DustinV

First Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Back to Benchmark: Once Again, Built to a Standard, Not to a Price



Stuttgart engineers are putting the years of cost-cut me-too Benzes behind them. Ditto the endless distractions of the Chrysler affair. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class represents Daimler's contrition for those sins. Like the recent C and S, the new E-Class is a return-path to what people always loved Mercedes for: a solid, safe, comfortable, conservative car in which you can invest utter faith.

That's not to say there hasn't been progress -- it's clearly part of the new design generation. The E posts impressive economy and performance numbers thanks to careful weight reduction, low aero drag, and powertrain improvements. It inherits a panoply of fancy driver-assist systems from the S-Class. But overall, the impression is that nothing has been done to upset the solid evolution and granite-like quality.

The design sits somewhere between crisp and boxy, with a bluff front end desperate (almost too desperate) to imply status. The flank design is pleasing, with good sculpture and, in the fairing behind the rear wheelhouse, a sly reference to its ancestor the 1953 "ponton" Mercedes. The look is a bit busy, but there's lots of surface detail and it's hardly boring. And the aero performance is superb, with a Cd of just 0.28.

Inside, the instrument binnacle is equally bluff, and the switchgear and surfaces feel like they're built for the end of time. All models get a high-mounted center ICE/Navigation screen with superb control logic and graphics. The cars we drove featured poly-adjustable heated and cooled massaging seats, but the normal chairs are also shaped for a perfect long-distance driving position. Rear head-and legroom are carefully planned for this car's pivotal role in the German taxi trade.

The bodyshell uses high-strength steel to produce better crash results than ever without adding weight. Indeed, the shell is optimized for the V-6 models: The V-8 and AMG editions get reinforcements, so that the base-engine cars aren't unnecessarily heavy. To protect pedestrians who stray into its path, the rear of the hood pops up on impact to give their heads a cushioned landing.

A switch to a three-link front suspension improves crash performance, though it required a lot of development driving to ensure the dynamics weren't compromised compared with the more complex previous design. The new suspension also improves component commonality with the C-Class. In fact, Mercedes engineers no longer talk of the C and E being separate platforms.

On the active safety side, a bundled option is radar cruise control with collision mitigation. If the driver neglects to react to a closing gap ahead, it will sound a warning, then tighten the seatbelts, next tap the brakes, and finally, if the driver still remains unresponsive once it deems a crash inevitable, apply the brakes fully. "The electronic crumple zone," Mercedes calls it. There's also a night-vision option, lane-change blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assist, and, as standard, a drowsiness sensor.

Mercedes says a quarter of the worst accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep. The new system monitors steering and accelerator input among other factors and, if the driver's style begins to change in ways Benz research has shown are indicative of overtiredness, a warning sounds and a steaming cup is displayed on the dashboard. Inexplicably, Mercedes has failed to name the system CoffeeTRONIC.

Base engine for the U.S. is the 3.5-liter direct-injection gas 350CGI. This makes 268 horsepower and hits 62 mph from rest in 6.3 seconds and achieves 28 mpg on the European mandatory test. Low-resistance tires, variable radiator blanking, as well as the low body mass and drag, all contribute to the fine economy numbers.

It's quiet in normal driving, but it's not a motor that relishes working hard. In the upper-mid rev band there are quantities of drab, tingly noise, and it doesn't rev especially freely. The seven-speed autobox, with column selector and plus/minus paddles, isn't responsive either, and despite the number of ratios still has a big gap between second and third that makes the powertrain feel clunky in tight twisting road sections.

The 5.5-liter 382-horse V-8 in the E500 is nicer by far to use, woofly and muscular at low revs, and happy to be taken by the scruff of the neck for a real power workout. This one cracks 0-to-62 in 5.3 seconds, and that's traction-limited: Mercedes claims 4.7 for the 4Matic. But driving it out of tight corners, at least in the dry, you seldom feel a want of traction. Watch for a Bluetec clean diesel version in early 2010.

The chassis comes in two flavors. The coil-spring layout has Mercedes' patented stroke-dependent damping, an all-mechanical system. Optional leveling air springs come with electronically controlled dampers. The air system is standard on the V-8 and does an excellent job. The ride is properly plush if you hit the comfort button and still pretty sweet if you hit sport, which moves the adaptive thresholds a little toward the liveliness direction. The steering is superbly accurate and never nervous and imparts just enough road feel to give you confidence. Mid-bend, the E is well-balanced and manages to feel like it's on a shorter wheelbase. But add excess g-loads and it's super-safe understeer all the way. This isn't trying to be a 5 Series.

The mechanical chassis option is very nearly as good. Neither ride nor handling suffer much, especially if you go for the higher-geared rack that's standard on the V-8. The mechanical dampers remain plush on short strokes, then stiffen up on longer suspension excursions to keep body movements in check. Okay, the body control isn't as strong-willed as with the air system, but it seldom slows you down.

There's clearly a sound base here for AMG to work on. Its manic 525-horsepower E63 will appear at the New York auto show in April.

The E range is also to be widened by the new E coupe, as seen at the Geneva salon in March, and 2010's matching cabrio, the larger replacements for the CLK. There will also be an E wagon later this year and AWD variants.

The E has a wide range because it's at the heart of the Mercedes business. Quite right then that it feels so like a Benz. You might take issue with the V-6 powertrain refinement -- it looks like the price you pay for such clean, efficient combustion -- but in other ways this is an utterly respectable sedan. Now, about that AMG model...


http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ive/index.html

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Any torque numbers on the V6? 268 HP seems kinda low for the class. Aside from that, it looks like MB has another winner The body styling still hasn't grown on me, but at least it isn't fugly.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Nice review! The car sounds great

IS-SV

258 pounds of torque.

Agreed, they need to use a better (higher power) version of the 3.5L in the future and it's already available in the new SLK.

Gojirra99

I think it's enough for the vast majority of the E-class buyers here, it's a Benz with the 3-point star on the hood & that's enough for them. The E350 will sell very well here.
We have the E280 in Canada, making it more affordable to get a E-class.

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

They'll probably play the switcheroo that a lot of the premium brand are doing now. Here's the new body style! *one year later* oh yeah, here are the new engines too!

DustinV

I think the "268 horsepower" classification for the E350 CGI is a mistake on Motor Trends part. In Europe the E350 CGI has 292 horsepower. CGI is Mercedes terminology for direct-injection.

Besides, the E350 CGI sounds like a fine car that is powerful enough. What we need to understand is that most people shopping for these cars are not really interested in performance but luxury amenities and comfort or the badge. To them 268 or 292 horsepower are adequate.

I have an E230 (yes, E230!!!) which is a 204 horsepower 2.5 V6 and it drives just fine. Spirited (not slow at all) and also quite economical. I am happy with it. But the thing is that I rarely use the power it has. I drive in a relaxed and elegant manor and try to enjoy the comfort the car offers. My wife and I enjoy touring sights in Germany and around Europe with the E230. It's the perfect long-distance cruiser and power is rarely needed on such trips. And if it is required, the E230 has more than enough grunt to overtake just about anything. I don't see why I should upgrade to an E280 or E350 / E350 CGI. Power looks good on paper and is useful if you "race", but for the typically conservative clientele buying these cars an E350 or E350 CGI is more than adequate enough in terms of power.


For the most part though, the new E class sounds like a fine car.

whoster

As weird as the car might look in photos...

It looks much more aggressive and planted in real life. I'm not sure how the dimensions compare to the last-gen E-Class, but it looks more "compact"

SLegacy99

Yes, 292 sounds more like a DI engine. 268 HP, 258 Trqs is what the non DI 3.5L puts out now.

And I say bring on the 2.5L V6 option to the states. BMW too. If the vehicle has been lightened (and surely a 2.5L would be lighter than a 3.5L) that performance should be decent enough when coupled to the MB 7 speed.
Real quality of this model will be if the 3.5L can achieve more than the paltry/embarassing (though not as embarassing as the RL) 24 Hwy MPG.

It seems like Audi really has the recipe right with the supercharged 3.0L. 300 HP AWD A6 that achieves 26 Hwy compared to the 268 HP E350 AWD that gets a whopping 22 Hwy miles.

I think the 5.5L is too big for a base model. Though the base 4.4L Turbo in the 750i isn't any more frugal in fuel consumption, though it does have more power!

A highlight fuel economy because I believe that luxury marques should set the bar. Buyers can afford to drive cars with more expensive gearboxes, direct fuel injection, higher engineering costs (the E class is quite costly in my opinnion). This is where the example should be set. Which is why I have given Lexus kudos for doing that with their sedans. We must use less fuel, but that doesn't mean we can't still have fun.

I would also like to see the 7 speed matched to the 4matic models. Why it hasn't been done yet it unclear to me.

IS-SV

When you charge as much as the E-class, horsepower for the American market is an important consideration in simple terms.

RXSF

last year, i was really hoping that MB would put the new DI 3.5 into the C350, but they didnt. i was afraid that they would do so in 2010 after i bought mine, but seeing as how the E class will have the same non DI 3.5, it makes me feel better. i dont think the DI engine will make it to the E class for another 2-3 years, and then at that time, it will be presented in the C class.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

I think the looks of the new E Class will grow on me over time.

It's good that they are changing their strategy.

IS-SV

When will the new E-class be in the showrooms?

Gojirra99

The current E-class debuted Fall of 2002 in N.America and a few months earlier in Europe, I remember seeing it first In Europe when I visited in the summer before the car was available here.
So I think we will probably see the new E-class in N.American showrooms this fall, but Europe will debut several months earlier (maybe even now) ...