Very often, you’ll see us automotive journalists refer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as the ‘best car in the world’. It’s a statement that motoring scribes across the world agree to, but if there’s one sedan that outperforms the S-Class in terms of popularity, in India particularly, it has to be the E-Class. It wouldn’t be wrong to say the E-Class is the most iconic Mercedes-Benz in India – it’s a car that truly helps buyers announce to the world that they have arrived in life. It’s a status symbol like few others cars in the country have ever been, and in fact the E-Class is also the longest running nameplate in the country – the first E-Class rolled out back in 1995! And the car you see here is the latest, sixth generation of the E-Class, and the long wheelbase one at that, dubbed the V214 (based on the W214, the standard wheelbase version).
Like the previous generation we only get the long wheelbase, which makes India only the second market in the world to get the long wheelbase version and the only market globally to get the right hand drive version of the long wheelbase! That’s proof enough of the importance of the E-Class for the Indian market, I guess. And since we’ve already taken a close look at this new E-Class before, it’s now time to tell you what the car is like to drive and be driven in.
This being a full generation change the new E-Class looks very different from its predecessor and there’s a lot of inspiration from the EQ line-up of EVs at the front too. Also, Mercedes-Benz tells us the E-Class buyer in India has gotten younger, which has had it configure the car for the Indian market with a sportier-looking Avant Garde grille that gets piano black surrounds. I think it also helps the grille looks more appealing, as the grille protrudes a bit as compared to the previous generation car and has a large three-pointed star in the centre, that is surrounded by lots of smaller stars. And the effect is a mix of elegance and sportiness both. My favourite bit about the V214 though is how well-proportioned it looks from the sides, and this also adds to its appeal in a big way. In fact it’s hard to not appreciate the car’s silhouette from the sides. The door handles are now flush units, and look identical to the ones we’ve seen on the S-Class.
The rear doors are what Mercedes calls Maybach style doors, where the rear quarter glass is not a part of the door, which helps in making it shorter. The shorter doors add to convenience, especially when you need to open them in a tight parking spot. The 18-inch wheels, look familiar and remind of other Mercedes-Benz sedans, including the previous E-Class itself. The new E-Class also looks very distinctive from the rear, thanks to the three-pointed star motif in its tail lamps, which is unlike any other Mercedes in India and makes this one instantly identifiable, besides the ‘connected’ design of the tail lamp clusters and also the strip of chrome above them that runs across the car’s width. Overall, the new E-Class thus has the typical air of elegance we’ve always associated it with, and while a lot more modern looking, this new E-Class also boasts a heightened sense of classiness.
The cabin also greets you with a heightened sense of luxury with its design besides the more premium quality of materials inside. And inspired the ‘HyperScreen’ we’ve seen in the EQ line-up, the E-Class gets a ‘SuperScreen’, a single glass panel housing the 14.4-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch passenger screen. Yes, the front passenger gets a dedicated touchscreen for himself in the E-Class now too! A distinct design highlight on the dashboard, besides the clean, flat design courtesy the glass panel is the neat integration of the air-conditioning vents into its top edge, from end to end, along with the ambient lighting. It looks unique and classy. And this time Mercedes-Benz is offering three colour options for the interior trim including beige and brown, besides the black here.
There’s extensive use of glass, brushed metal surfaces, piano black plastics, soft touch plastics and open pore wood for a more opulent feel. Seats feel very plush too, and along with the new design and more premium materials, help in offering a greater sense of occasion to getting behind the wheel of the new E-Class. Surprisingly, the front seats are missing ventilation and there’s no head-up display either, but nonetheless, lowering yourself into the driver’s seat and holding the familiar-looking steering wheel does feel special. That said, the E-Class has always been positioned as a car for the chauffeur-driven lot of buyers though, something that’s evident as soon as you get into the V214’s backseat. The seats feel plusher and more luxurious than before, get electric recline (reclines up to 36 degrees now), electric sun blinds on the windows, adjustable under thigh support and tiny sun blinds on the rear quarter glass too.
The ‘Chauffeur Package’ helps you move the front passenger seat forward from the rear seat itself, at the press of a button, to make more space, though being the long wheelbase version, kneeroom and legroom at the rear are simply too good. Ambient lighting goes around the rear seats as well, something we’ve not seen before and looks very cool, while also helping the car feel more spacious. And besides a dual-pane sunroof you also get an electrically operated rear blind in the E-Class now. A dedicated wireless charger sits on the rear armrest, and there’s four-zone air-conditioning too, reminding us of the focus on rear occupant comfort. In fact the new E-Class is one of the only cars I’ve driven in recent times that made me want to choose being driven over taking the wheel myself but more on that later.
One of the biggest highlights of the new E-Class has to be the amount of tech it packs in, headlined by the latest, third generation version of MBUX or Mercedes-Benz User Experience. You now get a high-resolution selfie camera that you can also use for Zoom meetings, though of course only when the car is stationary! The onboard maps are excellent (three-dimensional, with pinch to zoom and zero-lag) and are so good, I could switch to using the onboard navigation in the E-Class from Google Maps! The E-Class also gets what Mercedes-Benz calls the Routine which has the car adapt to your routines like keep the sun blinds open or shut, driving to specific places like your regular coffee shop or more. Another highlight is the 17-speaker Burmester audio system which now includes ‘exciters’ in the front seats. These are tactile transducers that vibrate to beats from your music to offer a unique experience.
Rear passengers can also play music of their choice via Spotify independently, even if the driver’s phone is connected to the car. And besides that high resolution camera you can use for Zoom meetings, the E-Class is also equipped with the web browser from Vivaldi to let you browse the internet or stream videos. A dedicated app store also lets you download a range of applications. In fact there’s so much technology in the new E-Class, I could perhaps write a dedicated review on its infotainment system and technology alone! The car is also high on safety obviously, and besides Level 2 ADAS and a plethora of safety features it is equipped with as many as 8 airbags, including one between the driver and front passenger. And in what is a first in this segment and definitely a first for the E-Class, front air-conditioning vents can now be adjusted via the touchscreen, though you obviously can control them manually too. It isn’t a mere gimmick though and works well.
I only got to drive the E 200 petrol, powered by a 2.0-litre, four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox. The engine puts out 204PS and 320Nm and also gets a 48-volt mild hybrid system offering an additional 23PS and 205Nm. But the first thing you’ll notice, as soon as you start driving, is the silence. The engine is so quiet, you won’t realise it on when idling. In fact I was asked by someone on the road if the E-Class was an EV, that’s how quiet the engine is at idle! That is besides the fact that there’s almost no trace of engine noise even while driving, especially when cruising, as the engine revs at less than 2,000rpm at a speedometer indicated 100kmph. So as far as engine refinement and smoothness are concerned, the 2.0-litre petrol engine really impresses.
The E-Class is also available with a 2.0-litre, four cylinder diesel, though the range topper this time is a the E 450 4MATIC, powered by a 3.0-litre, straight six petrol engine that puts out 381PS and 500Nm and is capable of going from 0 to 100 in just 4.5 seconds! I expect a lot of buyers to thus opt for the E 450 4MATIC. I have to say though, the E 200 petrol also impresses. It helps the E-Class feel quick, and overtaking other vehicles even at highway speeds is a breeze. In fact the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine helps the car feel effortless, be it at slow speeds or while cruising, also thanks to the additional boost from the mild hybrid system that minimises turbo lag, thus helping the car accelerate quicker.
Moving on, the E-Class is a sedan known for its unmatched ride quality and the new E-Class continues that trend really well. Interestingly, the new E-Class does not get adaptive air suspension for now, but the ride quality is so plush, you’ll almost feel as if you are in the S-Class. And that is besides the NVH levels being so low that if you’re sitting in the rear seat and listening to your favourite music with your eyes closed, you’ll probably forget you’re sitting in a car and not on your recliner at home. The E-Class thus ensures supreme comfort, thanks to its brilliant ride quality and ultra-low NVH levels. What’s also worth noting is that this brilliance is achieved with the use of coil over steel suspension with Agility Control that uses selective damping and combines ride comfort and stability to offer an unmatched experience.
To sum it up, this new E-Class is a huge leap over its predecessor. In fact with its heightened luxury, comfort and all the technology it packs in, this new E-Class is a car that pampers like few other luxury sedans in the country do. Of course, prices have gone up for the E-Class and now begin from ₹ 78.5 lakh ex-showroom for the E 200 petrol here. But in our books, with what it brings to the table and the legacy it boasts, the new E-Class is poised to set new benchmarks in its segment.
