Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz E300e joins a growing range of plug-in hybrids for the German brand. Is the E-Class of PHEVs complete or compromised?

Slick, suave and smooth as silk – and that’s just the cabin in this swanky yet somewhat subdued coupe. We drive it!

The E53 Coupe might be seen as a lesser AMG, but that would be a mistake. It's potent, fast and effortless – everything an AMG should be.

The E-Class remains untouchable for sales in its segment, but is the E300 the pick for executives seeking the best $120,000 luxury sedan?

The only Mercedes-Benz E-Class body style sold in Australia will remain the sedan, after the wagon and All-Terrain were culled.

The sixth iteration of the E-Class gets a new design, reworked engines, new digital functionality and semi-autonomous driving technology.

Motorists in Australia now have a broader choice of vehicles that can be privately imported. Here are our Top 10 fuel-miser picks.

The new E-Class is set to offer the option of the MBUX Superscreen, with three large displays spread across the dashboard.

Keen on minimising your fuel bill while simultaneously helping the planet? There’s a multitude of options on the market, and more to come!

The story of how Porsche actually built a Mercedes-Benz icon.

*Okay, maybe not. But there's a lot to love about this 1987 Mercedes-Benz E-Class that's been converted into a ute.

The CarAdvice/Drive team reveal what is hidden away in their sheds and backyards awaiting some TLC...

I have always been a fan of Mercedes-Benz road cars. Ever since I was growing up in the 1980s in Hong Kong, where you could find a W126 S-class around every corner, I’ve always been attracted to the allure of one day owning a Mercedes-Benz, to be able to sit behind that three pointed star gunsight logo on the bonnet. Owning a Mercedes-Benz was a status symbol. It was a symbol that demonstrates that one had made it in life. My parents have also been fans of the brand, perhaps not to the same extent that I have been. But the desire to own one was there too, just as it is for me. So, when dad was looking for a new car about four years ago, I had half-jokingly suggested that he looks at the advertisement I found online for a used Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressor. We went to check it out, and it was one of the tidiest examples I have ever seen, having only done 72000kms at the time, with full log books and only one owner from new. A few days later, paperwork is done, and there’s a Mercedes-Benz in our driveway. Okay, this is technically my dad’s car, but in the past couple of weeks I’ve had the opportunity to live with it as a daily driver while dad is recuperating from surgery. This particular example was built in December 2007 and was first registered in Australia in January 2008. It is finished in Flint Grey, and is equipped with cashmere beige ARTICO man-made leather, which has held up very well over the years. Coupled with the burr walnut woodgrain trim that was standard on the Elegance line, I think the interior is a very nice place to be. The previous owner had optioned this car with 12-way power adjustable front seats (even the head restraints are power adjustable) with three position memory (which also stores in memory the position of the steering wheel and mirrors) and the COMAND system. So even though this is the second cheapest E-class, it didn’t feel like it was lacking anything. It took me a little while to get accustomed to the driving position. The steering wheel is offset left of centre, while the pedals are offset right of centre, so it kind of feels like your body is twisted as you’re driving it. But once I got used to it, it became second nature. Which brings me to the driving bit. The E200 Kompressor is powered by a supercharged 1.8-litre in-line four cylinder engine that produces 135kW at 5500rpm and 250Nm at 2800-5500rpm. I have found that to extract any decent performance from the car, I need to keep the revs up to about 3000-3500rpm when accelerating. It isn’t slow, but it does feel somewhat underpowered. In ‘Sport’ mode (the 5-speed automatic transmission has a selector for ‘Comfort’ and ‘Sport’ modes), the car accelerates from standstill in first gear, and generally holds onto gears longer than in ‘Comfort’ mode, where the car would start from second. The power rake/reach adjustable steering wheel is rather large, and not very direct. It seems as though there is a ‘lazy’ area just off centre, where it requires a bit more encouragement to respond to steering input. But there is very little body roll, despite the 55-series Pirelli Cinturato P7 tyres and 16-inch rims. It remains remarkably composed through bends and corners. The above is not meant to be a criticism. To me, it’s just some of the traits of an older Mercedes-Benz. It’s not a car that likes to be hurried, but drive it sedately, the way a Mercedes-Benz should be driven, then it’s a comfortable, quiet cruiser that wafts along without fuss. There is some minor wind noise emanating from the A-pillar, but I’m nit-picking here. According to Mercedes-Benz, the W211 sedans had a drag co-efficient of 0.27, which is very good for a car that age. Despite being 13.5 years old now, there is not a single rattle to be heard in the cabin. Everything – and I mean everything – works as it should. In the four years we have had the car, we haven’t had to spend more than regularly getting it serviced at an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist. Yes, there are some cheap plastics around the cabin, but they fit together well. The COMAND infotainment system is the only thing that shows its age in the cabin. When using the NAV function, the screen refresh rate is laughably slow. Also, the map hasn’t been updated for quite some time. I understand that there are map updates available from Mercedes-Benz, but I have also heard that it costs an arm and a leg to get it. Given that most people would rely on their phones for navigation these days, we felt that it was an unnecessary expense to update the map. In terms of fuel efficiency, I have been averaging around 10-10.5L per 100km in mixed highway/urban usage. If there is one criticism of the car, it is the lack of cupholders in the cabin. As a heavy coffee drinker who usually likes to sip on the go, I have instead had to spend time relaxing in a café to finish my coffee before I get going, because there is nowhere in the cabin to put the coffee cup. By my count, there are only two cupholders in the cabin, located in the rear centre armrest, and those cupholders aren’t particularly deep. There is an optional cupholder that could be fitted to the centre console, which can be found online relatively easily and inexpensively. Unfortunately, it wasn’t fitted to the car, so I haven’t had an opportunity to try it out, but from the reviews I’ve read, it’s not ideal as it rises up out of the centre console over the driver’s left leg. Despite that, it’s a spacious, comfortable mid-size sedan, and in E200 guise, doesn’t drink a lot of fuel. Boot space is very good, at 540 litres, and the back seats fold 60/40 to hold bulkier items. It has Bluetooth, dual zone climate control, and almost everything is electrically adjustable, so aside from the offset steering wheel and pedals, it’s not hard to find the perfect driving position in the car. Aside from cupholders, and maybe more power, I don’t think there’s much more I could possibly want.

My son bought it at auction for me - fait accompli. Like the space inside the car, the stunning design & style, ride & comfort. Nothing here not to dislike. The finish and paint work (Indium Grey metallic) is excellent. Comfortable full real leather seats and steering wheel. The ride is first class, insulated, solid and controlled, unlike that found in the tinny buzz box lesser vehicles of today. The technology for 2011 is excellent but limited by MB policy of drip feeding options at the buyer's request and cost - i.e. the original buyer not ordering a reverse camera. That level of equipment should be standard in a $100,000 car! Pure greed by MB. Option up and you quickly add $22,000 to the price. The 7 SP transmission and CDI engine are well matched and smooth, the performance, acceleration and economy excellent. The car has been reliable but MB servicing costs and parts are a drawback. This style E Class was last produced in 2016 and is regarded as the best for design. Since then the styling difference between the E Class and C Class cars has seen a merging of styles such that it is difficult to tell them apart just as it is the case with Audi cars - and BMWs to a lesser extent. As a result the E Class has lost its prestige identity. The current E Class, from 2016, appears smaller, less limousine like, a silly slopey smaller hyena-shaped butt/boot, reminiscent of the AU Falcon, and without a wheel well to fit even a space saver tyre relying instead on run flat tyres. Because of the run flats the ride is rough - and the MB answer to that is to offer a $4,000 air cushion option. Their AMG models don’t have the horrible run flats and get a repair kit - much more sensible. And the hybrid E Class is a joke when it comes to reduced boot space. Smart technology aside, Mercedes vehicles across the board are going backwards in terms of design and basic functionality. I will/would not buy any of their current crop of cars or SUVs but just keep on loving my 2011 instead.

in January of 2015 I decided to purchase a 2015 E400 coupe. I had just sold my 2 year old 991 C2S and prior to that I had a facelift 2012 C63, both of which were great cars in their own right. Over the years I have owned 5 MB cars and have always bought and sold cars in circa 30 months thus I bought this car thinking it would be a short term acquisition. As the months turned into years I have never lost interest in the car, there are much faster cars, ones that corner better and ones that are certainly more comfortable on Sydney roads. The E400 does everything to an OK level and I like the shape of it. The technology is reasonable given it was near the run out of the C207 model and it is definitely sufficient for my use ie to and from work which is a round trip of 35kms each day. The back seat is fine for a very small person and I do mean small! My son has told me if I try to put him in there again he will report me to the Police for torture that breaches the rights of a child. I have noticed several things that are noteworthy, the first is it like tyres. I average between 15,000 and 18,000 kms per set (i am told this is normal), bear in mind I am a very slow and deliberate driver who is 70 years of age. Michelin tyres are soft and cost more than many makes so owners need to factor in $1,200 for each tyre change. The second thing is the profile on the tyres is too small on Sydney roads, it has 35 series on the front and 30 series on the back, all mounted on 19 inch wheels. This creates 2 issues on a fairly heavy car: 1. The ride can be rough over some of our crook roads 2. The rims get damaged easily with potholes (I spent $circa $1,000 replacing a rim that had become oval due to potholes recently). The third thing is as the revs increase so the acceleration takes a substantial dive, in the interest of licence incrimination I wont tell you how I found this out on a recent trip from Port Macquarie to Sydney). Now my biggest issue with the car is the damn gearbox. It is just too slow to change gear even in manual mode. This is a pain unless you use it totally as a manual and are already in a lower gear when you want to move quickly. Overall I have been very happy with the car and from a financial perspective I can certainly afford to go and purchase a new car, i have no real motivation to do that given the car only has 53,000 kms on the clock and i do not really like the new shape. I will keep it for another year or so and I am guessing pretty soon I will have to change the brakes ($1250) and the Battery. The car has been exemplary

I suppose I'm not your typical oldschool Mercedes-Benz driver. I am still relatively young (late 30s), with a wife and 2 young kids. The car I now drive - a 1994 Mercedes-Benz E280 Saloon in Zircon Silver, I've lusted after ever since high school. I was 14 years old in 1994. SUVs didn't exist. Your parents either drove a Falcon or Commodore, and said Falcodore was either a sedan or wagon. Bonus cred if your Dad forked out for a V8. The outdoor types - they had Pajeros or a Landcruiser. Or maybe your Mum and Dad were indeed smart but a little dull, then they probably had a Volvo 240. But if your old man rolled up to the school gate in an E class Benz or an E34 5 series BMW - both which cost well over $100k, you were given instant respect. To put things into perspective - $100k was a ridiculous amount of money in those days. And in hindsight, it also bought far more. It wasn't financially feasible for many people to keep rolling cars over every 3 years - hell, we kept our EA Falcon for a decade until it finally conked. So it went without saying that if you gave Stuttgart or Bavaria a 6 figure sum, they'd give you back something that would last a VERY long time. Nowadays that same 5 series or E class will be close to dead in less than a decade. A well maintained W124 will go forever. The shape of the W124 and how it never seemed to look out of date was what initially drew my interest. Some say it's slabby and boring but I disagree. It's instantly recognisable as a Mercedes-Benz. Beautiful even. Bruno Sacco's ideology were that body lines should remain fresh for at least 30 years, or else be timeless. Considering the W124 debuted in 1986, his claim has certainly proven correct. The car is built like a panzer tank. The doors have that classic THUNK upon closure and you can tell the engineers laboured over every single nut, bolt, wire and join. Their forward thinking is remarkable as almost every single component can be replaced, should it ever need to be. Need some spare door cards? You'll find dozens. Rear window brake light? Yep, someone will have one of those as well. Mercedes sold 2.7 million W124s across 11 years, and there are plenty still around. So, why did I opt for something 25 years old instead of a newer design with far more active safety technology? Simple. I'd much rather drive a car that is structurally rigid, with tremendous ABS brakes and assured handling than something made of plastic, filled with a dozen airbags but is pretty much intended to be written off in a crash. Everything nowadays is built to a timeframe, but the W124 was built to last forever. There's a famous UK Fifth Gear video review where they torture a 1990 E class wagon,....by running over it with a monster truck. It stands its ground. Try doing the same thing with a modern car and see what happens. By this point you're probably thinking I've been incredibly biased. Trust me....I'm not. My car's had it's share of faults. I've fitted a reconditioned gearbox, rear main seal, water pump, replaced the entire steering and suspension components, and various other preventative measures. This type of work on any car doesn't come cheap and most people would simply wipe their hands and palm if off to somebody else. Not me. I work in the automotive industry and have had the privilege of driving countless numbers of modern cars. Absolutely nothing is as comfortable to drive as a well maintained W124. My car has been optioned with a hydraulically adjustable drivers seat (very expensive when new and also rare). I actually bought the car in Sydney after viewing it early one Saturday morning. I then hit the Pacific Hwy and drove it 1,000km back to Brisbane that very day. The car ate the trip in a single bite. The only thing tired by the end were my eyes. The ride quality for a car showing 270,000km in its 25th year is astonishing. That butter smooth 2.8L straight six only makes 145kw but has plenty of low down torque. It will also happily spin past 6000rpm and makes a wonderful growl in the process. It can meander around town all day without fuss but this can make one forget you have rear wheel drive, VERY strong anti-lock brakes, and fantastic multi-link suspension. It's nowhere near as sporty as a 5 series BMW, but will give some bends a red hot go. And leave you grinning in the process. To conclude the review, I've loved every single minute of my E Class so far. The car is unique and gets plenty of compliments. I love the fact that I'm driving such an old car, that doesn't really look like an old car. It'll never be outclassed. It hasn't cost me the earth either (well under $20k to date), and will easily last another 2 to 300,000km. I hope I don't have to part with it for a long time yet as I cannot think of anything else I'd replace it with. Every newer car seems to have caveats. I think that word was forbidden at Mercedes back in the day.