13/10/09
- Price31,375
- We like...Ride; comfort
- We don't...Expensive options
New saloon sees Mercedes focus anew on what it's best at - making solid, smooth-rolling saloons that'll swallow the miles This car finds Mercedes’ engineers on cracking form. They’ve made an excellent job of... making a Mercedes. By which I mean that they’ve focused on what the make is best at – turning out comfortable, refined cars – and they’ve trumped rivals along the way.
A BMW 5-series may feel more involving to drive, while a Jaguar XF is sleeker and has a cabin so stylish, you’ll relish every moment spent in it. But when it comes to hauling people and their belongings across long distances, no other ds the job quite as well.
Our car here may have the smallest diesel engine in the line-up but, from the off, it feels marvellously ‘planted’ and secure on the road. The ride is firm enough for you to be aware of bumps but the springs and dampers deal with them so efficiently that they’ll rarely bother you. And while the steering hasn’t the needle-perfect precision to make stringing together quick bends a joy, it will allow you to sit rock-steady on the motorway for as long as you need.
And while its 170bhp is merely so-so for a big car like this it feels acceptably brisk, stepping off smartly from rest, its five-speed auto gearbox slipping imperceptibly between gears. The engine is quiet unless you summon all its power and its note drops to a distant hum at the motorway maximum. You might pick a bigger engine for your ‘E’ and spend more but on our experience with this one, there’s no need to. Its BlueEfficiency tag means it should be exhaust-clean and a fuel sipper and indeed its 159g/km of CO2 output is decent given its size and performance, as is its 48.7mpg overall.
Noise inside the car at speed is low, although there’s a murmur of wind rustle around the screen and a little tyre rumble, too. But it’s a hushed and very settled cruiser.
Inside, it’s roomy, notably in the rear where the seats are broad and headroom is good. All in the cabin looks and feels solid and metal inlays across the dash and console look good. But the plastics used in some areas don’t have the measure of those you’d find in a similar Audi, however. The boot is deep and square-shaped and will open at a button-push on the remote keyfob. But watch as you use it because the lid opens suddenly enough to catch you in the face, should you stand close.
Standard kit on this Sport model is good, especially for a make that not so long back equipped its cars meanly. For instance, an AMG body kit, steering wheel and even floor mats are included within the price. Among the highlights, too, is a system that monitors how you steer the car and warns you if it thinks that you’re driving tired. And, to tell you that it’s working, the car pops a little graphic of a cup of coffee (see below) on the instrument panel. Cute.
Should you buy one? If you like Mercedes for their comfort, hush and ability to gulp down long distances, it’s a definite ‘yes’.
To view and buy new and used Mercedes E-class on motors.co.uk, click here
To read the motors.co.uk verdict on the previous E-class, click here
- Engines2.2 diesel
- Power170bhp
- 0-60 mph8.6secs
- Economy48.7mpg
- CO2g/km159
- Insurance groups
- EuroNCAP
- Airbags6
- Seats5
Motors.co.uk value verdict:
