[Omkar]

2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Pros

• One of the best examples of a luxury sedan <1-crore rupees. Comes from a solid decades-long legacy
• High-quality interiors, very comfortable seats and spacious cabin. Owners will appreciate the limousine-like rear seat experience
• Wide range of engines – E200 for sedate drivers, E220d for diesel fans and the E450 4Matic for enthusiastic owners looking for speed
• 9G-Tronic torque converter automatic transmission offers a smooth driving experience. It’s also fairly quick shifting
• Soft, comfortable suspension tune
• Loaded with tech like the 4D Burmester sound system, selfie (!!!) & video camera, 12.3-inch passenger display, digital air-vent control, latest gen MBUX, 4-zone climate control, soft close doors, power adjustment for rear seats, and more
• 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Equipped with 8 airbags (including a central airbag), active brake assist, active blind spot assist, Mercedes Pre-Safe system, etc.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cons

• More expensive than all direct competitors, including the 5-Series LWB (IMHO, the E-Class is still reasonably priced for what’s on offer)
• Not really a driver’s car that you will enjoy carving corners with. Best for cruising and sedate driving
• Starting engines offer just about adequate power on tap (E200 has 201 BHP, while E220d has 195 BHP)
• Extra-long wheelbase means that you have to be careful over large speed breakers
• Designed for 4 adults, not 5
• Boot doesn’t feel very spacious; the spare tyre too chews away useable cargo room
• Missing features such as cooled seats, head-up display, Level 2 ADAS, full-size spare tyre (E-Class has a space saver tyre which will restrict your cruising speed to 80 km/h) etc.

Introduction

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class needs no introduction. It has been the definition of what a luxury segment sedan should be for the longest time. For businessmen who love travelling in the back seat, the E-Class has been the default choice. It's rightly said that the E-Class is the mid-size interpretation of the elegant S-Class. In 2017, Mercedes India thought outside the box and instead of bringing in the W213 E-Class, they brought the V213 (V stands for Verlängert – extended in German), a slightly stretched version of the car that was engineered and made for the Chinese market. This was a masterstroke as the Indian audience loved it. In 2021, the E-Class got a facelift and some additional features. Now, in 2024, we have the V214, which is the sixth-generation E-Class.

So, what’s new in the V214 E-Class? For a start, it has grown in size. It measures 5,092 mm in length (14 mm more than V213) and 1,493 mm in height (13 mm more than V213). The wheelbase has also been extended by 15 mm and measures 3,094 mm. Even with all the design changes, the V214 still looks like a quintessential E-Class with the 3-box design. It also gets a bunch of feature additions on the inside. The car comes in 3 powertrain options - E 200 (201 BHP, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol), E 220d (195 BHP, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo-diesel) and E 450 4MATIC (375 BHP, 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder turbo-petrol). All 3 engines come with a 9G-Tronic AT. We got to spend a day with the variant that will most likely bring in the maximum numbers, the E 200. Let’s get to it then.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Price & Brochure

Mercedes has launched the E-Class at a starting price of Rs. 78.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for the E 200. The E 220d costs Rs. 81.5 lakh and the 6-cylinder E 450 4Matic is priced at Rs. 92.5 lakh. Everyone expected the pricing to be a bit on the higher side considering that it’s a new generation, and sure enough, the E-Class is the costliest car in the segment. Its direct competitor, the 2024 BMW 5 Series LWB (G68), costs Rs. 72.90 lakh and the Audi A6 prices are Rs. 64.41 lakh to Rs. 70.79 lakh. The other two cars competing in this segment are the Lexus ES (Rs. 64 lakh to Rs. 69.70 lakh) and the Volvo S90 (Rs. 68.25 lakh).

It is important to note that the E-Class is the only car that offers a diesel engine in this segment and also a 6-cylinder turbo-petrol. The entry price for the E-Class isn’t too far off from the 5-series, which means that the E-Class won’t have much trouble finding buyers in its segment.

You can download the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class brochure here - Mercedes E Class Brochure.pdf

[Omkar]

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Exterior Review

At the front, you have the star pattern Avantgarde grille. The face is very distinctively Mercedes. While the previous generation had a more subtle, business-class look, the V214 looks more aggressive:


The same goes for the rear. You have multiple horizontal elements that accentuate the width of the car:


The E-Class measures 5,092 mm in length (14 mm more than the outgoing V213) and has a wheelbase of 3,094 mm (15 mm more than the V213):


Even with the design changes, Mercedes manages to get the proportions right. The E-Class looks like a quintessential sedan and manages to attract eyeballs on the road:


There are a total of 5 colour options available with the E-Class – High Tech Silver, Graphite Grey, Polar White, Nautic Blue and Obsidian Black (our test car):


Check out the prominent lines on the bonnet. The radiator grille has a big Mercedes logo in the middle along with a chrome outline. The AMG line trim gets a different bumper:


LED headlamps have DRLs on the top and a unique shape. The headlamps look as if they are an extension of the grille:


Body-coloured ORVMs have integrated turn indicators and a camera for the 360-degree view system. They also have puddle lamps which project the Mercedes Benz logo on the ground:


18-inch alloy wheels have a 5-spoke design which looks classy. These are available with the E 200 and E 220d. The E 450 gets the AMG line 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels. IMO, these look better:


Wheels are shod with 225/55 R18 Nexen N’Fera Sport tyres which provide decent grip:


Flush door handles pop out when you approach the car. Check out the Mercedes-Benz name etched on the inside. Note that all the doors have a soft closing function:


Panoramic glass sliding sunroof is voice-controlled:


The camera for the driver assistance system is placed on the top of the windshield. The E-Class comes equipped with active brake assist and also blind spot assist:


The new tail lamp design is completely different from the outgoing generation of E-Class. You get a contour at the bottom which is similar to the headlamps. Inside, the LED tail lamps are in the shape of the Mercedes logo. IMO, this doesn’t look that great and Mercedes should’ve gone with a different design for this. Note the misaligned chrome strip on the boot and the tail lamp. Not something you get to see often on a Mercedes-Benz:


Twin exhausts are hidden at the bottom. Thankfully, you don’t get fake exhaust tips on the rear bumper:

[Omkar]

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Interior Review

The interior gets a major makeover from the previous generation. The dashboard design is similar to what we have seen on the EQE SUV, the EQS, and the EQS SUV. You get a bunch of screens including a 14.4-inch central display and a 12.3-inch passenger display. There are 3 interior leather upholstery options available – Cinnamon Brown (available with Obsidian Black and Polar White), Black / Anthracite (available with High-tech Silver) and Beige (available with Obsidian Black, Polar White, Nautic Blue and Graphite Grey) that you see here:


The leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel allows you to control everything in the car through the switches on the left and right spokes. These controls are touch-enabled mind you and there's a good chance you do something you didn't intend to as your hand moves the wheel. Paddle shifters are also provided:


Digital instrument cluster is a pleasure to look at and displays all relevant information. We have seen this display in the latest GLC as well:


Black and beige theme continues on the doorpads as well:


Extremely comfortable front seats get additional soft cushions on the headrests. They provide great overall support and also have extendable under-thigh support for taller passengers. It is worth noting that the E-Class is equipped with 8 airbags and a centre airbag is installed on the inside of the driver’s seat. Sadly, the seats in the E 200 aren’t ventilated:


The raked rear windshield restricts the rear visibility and the rear headrests also obstruct the view. Hence, it is best to depend on the ORVMs and the 360-degree view camera:


The ORVMs are well-sized and provide a good view of the rear. They are also equipped with blind spot warning lights:


A unique selfie and video camera is placed on top of the dashboard. When the vehicle is stationary, you can attend online video conferences and also click pictures like a selfie camera:


This is the 14.4-inch central display which has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The infotainment system is mated to a Burmester 4D surround sound, 17-speaker, 4 exciters and 730 watts system. The display is crisp and the system is user-friendly:


Here’s a look at the 360-degree view camera:


The E-Class is equipped with a 4-zone automatic climate control with digital vent control. The 4D system includes exciters in the backrest of the front seats which play music and supposedly add a 4th dimension to the music. I didn’t find this to be that great and I could feel the vibrations on my back. A better integration would’ve been speakers in the headrests like we’ve seen in Range Rovers which alleviate the listening experience. The E-Class also has an air purification package which has a two-stage filter that reduces the pollutants. Lastly, quick vehicle controls can be easily accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen:


Quick access buttons are placed below the touchscreen:


Open-pore black ash wood centre console looks classy:


Below, you have a couple of cupholders, 2 USB-C charging ports and a wireless charging pad:


Vents have been neatly integrated with the dashboard and the two screens. Notably, the E-Class gets digital vents. You can select an option from the screen and the vents will adjust automatically:


The 12.3-inch passenger screen has a lot of the functions from the central screen:


The well-sized glovebox is illuminated:


Split panoramic sunroof is voice-controlled. In the previous gen E-Class, the middle part of the roof had vanity mirrors for the rear passengers which are missing in the new car:


The outgoing E-Class had a great backseat with very little to complain of. With the V214, Mercedes has just made things even better for people who prefer the backseat. The seats recline between 26 degrees and 36 degrees. The seat base can also be extended by 40 mm for additional under-thigh support. I should mention that the under-thigh extension function for the rear left passenger seat wasn’t working in our test car:


There’s plenty of knee room for the rear passengers. Here, the top picture is with the front seat adjusted to my driving position, and the second picture is with the front seat pushed all the way forward - the way most people would be using this seat:


Just like the front seats, the rear seat headrests also get soft cushions (previous generation E-Class also had these):


Ambient lighting strip that runs across the cabin:


The rear left passenger gets a boss button to adjust the front passenger seat:


Rear passengers get electrical sunblinds. The sunblind for the rear quarter glass is manual:


Backrest for the middle passenger tumbles down to double up as a centre armrest. It has a wireless charging pad. The 2021 facelift of the V213 E-Class came with a tablet from which the rear passengers could control the music and some functions of the central screen as well. The tablet is missing in this generation of the E-Class:


There’s also a small storage area to keep your knick-knacks:


HVAC control panel for the rear passengers. There is a small closed storage area below:


The boot is now powered and can be opened by kicking gesture under the rear bumper. The boot space is limited:


Previous generation E-Class didn’t have a wheel well. The spare wheel had to be kept on the boot floor. The wheel and the tools are neatly arranged in a Styrofoam case:

[Omkar]

Driving the Mercedes-Benz E 200

Powering the E 200 is the M254 engine - a 2.0-litre, inline 4-cylinder turbo-petrol unit that makes 201 BHP @ 5,800 rpm and 320 Nm @ 1,600 - 4,000 rpm. It is mated to a 9G-Tronic torque converter automatic transmission:


The M254 engine is quite versatile and Mercedes recently introduced it in the smaller C-Class in the C300 guise with a higher power output. In the E-Class however, the focus is on comfort and a smooth driving experience. The engine features a 48V electrical system and an integrated starter generator (ISG). These additional bits increase the maximum power by 23 BHP and 205 Nm. Exhaust gas after treatment is also done at the engine itself. This allows the catalytic converter to reach its optimum operating temperature more quickly. The petrol particulate filter is also installed close to the engine.

From theory to out on the road. The 48V system along with the integrated starter generator makes sure that the engine fires up quickly and more gently. You barely feel the engine starting up. There are certain things that you would expect from a car from this segment and the E 200 does that pretty well. Rolling off the line is very smooth and the car crawls forward calmly. The EQ boost adds a bit of pep at low speeds while driving around in the city. Keeping up with traffic will never be an issue in the E 200. The car gets up to speed quickly which makes closing those gaps in traffic or overtaking very easy. Once you get used to the size of the car, you will realize how easy it is to drive it in the city. It doesn’t feel like a big boat that you are trying to maneuver. It feels quick on its feet.

Out on the highway is where you can flex your right foot. The best way to describe the E 200 is that it’s quick, but not fast. Don’t get me wrong. The claimed 0-100 km/h time is 7.5 seconds, which is very good. But overall, the E 200 is focused on providing a smooth driving experience and especially for the rear seat occupants. This means that the car has been set up for comfort and not performance which shows when you try to push the car. The power delivery is very linear which is something you will appreciate while cruising on the highway. At 100 km/h, the engine spins comfortably at 1,500 rpm in D8 and at 120 km/h, you will see it revving at 1,800 rpm in D8. You can also select the 9th gear manually if you want to further lower the rpms. All in all, the E 200 is an effortless mile muncher.

The 9G-Tronic automatic transmission has a torque converter and is a very smooth gearbox. The upshifts and downshifts are very smooth. With a light foot, you barely feel the transmission going up and down the gears. Driving around in the city, the gearbox never felt like it was in the wrong gear or confused. It was always in the right gear. On kickdown, the gearbox doesn’t hesitate to drop 3 or even 4 gears at times to get the engine into the power band. The response time, however, isn’t as quick as the ZF transmissions in BMWs. You can even use the paddle shifters if you want to shift manually. They’re fairly responsive.

The E 200 has a total of 4 drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. These modes alter the throttle and steering response.

In Eco mode, the throttle response is dull and the gearbox upshifts earlier to maximise fuel efficiency. This mode provides the smoothest ride and honestly, with the power and torque that the engine produces, it is good enough to be used in the city as well as on the highway.

The Comfort mode is the default mode which is in between the middle of Eco and Sport modes. It works well in town and on the highway and offers a good balance between efficiency and performance.

In Sport mode, the engine becomes more responsive and eager to react to throttle inputs. On undivided highways, this is the mode to use to pull off quick overtakes. The transmission holds a gear for a longer time and the steering firms up too. Unlike most other cars, the Sport mode in the E 200 is not very aggressive. The power delivery does not feel very spiky in the city.

Individual mode gives you the option to customise your driving experience to your requirements.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

Thanks to the 48V electrical system and the integrated starter generator (ISG), the engine cranks up quickly and smoothly as well. You can barely hear the engine in the cabin at idle and while driving around in the city. On the outside though, the engine is loud. The engine note at high revs is nice and suits the character of the car. It’s not too loud nor is it forcibly muted. Enthusiasts will find it dull, but then they should be looking at the 6-cylinder E 450 and not the E 200.

Wind noise and road noise are well controlled at 100-120 km/h.

Mileage & Fuel economy

Mercedes hasn’t revealed the fuel efficiency numbers for the E 200. What works in favour of the fuel economy is the tech like the idling start-stop system and the integrated starter generator. We’ll have to wait for some ownership reviews for real-world fuel economy figures.

Recommended fuel is 95 octane and as you can see, the E-Class is E5, E10 and E25 compliant:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

As mentioned earlier, the focus of the E-Class has been on comfort. At slow speeds, the suspension feels absorbent and small bumps and potholes are handled well. Be mindful of the fact that it’s a German sedan and you won’t find any issues with the suspension at slow speeds. However, you hear the bumps or potholes inside the cabin if taken at speed. As the speed increases, the ride gets flatter. There is a bit of vertical movement over road undulations, but it’s not excessive.

Handling & Dynamics

Straight-line stability is good and you or the passengers won’t realise that you are cruising at triple-digit speeds. The car masks speed quite well.

The comfort-oriented suspension setup doesn’t really encourage you to attack corners. The car manages to hold its line, but isn’t very comfortable being pushed hard into corners. The soft suspension means that there is movement inside the cabin. The 225/55 R18 Nexen N'Fera Sport tyres provided decent grip through the corners.

Steering

The E-Class has a very light steering that is easy to use in the city and on highways. It is fairly direct which makes the car very easy to drive. Manoeuvring this long car through the city and even taking 3-point turns doesn’t feel very cumbersome due to the user-friendly nature of the steering. It weighs up a fair amount on the highway and makes cruising quite comfortable. From an enthusiast's point of view, however, it is still light (even in Sport mode) and although direct, it doesn’t feel very confidence-inspiring in corners.

Braking

As expected, you get all-round disc brakes in the E-Class. When you are driving within the limits, the brakes work perfectly and more importantly they are very predictable. Under hard braking, the car stops without much drama. The E-Class is also equipped with Active Brake Assist.

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[Utopian]

Superbly put review with delectable snaps. Thanks for sharing. Another winner from Merc. Looks are stellar-the merc styled tail lights I agree are the downer, the one with DNA helix-esque styling would have looked awesome here.

Were you able to get a chance to drive the 450 and 220d?

[Gsynch]

Great review, superbly drafted.

The BMW drives more engagingly, but Mercedes’ big draw over the competition is comfort, and it’s wisely avoided chasing performance at the cost of keeping you relaxed and happy.

[Omkar]

Originally Posted by Utopian

Were you able to get a chance to drive the 450 and 220d?

Nope, just the E200 for now. We will update whenever there's a car available.

[sohels]

Great review. I have received quotations for both E200 and 530i here in Rajkot, Gujarat. Both quotes are for the 4 year, 10K/year option:

E200: 11L down, then 98.5K per month
530i: 11.5L down, then 1.05L per month

The reason for the E200 being more cost effective in spite of its higher sticker price is the higher assured buyback that Merc offers.

I have driven the 530i, and am waiting for the E200 TD, but at this price, and taking into account the back seat experience they both offer, I'm leaning very heavily in favor of the Merc.

[VRJ]

Great launch by Mercedes and a 5 star review from Team-BHP. No car does comfort better than the E-class. I’ve already paid an initial booking amount couple of months back for a grey 220d. I’m debating whether to go for the petrol or the diesel. The on-road price for the petrol is 95L and the diesel is 99L. The five year maintenance package for the petrol is around 20% lower compared to the diesel. Our average running would be around 10,000 kms a year. So, I’ll save around 5L if I pick the E200. Would love to hear recommendations. Is it safe to assume 5-6kmpl for the petrol and 10kmpl for diesel within city limits?

The maintenance package details are as below. Surprisingly, the E450 is cheaper to maintain than the E220d.



Extended warranty prices for E200 and E220d are:

4th Year: ₹67,800.
4th & 5th Year: ₹1,33,000.
4th, 5th & 6th Year: ₹2,02,900.

Vizag is yet to receive a display car. Based on the brochure and videos on YouTube, there are a couple of things I’ve noticed:

1. For the price we’re paying, it would’ve been nice if E300 petrol and diesel tunes were launched instead of 200 and 220d. But, Mercedes thinks it’s plenty enough power for chauffeur driven customers. A E300d would’ve been the best option.

2. No ventilated cooled seats.

3. Reflector headlights aren’t very effective in Indian driving conditions. I would’ve preferred the E450 headlights over the super-screen. Or pay a couple of lakhs extra for those headlights.

4. Interior feels more techy than timeless classy.

5. 18” alloys look much better than what BMW is offering with the 5’er.

Cheers!

[Aurum]

Great review, thanks! Personally, I'm a bit worried that having experienced the Q5 petrol, this will feel sluggish at nearly 2 secs slower to 100 (as seen on a Youtube review).

Saw on the evo Youtube review that relative to the BMW, low speed ride might be worse. On an absolute basis, looks like you felt it was OK.

Any views on ground clearance?

Does team-bhp have an official 5 series LWB review?

[84.monsoon]

Great review! I am seriously tempted with the E450 after experiencing the ride on my M340i. Compared ro the E200, it is a higher value package given the extra features like the insane power figures from the M256, and the 4Matic AWD system. Despite being a much bigger car, the E450 is almost as fast as the M340i, at least on paper!

One question that worries me. Given the long wheelbase, did you experience any issues with bottom scraping on our huge speed breakers? As the 6 pot misses air suspension, I am not sure the ride height is enough for our roads.

It is a bummer that Mercedes has not provided at least adaptive dampers, if not air suspension. Despite all the hype about the suspension tech in the brochure, it looks like they have given only passive dampers with a basic damping technology similar to the frequency selective dampers, such as those on the ScorpioN.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by sohels

Great review. I have received quotations for both E200 and 530i here in Rajkot, Gujarat. Both quotes are for the 4 year, 10K/year option:

E200: 11L down, then 98.5K per month
530i: 11.5L down, then 1.05L per month

The reason for the E200 being more cost effective in spite of its higher sticker price is the higher assured buyback that Merc offers.

Could you share the buy back / balloon payment for both options. That will present the proper comparable and complete picture on both offers. Thank you.

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Great review! I am seriously tempted with the E450 after experiencing the ride on my M340i. Compared ro the E200, it is a higher value package given the extra features like the insane power figures from the M256, and the 4Matic AWD system. Despite being a much bigger car, the E450 is almost as fast as the M340i, at least on paper!

I am speaking without the experience of actually driving the new E (so forgive the presumptions or preconceived notions), but, spec sheet numbers aside, I seriously doubt that the LWB E will provide anywhere near the driving thrills that an M340i does, including on the overall feel and handling.

They just wont compare I’m pretty sure. But it’s just one long test drive away I reckon for you to make that informed assessment.

Originally Posted by Omkar

Nope, just the E200 for now. We will update whenever there's a car available.

Ping me to tag along if you get the 450 in Mumbai. Pretty please!

[Shivacharanpate]

Thank you for the great review. Indian E Class looks more enticing because of the features and long wheelbase. I stay in the UK and I have rarely come across E class sedan, I have seen the touring version a couple of times including when a cousin hired for a road trip. I think I belong to the group of people who are not a fan of this car. I can't seem to like this design especially the face and the alloys. Mercedes has done a great job packing all the features Indians would want in their luxury barge.
I think this will be a success given the competition is non existent, with BMW not giving enough features and having a debatable face and Audi diluting their brand value.
(I drive G31 5 series 2023 and I prefer the old school styling!)

[L8ButV8]

Merc has a winner that will sell very well. But I'd like to note a few issues:

(1) Very minimal improvements vs the V213 launched in 2017. Primary change seems to be the large touchscreen, which is a nice touch. The touch screen in the back is a loss-- it elevated the back seat experience to feel premium, despite being quite useless. The blank rubber hole in the arm rest looks like a big step down, and looks cheap in comparison.

(2) V213 launched in 2017 at 56L ex showroom. Price is now 22L & 40% higher despite the car being in production for 7 years & a lot of the tech being old. I don't see new & significantly improved mechanicals (e.g Air suspension, next gen gearbox/engine etc) that would have driven up the price. While inflation does drive up cost, a lot of the existing tech gets cheaper with time/scale. When the V213 launched in 2017, a lot of the the capabilities were new.

As a V213 owner, I find 0 incentive to upgrade to the newer car. Mercedes should have done more to step up the game. They're probably funneling R&D money into electrics, resulting in ICE cars stagnating a bit. All of this said, this car will probably do well and will probably be the segment leader (albeit by a much, much smaller margin than before). Mercedes is giving up some of their lead in this segment with this launch.

Huge huge thank you to BMW for reigning in Mercedes' crazy pricing team, by stepping up the fight.