Prior to testing the new Mercedes E-Class, I hope to meet up with a luxury car to travel in the midst of an absolute silence and comfort, with the outstanding support of their advanced systems of driving semi-autonomous (here we leave the specific test of driving autonomous of the new Mercedes E-Class) and very focused on the care of its occupants.
It is not a sedan, autonomous, is a car to enjoy driving, who we were going to say that?
What I find is a car surprising, for good and for bad. Amazing for well because the dynamic behavior and feel of driving of this great vehicle have proven to be outstanding, as if Mercedes had wanted to narrow the gap with BMW in this aspect (waiting for the next BMW 5-Series). Amazing for well for the huge quality of their interiors, that narrow the distance with Audi to cancel it completely (waiting for the upcoming Audi A6).
Finally, the negative surprise of the E-Class has been your level of comfort, very far from a S-Class, and the degree of automation of the actual driving, being the best on the market, at the wheel not just be the huge leap forward that you could sense, but rather the next logical evolution of everything known.
The starting price for an E 220d basic is 48.500 €
The unit tested is a Mercedes E Class 220d finish Exclusive. Incorporates the new engine 2.0 diesel 194 HP boasts of an incredible consumption approved of 3.9 l/100km, a real feat in a car of this size. It is expected that this engine will join the rest of the range Mercedes practically to the full (Class A, B, C, and is expected to also even the S-Class, although it may sound a bit strange).
the price of The Mercedes E-Class part of 48.500 € in one configuration, the “basic” with which few customers will make up, with the loss of almost all the equipment for driving assistance and the main gadgets that make this car really attractive.
Mercedes E-Class: interior and exterior design
The new Mercedes E-Class is so similar outwardly to a S-Class and so large that it is difficult to tell them apart. I think that with that everything is said about its exterior design, half way between C-Class and the S, like three water drops of different sizes.
In the interior, we find similarities with the S Class, with the virtually shared dashboard and digital displays, but by cutting back a little the total width. That said, the interior is no less impressive for being familiar and leap forward compared to the previous generation is a real chasm in design and quality, as if they had spent 20 years between the two generations.
The termination is outstanding, the level of finishes brutal
We tested the Mercedes E-Class 220d with the finish Exclusive, and all the options imaginable, with an interior duotone color white and brown and is a wonderful seats ventilated, heated, with massage and perforated leather-trimmed first-quality. Highlights the top of the dashboard upholstered in leather, a horizontal band that runs in piano black with lines that seem to remember the staff, and especially the two giant screens that make instrumentation and central screen.
The termination is outstanding, the level of finishes and brutal the definition of the screens is comparable to an iPad retina. I don’t see what a painting of an analog clock in the middle of so much technology, but I guess it’s that classic touch that Mercedes can’t stop printing in their cars.
The interior is spacious, without being huge
The car is roomy, without being huge, and I called attention to the position so low of all the occupants, responsible for all that length it is to lose a little bit of traveling with your legs quite stretched out horizontally. Has won in battle and length with respect to the previous E-Class, now coming up to the 4.923 mm total length. The boot keeps the 540 litres of the previous model.
Taking into account the size of the air outlets and the height of the heads-up displays, combined with the low height of the car and its high waistline, the Mercedes E-Class leaves us with a windshield surprisingly small, very vertical, and with a view to the left greatly limited by the large mirror outside. .
The visibility to the left is very limited by the outside mirror and the little glass area
The visibility is a clear weakness, which prevents us from seeing the kerb of a roundabout, for example, and that we will remember every time we look through the window of the driver and do not see virtually nothing. With this limitation cobra all the sense in the system of detection of pedestrians, though you would be able to see something better on the sides.
ride Comfort and feel of driving
We hope to meet with the silence and the comfort of a limousine. But not
The ride comfort is one of the keys of a saloon of this size, with almost 5 meters long and a star on the hood. Basically we hope to meet with the silence and the comfort of a limousine. But it is not.
The unit tested had the suspension more advanced available, a pneumatic system adjustable in various positions intended to provide maximum comfort combined with a perfect control of the inertia. Do not carry the cameras view of the road that incorporates the S-Class, but the mechanism is similar.
The suspension does not end up being truly comfortable in no time
The driving modes are Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ with effect on direction, shift, throttle, and suspension. In reality, the effect most noticeable is on the change management automatic, since the Eco mode enter the driving “sailing” by disconnecting the transmission in stretches of plains and soft descents to save fuel, while the modes Sport and Sport + tend to stretch the gears.
The effect on direction is difficult to detect, but what is most surprising is that the suspension does not end up being really comfortable at any time, read a lot of the irregularities of the terrain even in Comfort mode, but is not very strong even in Sport mode+. it Is almost impossible to distinguish in what way we are in each moment no check in the box.
What it does well-the suspension is to maintain control of the car, while the steering is fairly communicative (quite unexpected), with which the car turns out to be a weapon fairly well-tuned for those who like to really drive (although that slogan is of another brand).
Who were going to say that, but it turns out that the Class E is a fun car at the wheel, with a good feedback steering and a suspension that keeps it always in place without any rolling. The steering is quick enough and the response of the change in mode Sport+ is instant the accelerator. The sections tinted become while driving very nice.
Who was going to say, but it turns out that the E-Class is a car fun behind the wheel
it should also Be noted, as we have been able to try it out, the behavior at high speed on a highway, a field in which the car is like a fish in the water. The controller works up to 210 km/h, although we were left at 200 km/h, and the feeling of control and poise is total.
Range and prices of the Mercedes E-Class
At the time of launch, the range consists of three powertrains that give rise to the following models:
| Model | Power | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes E 200 | 184 CV | 49.300 € |
| Mercedes E 220d | 194 HP | 48.500 € |
| Mercedes E 220d | 258 HP | 61.800 € |
The price differences are accentuated by the fault of the car tax, which greatly benefits from the 220d to the point of being cheaper than its counterpart petrol with less power.
The trim levels are the traditional denominations Avantgarde, Exclusive and AMG line, and the option list takes up pages and pages of a catalog infinite, which have to be taken into account numerosas options are not exactly cheap to round out those starting prices.
New engine 2.0 diesel 194 HP
With respect to new diesel engine, aluminum with 2-liter displacement and a maximum power of 194 HP, what is essential is that it consumes very little (at least in official figures, which mark 3.9 l/100km official), and has a good response that is perceived as more than enough to move a car as large as the Class E.
Coupled with the new change of 9 relations (which works like silk) is irrelevant to its elasticity, because the change is going to take to always keep it in the optimum regime for the response to that request. It’s going quite well.
What I did not like anything, being a feature already endemic in the diesel Mercedes, is a sound ugly at high regime, as they “scratch” a little bit and reminds us that there is a gas even on a new car as the unit tested. In that sense, it keeps the sound of the previous E 220 CDI, which was not exactly his best virtue, generating a kind of bust when you want to squeeze it for maximum enjoyment at the wheel.
In normal circumstances and in the modes Comfort and Eco the change tends to keep the engine almost at idle, so that in the absence of vibrations the engine is completely unnoticeable.
Conclusions
Mercedes proposes to us in reality a car is clearly oriented towards the driving pleasure more than to the absolute comfort
Under the guise of a sedan of almost 5 meters full of assistance to driving, Mercedes proposes to us in reality a car very oriented to the pleasure of driving, rather than to the absolute comfort, with a level of monitoring, assistance and prevention of accidents unparalleled in the market at the time of its launch.
The leap forward in quality and interior design compared to the previous generation is colossal, as is the improvement of driving experience, and that puts this great saloon in a position of equality with their opponents Audi and BMW in their respective strengths, to the time that is positioned ahead in safety and driving autonomous systems that by the time no one else can offer (see test-driving autonomous with videos)
It has seemed to Me a great, great car
The Class E is a car is highly recommended for those who like sedans large and can afford the almost £ 50,000 a starting and not less than 15,000 other € in extras that the car screams, such as the Premium package plus, which includes the LED headlights Mutibeam, heated seats, browser, touch controls, parking camera 360 degrees, sound system Burmester speakers up in the ceiling, memories in the seats, and panoramic sunroof electric (from 9.038 €) or the complete package driving assistance DRIVE PILOT (from 3.194 €) more wheels to our taste that not lower than € 2,000 and some other candy which I can assure you that we will find in the list of optionals.
Is expensive, but it is a great, great car.