Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon Review 2023
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon is an executive saloon car that's a perfect blend of comfort and technology. Appealing to those who like the finer things in life, the E-Class Saloon has superb technology, a luxurious interior, and a comfortable ride.
Rivals to the E-Class Saloon include the BMW 5 Series Saloon, Audi A6 Saloon, and Jaguar XF Saloon.
Our Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon review covers:
- Elegant exterior that looks the part
- Excellent interior with premium materials and plenty of technology
- 540-litre boot
- Petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid engines available
- Three trim levels: AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, and AMG Line Premium Plus
Pros:
- Comfortable drive
- Premium interior with loads of modern tech
- Plenty of engines to choose from
Cons:
- Boot space reduces in the PHEV variant
- Rivals more fun to drive
- Some people might find all the tech overwhelming
The E-Class Saloon is now in its sixth generation, and throughout its history, it's been the epitome of a luxury saloon. Its exterior design looks elegant, with its distinctive LED lighting, a bold front grille, and a flowing body from front to back. Let's say if it pulled up outside The Ritz, we wouldn't be surprised.
The new E-Class Saloon is bigger in every direction than its predecessor. As a result, there's more than enough room for four passengers to get comfortable. Add a fifth passenger, and things start to get tricky, with them having to deal with a big heap on the floor.
Boot space comes in at 540 litres in the mild hybrid versions, bigger than the BMW 5 Series Saloon and Audi A6 Saloon. However, if you go green and select the plug-in hybrid version, luggage capacity decreases to 370 litres.
The interior of the E-Class Saloon is one of the best around. When you sit down, you're greeted with a classy and luxurious interior featuring soft-touch plastics, Nappa leather, and well-crafted upholstery.
On the dash are two widescreen displays, one for the infotainment system and the other for the instrument cluster. The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is responsive and easy to use and features all your usual tech and third-party apps that can be used when stationary (Netflix, YouTube etc).
The 10.25-inch digital driver's display is also very good and comes packed with loads of information that's straightforward to digest at a glance. You can also access it through touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel.
Three trim levels are available for the E-Class Saloon: AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, and AMG Line Premium Plus.
AMG Line has 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, LED headlamps with daytime running, privacy glass for rear side windows, ambient lighting, heated front seats with four-way lumbar support, a three-spoke leather steering wheel, automatic climate control, 180-degree reversing camera, parking assist, wireless charging, cruise control, and active brake assist.
AMG Line Premium has 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, keyless go, and a parking package including a 360-degree camera and Park Assistant.
AMG Line Premium Plus adds to this with 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, a Burmester sounds system with 13 speakers and a 9-channel amplifier, and grey open-pore ash wood upholstery.
Under the bonnet, you can choose from either a range of petrol and diesel mild-hybrids or plug-in hybrids. All units come paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and you can choose between rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The entry-level models are the E200 (petrol) and E200d (diesel). Both a four-cylinder engine paired with a small electric motor, they return a top speed of 149mph and an acceleration from 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds. As expected, the diesel returns slightly better fuel efficiency with a combined 53.3 - 57.7mpg.
The mid-range options are the plug-in hybrids, the E300e and E300de. Combining a 221bhp engine with a 122bhp electric motor, they return a top speed of 155mph and complete 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds. These two are the choice if you want the best fuel economy, with the petrol reaching a combined 180mpg and the diesel 217mpg.
Both plug-in hybrids return up to 35 miles of electric range and can charge using public fast chargers in half an hour.
The other options are the 4MATIC all-wheel drive engines, the E450, E300d, and E400d. The E300d is the least powerful here, coming with 306bhp and achieving 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds.
The other two six-cylinder units are the most powerful engines on show. They both achieve 0-62mph in five seconds and have a top speed of 155mph.
On the road, the E-Class Saloon is comfortable in almost all environments. Whether you're driving around town or on the motorway, its suspension deals with bumps in the road very well. Unfortunately, air suspension isn't available on UK models, making it fall short of the A6 Saloon and 5 Series Saloon for ride comfort.
Its handling is also accurate and responsive, making tight urban driving a breeze. This is also helped by the range of safety tech on board, such as parking sensors and cameras.
Prices for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon start from £54,000.00 OTR* or to lease from Price On Request per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
