There aren’t many luxury brands more iconic than Mercedes-Benz. But for the E-Class sedan it’s more than the 3-pointed star on the grille that imparts to its viewer that this is a premium machine.
Yeah, no doubt, the Mercedes logo plays a roll, but I think it’s also evident at the rear roofline. Rather than a long, sloping roof, the E-Class sedan has more of I call a bubble canopy. It’s a look I most closely associate with classic Jaguars. While not as dramatic on this Mercedes, it’s something I automatically link to a luxury car.
If that doesn’t do it, the E-Class also has ties to its big brother the S-Class. The grille is of a similar shape to the S, albeit, more diminutive in size and the LED lighting, both front and rear, look like they could be pulled right from big brother.
There’s also a family resemblance with the round interior air vents. But the ones in the E-Class almost feel cheap and plastic-y, even though I think they’re actually made from some kind of metal. That’s one of the few criticisms I have of the car. Another is the amount of rear seat legroom, or lack thereof. The E-Class is the next step down from the flagship S-Class, yet I think most adults would feel at least a little bit cramped sitting in the back seats.
But if you’re not toting around other adults, this is an extremely comfortable car. The front seats have adjustments for seemingly every contour of your body, even an extension for the lower seat cushion that helps support your legs. I have found this a great feature for helping to avoid fatigue, especially on long trips and for someone with a set of long walking sticks like mine.
That comfort extends to the ride of the E-Class as well. It was a little stiffer than what I like, probably because of the low-profile tires and AWD of our test vehicle, but it does help keep the driver in tune with what the car is doing and I think it’s what customers now demand from a vehicle in this segment. We drove the E450 4MATIC with the turbocharged 3.0L inline 6-cylinder engine. And it provided power the way I expect a Mercedes to. There’s a lot of play in the accelerator pedal so you can easily control the vehicle as slower speeds, but plenty of power to pass or merge with traffic if you really step on it. Or flip the drive mode into ‘Sport’ or ‘Sport +’ to tap into the full 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
Like many buyers today, I experienced sticker shock when looking at the price. The E450 4MATIC start at about $63,000, which sounds about right for this vehicle, but our test model with all its extra goodies came in at $73,350.
By: Sean McElroy
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John McElroy is an influential thought leader in the automotive industry. He is a journalist, lecturer, commentator and entrepreneur. He created “Autoline Daily,” the first industry webcast of industry news and analysis.
