From engineering to design, the everlasting debate within the automotive trade is whether or not evolution or revolution is best in terms of creating a brand new mannequin. It’s an much more strenuous place to be as a luxurious model. We’ve seen revolution repay for BMW and Lexus and flop with Acura, whereas evolution has been a unfavorable for Audi and a constructive for Volvo. Mercedes-Benz has sometimes been all about evolution, particularly in terms of the famend E-Class lineup, however the latest mannequin is quietly bucking that pattern.
Now in its eleventh era (or sixth in the event you don’t rely the early vehicles that weren’t referred to as E-Class), Mercedes has offered greater than 16 million models of the midsize E-Class household since 1946, and upon preliminary viewing the brand new W214 mannequin appears to be yet one more evolution. Look past the styling, although, and the E-Class’ expertise and consumer expertise break new floor. If you embrace all the things the 2024 E-Class has to supply, it’ll be unattainable to look again.
Full disclosure: Mercedes-Benz dropped this nearly totally loaded E350 off at my house and let me have it for 5 days just a few weeks earlier than the embargo raise.
The new E-Class nonetheless appears to be like like an E-Class, although it’s undoubtedly the strangest design but. Slightly longer in size and wheelbase than earlier than, the W214’s proportions are much more just like the S-Class’. A skinny, crisp character line runs throughout the physique above every wheel arch, and the refined surfacing catches the sunshine fantastically effectively. We solely get the AMG Line physique styling, with a hexagonal grill containing an enormous three-pointed star. The gloss black trim that surrounds the grille and connects to the headlights is controversial, however I’m into the look, and I like the wavy headlight design too. I additionally actually love the blobby taillights, which every home two massive three-pointed star mild components for each operating lights and the brake lights.
Typically I’m not a fan of those primer grays, however with all the chrome exterior trim and wonderful $3,050 21-inch wheels I feel this $1,750 Alpine Grey paint actually works, because it displays much more colour than I anticipated. I’d must go for the fantastic Sonoran Brown or sage inexperienced–like Verde Silver, although. If you’re fundamental, you’ll be able to drop $200 on the Night bundle, which blacks out nearly all the exterior trim, however I’m a giant fan of the $400 illuminated grille encompass that this E350 has.
Step inside and the E-Class’ cabin nonetheless feels acquainted too, a minimum of if in case you have expertise with the previous-gen mannequin or different trendy Benzes. Slim air vents wrap across the dashboard to create the highest of its wing-like form, with a big heart console assembly it on the base. Every E-Class has a standalone, upright 12.3-inch gauge cluster display, and a 14.4-inch touchscreen set into the middle of the sprint and surrounded by a stunning trim panel — although my check automobile has the $1,500 Superscreen bundle, which provides a 12.3-inch display for the driving force and places the 2 below a single glass panel. The integration appears to be like even higher than the Hyperscreen on the EQ fashions.
Large screens apart there’s not an excessive amount of that may scare off a standard purchaser. It’s simple for me to get snug within the seat, and the driving place is superb. The A-pillars are pretty slim for a contemporary automobile and total visibility is nice. Mercedes additionally nails the armrest placement, which is vital to my consolation in a automobile. Rear-seat passengers have extra headroom and legroom as effectively. Sadly my check automobile doesn’t have the $2,950 Multicontour seat bundle, which provides heated armrests and massaging seats — my primary function on any automobile — nevertheless it does have the quilted $2,990 Nappa leather-based that requires you to additionally get an $800 combo of ventilated entrance seats and an MB-Tex higher sprint. The leather-based high quality is very nice, and there are only some tougher plastics decrease down within the automobile. I particularly recognize the color-matched felt lining within the door pockets.
The entry-level E350 drives precisely the way you’d anticipate a contemporary E-Class would. As the corporate has been wish to do lately, the brand new E-Class is skewed even additional towards luxurious than sportier previous generations, nevertheless it’s paid off. Powering the E350 is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 and a 9-speed computerized transmission, the identical fundamental powertrain because the previous-gen automobile, nevertheless it now has a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. With 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque it has the identical quantity of energy and solely 22 lb-ft extra torque than earlier than, however the built-in starter-generator supplies a lift of as much as 23 hp and 148 lb-ft. All-wheel drive is now normal.
Mercedes says the brand new E350 will hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, matching final 12 months’s RWD E350 however a tenth slower than the previous AWD mannequin. The powertrain tuning is significantly better than in fashions like the C300 that share this engine; the E-Class’ motor each sounds and feels smoother and the transmission is way much less jerky. It has a composed chassis and a properly weighted, linear steering rack that make it enjoyable sufficient to hustle a bit on a twisty highway, and Sport mode makes sufficient of a distinction within the powertrain and chassis tuning to be noticeable, a minimum of.
The 48-volt system makes the start-stop seamless when it comes to sound and vibration, however it may be a bit of sluggish to change the engine again on in the event you’re rolling from a cease. The EPA charges the E350 at 33 mpg freeway and 27 mpg mixed; I by no means see increased than 29 mpg on the freeway and common 21 mpg total.
Last summer season on the worldwide first-drive launch I acquired to expertise the E450, which makes use of Mercedes’ phenomenal turbocharged mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-6, which has 375 hp and 369 lb-ft and is sort of two seconds faster to 60. That powertrain is silky clean and rather more luxurious, and gasoline mileage is barely a pair mpg off the E350, too. If you’ll be able to swing the $5,800 premium, the E450 is value it.
(If you really want efficiency, the Mercedes-AMG E53 was lately unveiled with a plug-in-hybrid inline-6 powertrain. It’s acquired 604 hp, main chassis efficiency upgrades and an electrical vary of 70 miles. I can’t wait to have a go in that one.)
What actually transforms the brand new E-Class’ driving expertise is the journey. My check automobile has the optionally available $3,200 Airmatic bundle, which provides four-corner air suspension with constantly adjustable dampers. I discover it fairly shocking that Mercedes is even providing air suspension on the bottom mannequin E-Class, nevertheless it actually underscores how skewed the brand new era is towards luxurious. Even with the massive 21-inch wheels on this automobile the E350’s journey is nothing in need of phenomenal, a large enchancment over the earlier era. Los Angeles’ worst highway surfaces really feel buttery clean, like spreading honey on toast. There’s not an excessive amount of physique roll both, and drivers can elevate the suspension for simpler egress or to raised clear a tricky driveway.
The Airmatic bundle additionally nets you rear-axle steering that turns the rear wheels as much as 4.5 levels. Rear-wheel steering is my single favourite function on new vehicles, and the Mercedes system is nice. It drops the E-Class’ turning radius by three toes, and it requires fewer turns lock-to-lock. It’s a game-changer for metropolis driving and parking, and it will increase high-speed stability as effectively.
Where the W214 differs from all E-Classes earlier than it’s with the consumer expertise and built-in expertise, particularly in terms of listening to music or streaming content material. The 2024 E-Class is the primary automobile with Mercedes’ up to date MBUX infotainment system, which has easier menus and extra practical widgets, and the up to date local weather controls look higher and are simpler to make use of whereas driving. There’s additionally a brand new digital structure with an even bigger concentrate on software-driven programs, and all the things is managed by a single processor and central pc that’s sooner and extra highly effective.
Mercedes will obtain tons of complaints from auto journalists who say the MBUX system is simply too annoying or onerous to make use of, and to that I say I wish to see them attempt to convert a PDF or share a photograph on Instagram earlier than criticizing a touchscreen system. I discover the brand new MBUX to be a pleasure to make use of, and after being in any Mercedes I’m sometimes disillusioned by no matter system I check out subsequent. The graphics are unbelievable and the menus are simple to navigate, plus it’s simple to set favourite capabilities. The Google-based maps have a superb refresh charge even with satellite tv for pc view on, and Mercedes continues to have one of many solely native navigation programs I choose over Google Maps via CarPlay. The wonderful augmented actuality nav view is normal, although an AR head-up show isn’t supplied.
I proceed to really use Mercedes’ nice voice assistant too — sure, individuals like me exist — which may accomplish much more capabilities than earlier than and be activated with out saying the “Hey Mercedes” immediate. The E-Class has a brand new function referred to as Routines that lets the driving force set the automobile to robotically activate particular options when sure parameters are met. For occasion, you’ll be able to inform the automobile to alter the ambient lighting to pink and set the music to the rock SiriusXM station in the event you exceed 80 mph, or have the automobile roll down your driver’s window and activate the 360 digicam whenever you arrive on the workplace and must cross via a gate.
Despite preliminary skepticism, my buddies actually loved having the Superscreen’s passenger show. In addition to with the ability to have a look at automobile data, management the navigation or media and regulate their very own consolation capabilities, the passenger show affords a bunch of video games and the power to browse the net or stream movies, even with the automobile in movement. Camera-based filtering expertise makes the passenger display primarily black to the driving force relying on what content material is being proven, even with the brightness turned all the best way up.
Far and away the brand new E-Class’ standout function is the Burmester 4D encompass sound system, a $1,030 standalone choice or a part of the $3,400 Pinnacle Trim that additionally provides the illuminated grille, noise-insulated glass, Digital Light LED headlights, a head-up show and lively ambient lighting. This sound system contains 17 audio system, together with 3D audio system within the ceiling, two audio system within the driver’s headrest, sound resonators contained in the entrance seats, and subwoofers built-in within the automobile’s physique construction. Along with Dolby Atmos and Apple Spatial Audio, the result’s merely the most effective sound programs I’ve ever heard.
Listening to the “Dune: Part Two” soundtrack places me proper again within the IMAX theater, with immersive sound that envelops your complete cabin. With the seat resonators turned all the best way up the bass hits similar to within the theater, and out of the blue I’m not lamenting the shortage of massaging seats anymore. And listening to extremely produced pop music like Beyoncé’s Renaissance exposes devices, ad-libs and different particulars that you just simply can’t hear in different programs or with headphones. It helps that the E-Class’ cabin is extremely quiet even at freeway speeds; even with music taking part in at an inexpensive quantity it’s simple to carry a dialog.
Making the sound system much more pleasing to my simply entertained self is the lively ambient lighting. There’s a steady mild strip that wraps from the door panels throughout the sprint, with further strips operating via the air vents, alongside the middle console and beneath the dashboard. Along with the wild colour mixtures and animations present in different Benzes, the E-Class’ ambient lighting might be made to pulse together with the music. And it’s not only a easy pulsing; completely different sections in the identical mild strip can flicker with various intensities and patterns relying on the audio. It’ll be annoying to some, certain, however they’ll flip it off. Me? Gimme it at full depth in probably the most outrageous colours, please.
I’m already the type of one who will simply sit in my automobile scrolling on my cellphone and listening to music, however the E-Class encourages it. While parked I can browse the net, play these video games, watch YouTube movies, scroll via TikTok and even hop on a Zoom name utilizing the built-in selfie digicam. More apps and video games shall be made out there over time, together with companies to stream reside TV and flicks. Lots of the apps might undoubtedly be higher optimized for the in-car expertise, and loading occasions might be sluggish if the automobile doesn’t have a 5G connection, nevertheless it’s by no means too annoying to me. Why would I wish to do any of this whereas simply sitting within the automobile, you might ask? Well, it’s so much nicer than my house, for one.
The actual attraction of Mercedes’ pivot in direction of this new technological kind of luxurious shall be much more obvious within the coming years. It’s the primary firm on the earth to promote a Level 3 automated driving system to the general public each worldwide and within the U.S., with the Drive Pilot system within the S-Class and EQS permitting drivers to totally take their eyes off the highway in site visitors jam conditions and stream media or the rest the infotainment can do. The enormous display, superb sound and streaming options are additionally a serious boon in EVs or PHEVs — I’ll fortunately sit and cost if I can watch Mission: Impossible whereas I do it.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E350 begins at $63,450 together with vacation spot, a premium of round $6,000 over final 12 months’s automobile and round $2,000 greater than a base BMW 5 Series with all-wheel drive. My check automobile comes out to $83,400, however load an E350 up all the best way and also you’re taking a look at a pricetag with the quantity 9 on the entrance. Still, the S-Class begins at greater than $115,000, and the E-Class affords rattling close to the identical stage of expertise, luxurious and luxury.
Even with out checking each choice field the brand new E-Class could possibly be so much to abdomen for conventional patrons, and there will definitely be those that are completely turned off by the expertise overload. But for me, and for a rising variety of prospects which might be more and more getting youthful and savvier, the 2024 E-Class’ glow-up is strictly the luxurious expertise we would like.
Source: jalopnik.com