[thermalpaste]

@GTO : Excellent review as usual.

About Neck-pro: Mercedes-Benz TecDay : Neck-Pro-Headrest | Automotive Technology | Veoh

I believe the 'ISOFIX' anchorages are for child seats. A very few cars in India come with a provision for fitting child-seats in the car.

I agree with you that the car looks Korean from the back. Yes, the previous gen E-class has a better derriere.
There is a large gap in the inner portion of the alloy wheel and the disc; and you are absolutely right; it looks like an aftermarket upsize -- the discs are puny in comparison if you clicked the front wheel of the car.
DRLs are more suitable for Audis -- they just don't go with the merc. Angel eyes for Beemers, LED strips for Audis and 'I don't know what' for Mercs.
The interiors are nice though. I would still prefer the 5 series....

[ajmat]

Great review

Looks like Merc are going back to being Mercs and not trying to be everyone else

Rear end not so bad IMHO but can be mistaken for the latest Camry or Galant

[Akki_5]

Hey. What a review! One helluva 'detailed' review!
Frankly, i don't find too much of an upgrade in terms of features compared to my E280 CDI. I am not very fond of this updated center console. The screen is just namesake (it's tiny) with an unappealing UI. But nevertheless, atleast there is a 'screen' on this one.
The rear may look better at night with the LEDs blaring! But through the day, it's unattractive.
It has adopted a lot from the S with that nice gear lever and some awesome interior lighting.
But anything new is fresh and i am sure this car too will grow on me very soon.
Overall, a great package

[ported_head]

Super review GTO, for what is MB's most important launch. They can't afford to cool their heels anymore with BMW breathing down their necks.

To start with the looks: I didn't think you would be too keen on the new creased look after your recent W126 binge. It looks really aggressive/stealthy from some angles, and looks like a Chinese knock off from a few others. I like the sharp lines in the front, but what spoils it is that grille. I know MB trademark and all that, but if they were going to take such a drastic design direction, they could have redesigned the grill too. The rear is strictly OK. Their moving away from the rounded lights makes it look like an evolution of the W201 front and rear, rather than the preceding E. What weird couple of slashes on the side view mirrors. The alloys don't gel with the car, I hope they have options.
I love the DRL leds on the front bumper though.

They seem to have carried the creasy exterior styling to the interiors too. Except for the steering wheel, volume knob and the COMAND control, no other item is even remotely circular. Everything is sharp and pointy. Even the seatbacks! Frankly, the sharp lines with a gazillion buttons makes the interior look a bit dated. With all the advancements in human interfaces over the years, the automotive dashboard still looks the same for decades. Like the Panamera dashboard/center console which reminds me of my Casio scientific calculator. I bet, just as precise too!
Super upholstery colour, especially since it resembles the ice cream in my refrigerator currently. Love the mood lighting too.

Auto trannies have come a long way too. Now with their intelligent shifting behaviour, to being fuel efficient too. It would be nice to see what kind of figures owners report over a steady highway cruise. I remember, with the X-Trail, we managed almost 12+ kmpl on the highway.

Isofix branding is probably visible purposely. It is a child safety seat regulation for vehicles, and there must be a rule which requires it to be distinctly visible.

That acceleration slope is really constant. Racelogic uses some smoothing of it's graphs or what?

[Latheesh]

Awesome review!! covered almost everything, thanks GTO

Rear looks like last gen Accord/Sonata/Gallant, not impressive at all. Front console and steering does not have trademark Merc sleekness. Anyway nice package overall.

[speedy]

Fabulous review GTO. Each and every aspect has been so well covered that it leaves very little or nothing to say.
I have seen the car before the public eyes got a look and a drive too. The car when compared to the w211 E280 cdi is a bit bigger sportier but not exciteing behind the wheel. The features are at par with the S class and for the chauffered around guys. A Pure self driving person would opt for the Bmw's.
The looks and the workmanship is brilliant, even the cup holders (what a relief) in the front were much needed. The steering like mentioned is very light and i feel it is lighter than the W211 too. High speed makes it very dangerous and with the kind of power it can deliver mercedes benz should have looked into it. The side mirrors are larger than the W211 but still not helpful.
The car in all is the little S class and with the pricetag it carries, is capable of outdoing its competition. Like they say once a Mercedes owner always a Mercedes owner.
I would put my money on the E350 cdi that is due by Feb.

[R2D2]

5 star review GTO. I enjoyed reading it.

Loved the new E class but that rear end styling looks Japanese if I could dare call it that. Reminds me of the previous generation Accord's mid life refresh with the LED tail lamps. Mercedes could have done better.

Cheers!

[Yeldo]

Well, I bought almost all the car magazines for reading the W212 reviews, but didn't notice this thread until now. What a review, pictorial all the way, and better detailed than anything else. May I call it a "Mercedes of reviews"?

Saw the new E at the dealer. Looked fantastic except for the rear. I still miss the square light tank look of the 90's. But this E looks better than th W210 and the W211, IMHO. Only when you look from the rear, does it look ordinary. Maybe the tail light design is the culprit. Regarding the interiors and equipment, nothing comes close. It makes the premium you pay for an S class a bit redundant. Wonder whether the Diesels would be as well spec'ed as the 350AG's. Remember the few W211 E350 Avantgardes and the other W211's sold alongside them?

I own a W211 E220CDI, and has added a 530d Highline a few months back. My E is a bit long in the tooth now, and is up for replacement. I bought a slightly used Montero at first as a replacement, and then the 5 series, but both are not good enough to be a substitute for the Merc, so I keep it along with the newer machinery. Since petrol Benzes have few takers in Kerala when it is time to sell, I am waiting patiently for the W212 Diesels to be launched. I might settle for a 4 cylinder Diesel though if MBIL offers it.

[navin]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Rear end not so bad IMHO but can be mistaken for the latest Camry or Galant

I'll pass judgement in 2 parts.
1. The review: The copy (text) was well laid out. Succint yet informative. The pics however could have been better. I saw a lot of grain. In someways a bit of over processing is less noticeable (to me) than too much detail (hence the grain). I also some some glare (white objects are notorious) and reflection - mostly the function of the camera. The macro photos (post 6) are better.

2. The car: It disappoints on many fronts. One thig it does do well is rear seat comfort and space. Beyond this there are many many details that have not been taken care of. As Ajmat pointed out above the rear end does look japanese (my first reaction was "Accord" and this applies to the rear quater panel if looked at from the side as well). The lighter steering (compared to the older Mercs) is something that Merc engineered based on customer feedback. We cant fault them for that - except that like "New Coke" customer feedback is not nesscarily on the money. Obviously without having driven the car or even seen it close up I cant comment more. Knowing MB, ICE no doubt will be mediocre for true ICE nuts but more that enough for the rest of the human race. Note the rear passenger tweeter pod is now lowered to where the rear woofer is. This is nice. Tweeter pods higher on the door make the rear tweeter closer to the front passengers ear than the front tweeter/woofer totally messing things for the front passenger.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by sanjayatarizona

Superb review as expected GTO, though i cannot digest the looks of the car, atleast not yet.

I much prefer the classic styling of previous gen Mercs, especially the timeless 124 / 211.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Check out Wald's take on it and you will know what i mean.

That image seems to have had photoshop magic on it. For instance, the windscreen, roof and A pillars seem to be more squarish than in the real car.

After just 200kms on dry highway roads (no recent rains), this is what the result is :

Well, its a white car and hence, dirts more visible. Second, the tyres are a 245 patch (thus protruding a bit more than the 225 expected on lesser variants. Lastly, Mercs today come with far more tyre options than even a decade back. Fatter tyres will always protrude out of any stock cladding, and if they make the cladding too thick too accomodate the tyres, then thinner tyres will look puny!

Originally Posted by vinaydas

But i think the avant garde trim is the only one in which the "E" is available right now.

Yes, as of now, the top loaded avantgarge is your only option.

So i think if the "E" wants to really pick up sales and match up with the Beemers they need to introduce the Diesel Variants ASAP.

You speak my language, I can't wait for the diesels.

The interiors are typically Mercedes -Sheer Luxury.

Interior quality is superlative. A giant leap ahead of the outgoing E-Class.

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

But being a Merc loving country I think this car will sell, once the diesels roll out !!

The pricing of the E350 vis a vis 530 + A6 is competitive. I expect super pricing of the diesels too.

Originally Posted by Dippy

I love the front end of this car

I know, do remember your expression when you came to tell me about the black W212 you spotted.

I wont be too surprised to see the next gen S Class sporting a similar design.

Bingo! International articles seem to suggest the next S will be heavily inspired by this car.

Originally Posted by Pashin

Any powerful diesels coming by?

The E350 CDI! The S320's production has been stopped. 350 CDI engines on the way in the next 3 months. Get this : 230 BHP and 540 NM of torque!. That's like 50% more torque than in this car. Unlike their petrol counterparts, diesels are never detuned for Indian conditions.

Originally Posted by thermalpaste

About Neck-pro: Mercedes-Benz TecDay : Neck-Pro-Headrest | Automotive Technology | Veoh

I believe the 'ISOFIX' anchorages are for child seats. A very few cars in India come with a provision for fitting child-seats in the car.

Yup, that's what they are for. I just found it a little odd to have so many neckpro + isofix names showing up on the rear. I don't remember a single Benz where you see any brand on the inside except for, well, Benz itself. Even the stereos have the names of their respective manufacturers taken off.

Originally Posted by ajmat

Looks like Merc are going back to being Mercs and not trying to be everyone else

True. Focus on isolation (from outside world), luxury and interior quality is back. Though the ride quality is good, it seems to have lost the ultra soft cushioning of the W211. But then, I am comparing a 17 inch wheel'ed W212 to the 16 inch W211. Guess we'll have to wait until the lesser variants are out (running 16" wheels).

[JackSparrow]

GTO, excellent review as usual.
I guess everyone in this forum agree on the looks of the car. Front is aggressive, beautiful and refreshing whereas the rear is, as GTO said, 'Un-Mercedes' like.
I thinks sales are only going to improve if the diesel version enters the market.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Akki_5

It has adopted a lot from the S with that nice gear lever and some awesome interior lighting.

I tell you. The interior is so heavily inspired by the S; you can even see some of the C in here.

Originally Posted by ported_head

Super review GTO, for what is MB's most important launch. They can't afford to cool their heels anymore with BMW breathing down their necks.

Important launch indeed.

They seem to have carried the creasy exterior styling to the interiors too. Except for the steering wheel, volume knob and the COMAND control, no other item is even remotely circular. Everything is sharp and pointy.

Truly. The interiors carry the squarish theme of the outside.

Now with their intelligent shifting behaviour, to being fuel efficient too. It would be nice to see what kind of figures owners report over a steady highway cruise.

I'd say 6ish in the city and 9ish on the highway. A slight improvement over the heavier S running the same engine + tranny.

It is a child safety seat regulation for vehicles, and there must be a rule which requires it to be distinctly visible.

Ah, that probably explains it.

That acceleration slope is really constant. Racelogic uses some smoothing of it's graphs or what?

Believe me, the power delivery is exceedingly linear. As if drawn by a ruler. At no point is there a sudden push in the back at all.

Originally Posted by speedy

The looks and the workmanship is brilliant, even the cup holders (what a relief) in the front were much needed.

Craftsmanship is nice, this car is a great place to spend your travel time in.

High speed makes it very dangerous and with the kind of power it can deliver mercedes benz should have looked into it.

Not only is the steering light, but its even quick. Meaning, a slight touch can change direction.

Originally Posted by Yeldo

Well, I bought almost all the car magazines for reading the W212 reviews, but didn't notice this thread until now.

Hey, we just uploaded the review this afternoon .

May I call it a "Mercedes of reviews"?

Now that's a compliment. Thank you.

Wonder whether the Diesels would be as well spec'ed as the 350AG's. Remember the few W211 E350 Avantgardes and the other W211's sold alongside them?

I think they would. The W211 E350 was only a one off limited offering. The E350 CDI will carry the same trim level.

I own a W211 E220CDI, and has added a 530d Highline a few months back. My E is a bit long in the tooth now, and is up for replacement. I bought a slightly used Montero at first as a replacement

Nice taste in cars! I am a fan of the Montero too.

[indra_slk]

Amazing review GTO, And I completely agree that the rear doesn't look like of A Mercedes.

There are lots of bits from the C Class mainly in the interior. But I still feel the dash of the W211 E-Class was classic. Haven't see such a timeless dash.

At last GTO you said it, You prefer the W211 styling and I still think the W211 looks better. This has a way more sportier look. I think our eyes will need to get adjusted to its looks.

[normally_crazy]

Is it just me - I LOVE the rear of this car. And I positively HATE those boomerang day time running LED's - yuck !

That TAN shade just rocks, love it. The interiors look decent but the Command looks plain jane.

Would still prefer the 5 though.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Is it just me - I LOVE the rear of this car. And I positively HATE those boomerang day time running LED's - yuck !

Just saw one on road today. Those lights don't look so bad actually.. Especially when you see those on your rear view mirror.