Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon Road Test Report

Performance

The new E-Class has a range of eight engines, three diesel and five petrol. Improvements to the diesels mean a good balance of power, economy and refinement: the base 220 CDI model now has 170bhp, with a peak torque of 295lb-ft, meaning a 0-62mph time of 8.4secs and a top speed of 141mph, while still slightly improving fuel economy (44.8mpg). The V6 280 and 320 CDI versions have also received similar improvements in performance. The bottom-of-the-range petrol-powered E 200 Kompressor has added 21bhp to its power output, had half a second lopped off the 0-62mph time (9.1 secs) and an increased top speed (147mph). The 280 and 350 petrol units are unchanged, while the range-topping E 500’s new 5.5-litre V8, taken from the S-Class, generates 388bhp and 390lb-ft, making it one of the most powerful in its class, reaching 62mph in 5.3secs and fuel consumption of 24.6mpg.

Ride & Handling

This is an extremely comfortable car, thanks to its exceptional ride, space and superb seating: however, the ride quality is slightly let down by the occasionally excessive firmness of the steel-sprung versions around town. Models with Airmatic DC suspension - an option on all but the E 500 and E 63 AMG - have three settings, serving up a pillowy urban ride on the softest setting, a good, supple compromise in the middle position and a sportingly firm set-up for hard, high-speed driving. Many of the changes Mercedes made to this iteration of the E-Class have been designed to improve the driving experience, including an uprated suspension and steering. Handling is therefore improved, with good turn-in and an accomplished ability to change the direction of what is a pretty heavy car (1,580kg and rising). It’s no sports car, obviously, but it is relatively engaging for keen drivers.

Build Quality & Reliability

The current E-Class carries on from the previous version in feeling substantial and well crafted. The interior is solid and well finished in a variety of luxury materials such as leathers (or, in the case of base models, a convincing fake leather) and woods. Cars from before the 2006 refresh had a litany of problems, with a variety of electrical issues causing headaches and lots of trips back to the dealer. However, with this latest version, the company's former reputation for quality seems to be back on track and buyers can expect a dependable car. Indeed, the current E-Class came in 8th in the latest JD Power customer satisfaction survey. However, the Mercedes brand seems to be slipping in reliability surveys, coming 18th (out of 30) in the manufacturers’ standings and, it’s worth noting, when things go wrong, Mercedes cars are not cheap to fix.

Safety & Security

Top marks for passenger safety from independent crash testers EuroNCAP means that the E-Class is one of the safest cars on the road. There are a number of new safety features, including the Pre-Safe system, which anticipates accidents, using signals from the ESP or recognising that braking has reached a critical level, and acts by pre-tensioning seatbelts, closing windows and the sunroof, and moving the electric front passenger seat to the optimal position to maximise the effectiveness of the airbags. Two of the most important safety developments are connected with lighting. The first is the addition of flashing brake lights to warn drivers to the rear if braking force exceeds a predetermined amount. There's also an active light function that uses data about the car's steering angle, yaw rate and speed to swivel the headlights in the optimal direction when the vehicle is turning.

Space & Practicality

Up front, the E-Class scores not only for its spaciousness, but also the adjustability of the seats and steering column, so finding an ideal driving position should be easy for everyone. Rear room is good, but not great, and the boot is impressively spacious. The rear seats also fold neatly to accommodate long loads. We'd recommend against adding too many options, as it's very easy to add thousands to the list price. However, the COMAND system (Cockpit Management and Navigation Display), despite being a fairly pricey option at £1,990, is useful and practical, combining multi-changer CD, DVD (when parked - there's only a screen on the console) and straightforward sat nav functions. A new four-spoke steering wheel also contains thumb-operated buttons covering a wide range of functions, removing the need to spend too much time reaching for - and looking at - the console.

Ownership & Value

Prices start at £27,558 for the base E 200 Kompressor, rising to £47,161 for the E 500 Sport – although you can go mad and shell out £66,642 for the awesome E 63 AMG, which is a phenomenal, if costly, machine. So the E-Class isn’t cheap to buy but, in return, it should at least hold its value reasonably well. The petrol-engined cars are returning residuals of around 46-48% after three years, with the more economical diesels retaining just over 50% of their value. Bear in mind, though, that ticking too many boxes on the options list will make for a wonderfully cosseting ownership experience, but you won't see the value of these extras retained when you come to sell your car. The E-Class isn’t cheap to insure, either, with variants lying in groups 14 to 19 (or even 20 if you go for the AMG version).