Mercedes-Benz E-Class review

The engine in the big-selling E220d is in effect carried over from the outgoing E-Class. It is part of Mercedes’ modular engine family, so in crude terms it’s two-thirds of the straight six in the E450d. It is boosted by a variable-geometry turbocharger and assisted by a 48V mild-hybrid system with integrated starter generator, which sandwiches a 23bhp electric motor between the engine and the gearbox to act as a starter-generator and help out under acceleration.

On the E450d, meanwhile, the turbo compressor is electrically assisted for quicker spool-up and faster throttle response. Totals of 367bhp and 553lb ft, the latter arriving at barely above tickover, give the E450d undeniable Q-car appeal – even more so if you opt for the unassuming estate, rather than the smart saloon. That torque figure, by the way, matches what you will get from the 4.4-litre V8 in the latest BMW M5 – and the Touring version.

Downstream of the engine sits Mercedes’ nine-speed ‘9G Tronic Plus’ automatic gearbox, which in 4Matic versions defaults to a 45:55 front-to-rear torque distribution, with the help of a multi-plate locking mechanism for the centre differential, which is built into the transmission casing. The system can, if needed, direct as much as 70% of torque to an axle, but unlike Mercedes’ more recent 4Matic+ set-up (which can go into pure RWD mode) can’t bias to a greater extent. There is also torque vectoring, though it is more what you might call a passive set-up, elicited with brake intervention rather than by the differential itself.

So the E450d has oodles of torque and four-wheel drive to make best use of it. As for suspension, you will find air springs not only at the back (standard on all E-Class Estates to allow for self-levelling) but also at the front, because the top-rung diesel E450d comes as standard with Mercedes' £2500 Refinement Package, which brings air all round - and, in the saloon, rear-wheel steering as well. Note that neither the BMW 5 Series nor the Audi A6 can be had with air springs on both axles.

In terms of axle hardware, the front suspension is a four-link set-up, while the rear is a five-link. Lesser E-Classes than the E450d, plug-in hybrids excluded, get Mercedes’ Agility Control steel coil suspension, which is effectively sport suspension that’s 15mm lower than on the hybrids. The dampers are frequency-selective: it’s a passive system and with no driver-selectable modes, but its valving reacts to the frequency of inputs. In theory they firm up with low-frequency inputs, such as body roll, and soften off with high-frequency inputs on a rougher country road.

Mechanically the E450d's is a comprehensive package, then - and while that doesn’t come lightly, in the EV era this car’s kerb weight doesn’t seem outrageous. In basic trim, the Mercedes E-Class saloon weighs 1900kg, which increases to 2065kg with estate bodywork. Our E450d Estate test car, in all-bells-and-whistles Exclusive Premium Plus guise, trod the scales at 2167kg with its 73-litre tank brimmed.

It’s far from shameful – the Audi RS6 Avant GT we tested recently carried a V8, yes, but it also had plenty of composite panels and yet only undercut the Mercedes by 24kg. Note also the E450d is 4.9m long.

Dimensions & layout: Mercedes-Benz E220d saloon

Dimensions & layout: Mercedes-Benz E450d 4Matic Estate

Rest assured, the E-Class has good Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. And the optional Burmester sound system comes with Dolby Atmos, which allows for a 'multidimensional' sound experience with Apple Music.

The evidence of this engine’s effectiveness at low crank speeds, rather than up near the 4500rpm redline, is seen in our recorded time for 30-70mph in fourth gear. At 4.2sec it is a tenth quicker than if you’re in full kickdown. It is also, if you can believe it, two-tenths quicker than the time managed by the new AMG GT 63 super-coupe. Like we say, true Q-car appeal. 

Just how much drivability is improved by the electric-spooling turbocharger is difficult to quantify, which, we suppose, speaks to the sensitive integration of the system. This powertrain certainly seems to waste little time in ramping up to its 553lb ft potential, though there remains a boostiness to the delivery in full-throttle scenarios, not that this should be regarded as a problem. Given the forces at play, this is a linear engine in the context of beefcake diesels, and is easy to modulate with your right foot.

As for the four-cylinder diesel in the 220d, this engine has come a long way from the four-cylinder diesels of old They always used to be underpowered when used in a larger model like the E-Class, yet there's much more accessible torque matched with improved refinement. This four-cylinder engine now does a passable impression of a six from a generation ago. 

Acceleration from rest: Mercedes-Benz E450d 4Matic Estate

All E-Classes come with shift paddles, but no obvious way to engage manual mode – it’s done via an on-screen menu. It’s not ideal, but the menu is easy to find, and a diesel executive saloon isn’t the kind to invite manual shifting.

The car's braking test results probably say more about how much performance summer tyres struggle in damp, near-freezing conditions than it does about the E-Class's stopping ability: 56.2m from 70mph is long for a car like this. Interestingly, it was about 4m longer still after disabling the ESP, which is clearly doing quite a lot to stabilise the car under braking, as well as under acceleration.

Pedal feel – a big weakness with electrified Mercedes – was fine in normal use but felt soft during the emergency stop.

Braking endurance: Mercedes-Benz E450d 4Matic Estate

The E450d Estate however, on its air springs, exhibits exactly the flavour of ride and handling balance you would want in a car like this. The ability of this chassis to waft along a motorway or a curving A-road, or to isolate you from the topological vagaries of a threadbare B-road, is excellent and close to S-Class levels. In short, there is no journey during which this old-school Mercedes won’t prove relaxing, restorative company (even lane keeping assistance and road sign alerts are easy to switch off, and the E450d otherwise has few if any ADAS-related irritations).

The handling also proved a pleasant surprise. There’s a neat balance here that isn’t overtly nose-led. A composed accuracy also means slotting the suspension and driveline into Sport mode and splicing through a few good bends can be quietly satisfying, not to mention very effective in terms of trimming your journey time – this is a quick point-to-point car. The steering is key to this – it’s largely devoid of granular feel but is expertly sped and weighted for this sort of application, making a large, heavy car very easy to place and even enjoy in the right moment.

The E220d saloon, meanwhile, also handles with a surprising keenness. It keeps the body level in corners and there's plenty of grip from the Pirelli P Zero tyres. Steering is excellent: it’s very quick, at 2.2 turns from lock to lock, but thanks to a well-judged variable ratio, it never feels nervous, and it weights up progressively in corners, even when you’re not pushing it particularly hard.

The 4Matic four-wheel drive system in the E450d runs with a little rear bias in its sportier modes, adding some welcome on-throttle neutrality when exiting corners.

Whether that is the right ride-and-handling compromise for a large exec saloon is debatable, mind. This is a near-two-tonne car that’s more than two metres wide across the mirrors, so while the handling is poised and satisfying, you would never truly call it fun, and it won’t let you forget that there's a lot of weight in play.

For the company that was the first to commercialise electronic stability control, the ESP system is somewhat lax: the rear axle can step out slightly when accelerating out of a tight junction. It’s by no means unsafe – even with the system off and in slippery conditions, you need to provoke it for anything dramatic to happen – but it might give some drivers something of a surprise.

Comfort & Isolation

The E-Class is a broadly comfortable car whatever version you opt for, and particularly so if you’re not a fan of the raised driving position of an SUV.

It doesn't sit you as low as one would be in the 5 Series, but that feels about right in a car that isn’t marketed as an overtly sporty saloon. The controls feel correctly positioned in relation to each other, and there’s extensive seat and steering wheel adjustment. The seats themselves are particularly supportive, if firmly padded.

There isn’t much wind noise in the car, but at motorway speeds road noise was definitely noticeable in our steel sprung E220d; less so in the air sprung E450d.

We recorded 67dBA at 70mph in the former – 2dBA more than in the Audi A6 we tested in 2022. But the E450d estate proved just as quiet as the recently updated Range Rover (62dbA), and was marginally quieter than it at 50mph.

Assisted driving notes

Every UK E-Class comes with a dashcam, blindspot monitoring and Distronic adaptive cruise control as standard, plus mandatory emergency braking, automatic lane keeping assistance and speed limit assist. Those last two work better than most but still get it wrong too often for comfort. They are quite easy to disable: a single tap of the screen or a press of a physical shortcut button and a tap suffice.

On AMG Line Premium and up, you can add the Driving Assistance Package Plus for £1695, which adds active lane following, automatic speed limit adoption and extended automatic restart on motorways.

Our car didn’t have the optional package, but even without, Mercedes’ adaptive cruise control is one of the best, with none of the irksome tendencies of some. It isn’t confused by cars in other lanes, and instead of sticking rigidly to a set following distance, it acts like a real driver when another car cuts in, at which point it gently slows rather than panic brakes.

The flagship E450d promises up to 44.8mpg on the WLTP cycle, and our car’s recorded touring test figure of 46.1mpg equals a generous motorway range of 740 miles, underscoring this car’s continent-trotting raison d’etre. Mind you, the OM656 is less frugal on slower routes – expect around 30mpg in everyday driving.

Economy is even better in the E220d saloon. In a week of testing on mixed roads and without any real thought given to maximising fuel economy, we covered just shy of 700 miles at an indicated 56.1mpg - and still had 112 miles left in the tank.