Apologies for the infrequency of blog articles, working in Europe recently has proven to be a busy period for myself however I aim to write a couple of articles in the upcoming weeks.
During my last visit back to England, Mercedes gave me a new 2016 Mercedes E-Class E220d saloon to sample whilst my Mercedes A-Class was in for a routine service. The 2016 E-Class had around a thirteen hundred miles on the clock.
I have driven the last model of E-Class, the W212 quite comprehensively the form of an E350d saloon so during the article I will not only discuss the latest W213 model but also compare to the predecessor model. Both E-Classes had automatic transmission. This model has the 9G-Tronic Plus 9-speed automatic.
This particular E-Class E220d was the base SE spec, so didn’t have the AMG Line body kit, alloys or styling. As standard a few of the external and mechanical featured on the SE model include: 5-spoke 17″ alloys, dynamic select with a choice of driving modes (Eco, Comfort Individual, Sport, Sport+), electrically folding mirrors and dimming rear-view mirror, high performance LED headlights, cruise control and variable speed limiter and remote boot release (operated by the key or a button inside the vehicle).
Interior features include: 64 colour ambient lighting, 8.4″ display multimedia system, DAB digital radio tuner, Garmin MAP PILOT navigation system, heated front seats with leather upholstery, KEYLESS-GO starting function, smartphone integration including apple car play and 3-spoke multi function steering wheel trimmed in nappa leather with touch control buttons and reversing camera.
On the whole, a lot of kit is included as standard with the Mercedes E-Class saloon.
The E220d was in non-metallic black and had the standard SE black leather upholstery interior and standard aluminium with trapeze cut trim. The E220d gets from 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds, has a quoted top speed of 146mph, combined fuel consumption quoted at 67.3mpg and the SE model has emissions of 109 g carbon /km. This translates to a road tax price of first year £0 and second year £20. The OTR price of this particular model is quoted as £36,230.00.
During my time with the W213 E220d saloon, I spent some time driving on the motorway in addition to some town centre and urban driving.
I’ll start with the looks of the new E-Class variant. The look is much softer, curvier and streamlined than it’s predecessor. The last model featured straighter lines, a more angular rear quarter and a sharper front end. The new model aligns more closely to the current S-Class, sitting between that and the Mercedes C-Class. Personally I think the look appears more traditional and makes the W213 E-Class more suited to the older generation. I preferred the looks of the previous model, but that is just my personal view.
17″ 5-spoke SE alloy
The interior however is a different story. It feels really modern, full of technology and an aesthetically pleasing place to be. The sweeping dashboard with large multimedia screen, neat and tidy centre console and integrated analogue clock give the E-Class a very elegant and classy feel. The black high gloss and contrasting silver aluminium finish look the part.
Centre console and keyless go key fob
Integrated analogue Mercedes clock
The split-fold armrest features USB slots to connect and charge multimedia devices
Roll button to select dynamic driving setting
I drove from the Mercedes dealership back home which includes some motorway driving. The 2L 4 cylinder engine is adequate, by no means exhilarating but adequate for the vehicle. Easily enough power for motorway overtaking and it is a comfortable car to drive. The steering is light, the 9-speed automatic gearbox works effortlessly and it is a car you could easily soak up the motorway miles in, hour after hour.
After arriving home, myself and my dad went to the gym via the post office. The automatic boot function was used to open the boot and place some packages. Always a nice handy feature to have largely out of laziness rather than necessity in most cases. The boot glides open on pressing the interior button or key fob button. As always with E-Classes, the boot is huge and stretches a long way back into the car.
540 litres of boot space
After going to the gym I picked my grandma up to go for a coffee. When parking, despite using the full length of the space, the front end of the Mercedes E-Class still stuck out by a foot or so, confirming that this is quite a large car to drive (or alternatively that the car parking spaces should be made larger). The total length of the car is 4,923mm, just shy of 5 metres. She enjoyed the comfort of the E-Class, especially the heated seats. The rear seats weren’t used at all but looked roomy enough for further passengers, with plenty of legroom and the same aluminium and black leather finish from the front extending into the rear of the car.
Spacious rear seats
The w213 E-Class was a comfortable and elegant car to drive. It is difficult to compare exactly to the last E-Class I drove which was the E350d with AMG kit therefore a much sportier specification however the same basics in the car are present. It is packed full of technology, luxury and you feel very safe driving the car. The road noise from outside the car is practically non existent and all the buttons and options are intuitive and simple to use.
A nifty feature is the 64-color ambient lighting which is selected from the multimedia screen in the form of a colour wheel. Selecting a colour changes the lights surrounding the dashboard, centre console, foot wells and door handles. A colourful, visual touch – even if it reminds me of putting neon lights on a car like you’re playing Need for Speed Underground 2 in 2005. This is a less in your face feature though.
Ambient lighting colour wheel selector
Drivers side door, mounted buttons, ambient lighting, speaker and heated seat option unselected
Heated seat option selected
Stop / start engine button mounted behind steering wheel
Sport+ mode selected
Overall, I think the E-Class Saloon is perfectly suited for a family or older professional due to its image. In terms of appearance, it is quite conservative and unstriking, but it is a perfect mid-range car that ticks most boxes that a family would require. Practical, comfortable, reliable, large boot, plenty of storage and a range of engines. The E43 AMG is obviously a different kettle of fish due to the power output and driving experience but the entry level E-Class is an inoffensive car that most people would be suited with.
What are your thoughts on the new Mercedes E-Class?
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