It’s been the sign of quiet but self-assured wealth for years, and with good reason. Eschewing the sportier trappings of its rivals, the Mercedes E-class has always been synonymous with class, comfort and quality.
No surprise, then, that it’s worked its way into a spot at the top of the aspiration tree. But with strong competition from the Jaguar XF, BMW 5-series and Audi A6, can it stay there?
Space in the Mercedes E-Class
Let’s face it: you were never going to be short of space in a car of this size. The E-class is vast inside, offering more than enough room for all its passengers, and it’s largely on par with, if not better than, its rivals in every regard.
There’s fractionally more room for your luggage than you’ll find in an Audi A6 or a BMW 5-series, though to be fair, probably not so much that you’d notice in the real world.
What you will notice, however, is the extra storage space for front-seat passengers in automatic versions, which comes as a result of the shifter being located on the steering column.
Comfort in the Mercedes E-Class
What’s most impressive about the E-class’s ride is that it’s soft where it needs to be, and yet doesn’t resort to wallowing.
Less powerful versions get standard steel suspension, which smooths out rough road surfaces and glides beautifully over larger undulations. In fact, it’s almost faultless; the only chink in its armour being the way it shimmies slightly when caught out by more sudden ruts.
However, upgrade to the optional air suspension, which comes as standard on more powerful E-classes, and even this tendency disappears, leaving a pillow-soft ride that’s the envy of its rivals.
One of the E-class’s most impressive facets, however, comes when you turn the radio volume down. Only then do you notice the noise – or lack of it. Only a gentle whoosh of air and tyre belie the fact you’re in motion.
All is not perfect, however, for if you do decide to press on a bit, the diesel engines do make their presence felt – or, rather, heard, giving off a gruff note that can pierce the E-class’s serenity when you accelerate hard.
Dashboard Styling of the Mercedes E-Class
High-quality plastics and lovely slivers of metal and wood abound, while the central console is clear and well laid-out, and finished with some fabulous knurled switches.
Meanwhile, the large colour screen that dominates the interior is clear and easy to read. The only shame is that the software which controls it is sometimes slow to respond and confusingly laid-out, with certain functions buried deep within layer upon layer of menus.
Optionally, you can also add a second screen in the dashboard, which replaces the gauges ahead of the driver, making them virtual and customisable.
Driving Ease of the Mercedes E-Class
Turn the wheel and the power steering responds sharply, snicking the nose round almost sooner than you’re expecting it to. There’s also a huge amount of steering lock, which makes the turning circle nice and tight.
What impresses most, though, is the progression of the pedals; there’s no jerkiness or slack, just smooth, linear control which enables you to stop and pull away smoothly with minimal effort.
Every E-class comes with an automatic gearbox, which only makes things even easier, and the line-up of powerful, responsive engines makes this a class act.
The slow steering means the front end never feels as sparky as the Jaguar XF’s, although it does bite reasonably well. That steering’s also a touch on the light side, too, and lacks the sort of feedback you’d want.
What’s more, the soft suspension causes the E-class to stumble and lollop on bumpier B-roads, resulting in an uncomfortable wobbliness that you won’t find in a Jaguar XF. A BMW 5-series with the right options boxes ticked too will always feel more fun than the E-class.
For all that, though, the E-class does at least respond to inputs predictably, and on a fast, smooth A-road, the decent amount of grip it offers means it can still raise a smile.
Reliability of the Mercedes E-Class
Mercedes’s three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is the equal of those you get on a BMW or Land Rover, and better than the limited-mileage item you’ll find on an Audi.
There are two diesel engines in the E-class range and both get very competitive fuel consumption figures. In fact, the smaller E220d beats all of its rivals’ equivalent engines on the EU combined cycle; the E350d, meanwhile, is on a par with its equivalents.
Safety in the Mercedes E-Class
When buyers compare the new E-class to similar cars from five or ten years ago, Adult occupant protection of 95% and child occupant protection of 90% are both good results and should be broadly comparable in the estate shape too.
Further Reading-