and set the mood lighting to orange if the temperature in the cabin is below 12 degrees”.
In front of the driver is a digital instrument cluster that can be personalized in many different ways. Physical buttons on both the steering wheel and the dashboard provide quick and safe access to the most common functions.
Digitalization is also reflected in the fact that it is now possible to use a Digital Vehicle Key (DVK) for the car. This means that a key can be downloaded to an iPhone or Apple Watch and then the car can be unlocked and started just by the driver wearing that device. The driver can also assign rights to up to a total of 16 people, some of whom can only open or lock the car, while others can also drive it.
It is now also possible to install third-party apps in MBUX. Already available are TikTok, Angry Birds, Webex and Zoom as well as the web browser Vivaldi. You can also connect to the Zync portal for streaming, sports, news, games and much more. You can even get a selfie camera mounted in the dashboard that can be used for video meetings when the car is stationary.
Conclusions and thoughts
The new Mercedes E-Class is a beautiful car, but it’s also very thought-provoking.
Externally, Mercedes is struggling to find the balance between its classic hallmark of elegance, and the need to respond to new audiences’ desire to be seen as an expensive car.
Inside, Mercedes has taken what Tesla started and raised the stakes another level with its three large screens. The challenge is the same here – it looks luxurious and impressive, but the elegance is somewhat overshadowed. On the positive side, the focus on digitizing the basic platform is being followed, which will lead to many opportunities to develop the car’s functionality and extend its practical life.
While Mercedes is trying to decide what the brand will stand for in the future, the E-Class continues to offer a lot of car for the money. Whatever you think of the design, the new E-Class is well-built. For those who aren’t ready to make the jump to electric cars, this is among the best you’ll find in the hybrid market.
