Those who value a sumptuously appointed cabin, elegant styling, and a pillow-soft ride should look no further than the Mercedes-Benz E-class. While rivals such as the Audi A6 and the BMW 5-series may be more entertaining to drive, the middle child of the Mercedes-Benz sedan lineup is an effortless long-distance cruiser. Luxury features include available seats that can emulate a hot-stone massage, as well as advanced infotainment technology and an optional semi-autonomous driving mode.
What’s New for 2017?
The E-class sedan is all new for 2017. Interior styling and appointments include a 12.3-inch infotainment screen set into a dashboard that’s richly trimmed with leather, wood, and metal. The previous-generation engine lineup, which included a V-6, a V-8, and a diesel-powered four-cylinder, has been abandoned in favor of a single powertrain: a turbocharged four-cylinder with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The 2017 E-class is also larger than its predecessor, with increases to the wheelbase (up by 2.6 inches) and overall length (up 1.7 inches) creating a more spacious cabin.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The only engine choice is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 241 horsepower. It teams with rear- or all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic. In our testing, it motivated an all-wheel-drive E-class to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. While very quiet during normal driving, under heavy throttle, the engine can sound coarse. The nine-speed automatic transmission is smooth and unobtrusive in Comfort mode, but select Sport mode, and it snaps off quick shifts. In Sport+ mode, which seems out of place in a car tuned for maximum comfort, the gear shifts are abrupt and sometimes border on violent. For carefree and comfortable cruising, there are few cars as capable as the E-class. It’s a comfort-biased sedan with handling that is competent but not sporty. It leans in corners, but it rarely feels overwhelmed when pushed hard. With the air suspension in its Comfort setting, the ride is creamy, and the E-class is perfect for gobbling up lots of road.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The E-class’s cabin provides abundant features, comfortable front seats, and a legitimately luxurious experience. Its tight rear-seat space will be the only clue to passengers that the model name starts with an E and not an S. With upscale interior styling and material quality, the E-class packs an impressive array of luxuries into a relatively small package. Facing the driver are either two large, round analog dials flanking a digital information screen or an optional 12.3-inch screen with three configurable gauge styles. Trunk space is below average for this segment, but the E-class has more space for stashing smaller items inside the cabin than its rivals do.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The E-class comes standard with the Mercedes COMAND infotainment system. Its slow response times are disappointing, but the most common menu functions are intuitive. The standard 12.3-inch display dominates the dashboard as the high-tech focal point of the cabin. The system can be controlled in three different ways: touchpads on the steering wheel, a rotary knob combined with a touchpad mounted on the center console, or voice commands. Simple functions such as changing the radio station or placing a phone call are easy enough, but the navigation system requires a notable amount of effort to enter a destination.
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