2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 350 e review

Plug-in hybrids are getting better, but the E 350 e emphasises how they continue to suit the needs of only a small section of buyers.

Most of the driving experience is identical to the very impressive E 220 d. The hybrid has an identically nice-feeling cabin, the same dynamic options of near-autonomy and equal high-speed refinement when asked to deal with a motorway cruise.

The electron-fuelled side of the powertrain is very well suited to the urban grind. The E 350 e will try to do its trundling under electric power whenever possible, making it whisper quiet in town. It accelerates surprisingly hard before firing the petrol engine into life, with a haptic throttle making it easy to judge when this will happen – the pedal gets firm when the electric motor is giving its all.

Once running on petrol power, it doesn’t sound as refined as you would expect for a car with a 350 badge on its rump; requests for serious speed leave you in no doubt there’s a relatively small four-cylinder unit under the bonnet. But performance is strong and the throttle response is excellent, with the braking system also blending its regeneration and old-fashioned friction seamlessly.

There’s no doubting the extra mass of the electric powertrain, though. The E 350 e feels noticeably heavier and less willing to turn than the impressively lithe E 220 d, and it has more tendency to understeer as the tyres run short on grip. The standard air suspension does a good job of smoothing the ride, but can’t disguise the fact the hybrid feels chunkier than any of the other E-Class variants we drove at the launch.

The trip computer emphasised the limits of the E 350 e’s appeal. A 25-mile trip that began with the battery pack full and ended with it depleted saw the display reading 6.6 litres/100km, or 42.8mpg; numbers we would be confident the E 220 d could beat by a considerable margin without the need to find a charging point at the end of each journey.

Although Mercedes hasn’t released the E 350 e’s price yet we’re told it is likely to be higher than the impressively civilised E350 d diesel. Of course, the hybrid’s official CO2 figure will give it a compelling relevance to some company car users. Yet, although the hybrid system works well, we suspect that for most British buyers it remains an answer in search of a question.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 350 e AMG Line

Location: Portugal; On sale: Autumn 2016 Price £50,000 (estimated, AMG Line) Engine: 4 cyls, 1991cc, petrol, turbocharged; Power 208 bhp at 5500rpm; Torque 258lb ft; (Electric motor: 65kW/ 440Nm) Gearbox 9-spd automatic; Kerb weight tbc; Top speed 153mph; 0-62mph 6.2-sec; Economy 134mpg (est); CO2 rating & BIK tax band 49g/km (est)