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In-depth reviews

Mercedes E-Class - Engines, performance & drive

The Mercedes E-Class is fantastic for comfort and refinement, and it’s a superb motorway cruiser, too

Engines, performance and drive rating

4.0

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Price
£55,710 - £86,870
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The engine range in the Mercedes E-Class begins with the E 200 petrol. It’s a mild hybrid, four-cylinder motor with 201bhp (plus a little tiny electric helper motor as part of the mild hybrid system). It’s torquey, with 320Nm, and gets from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, so despite being the cheapest model, it’s still a good option for most people.

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The E 220 d is a better fit for this type of car as it’s excellent for keeping fuel economy high while taking long motorway trips. It’s only a little less powerful than the petrol, with 194bhp but it has more torque - 440Nm - so it feels a bit more muscular when you put your foot down despite the slightly slower 0-62mph time of 7.6s.

The next rung up on the ladder is the E 300 e. It’s a plug-in rather than a mild hybrid like the E 200 and E 220 d, using a four-cylinder petrol engine that’s mated to an electric motor to boost total power to 309bhp. Thanks to its extra power, the 0-62mph time is over a second quicker than the E 200 (6.4 seconds). Plus, you get 70 miles of driving on electric power only, which is really impressive. 

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The E 300 de also takes 6.4 seconds to get from 0-62mph. It uses the same-sized battery, so the electric range is about the same, and the total power is the same at 309bhp. The only difference is that it uses a diesel engine, which will be more efficient than the petrol engine in the E 300 e when you have to use the engine after the battery has been used up.

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The E 450 d is the most expensive non-AMG model in the E-Class range. The six-cylinder diesel engine has mild hybrid technology to provide some electrical assistance to improve fuel economy and emissions, and provide a small performance boost when accelerating. With 362bhp, the E 450 d is a powerful car with more than enough power to get from 0 to 62 mph in a short 4.8 seconds. All that performance gets to the ground through a standard four-wheel drive system.

At the top of the range is the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4Matic+. It’s the replacement for the old E 63 models but, controversially, does away with a thundering V8 engine for a six-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. The combined power output is 577bhp and 750Nm of torque, so it’s clearly a match for the old V8 when it comes to power, but car fans will likely miss the old car’s characterful engine.

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All cars use a nine-speed automatic gearbox, although the AMG model has different software that's tuned more for performance.

Model 

Power

0-62mph

Top speed

E 220 d

194bhp

7.6s

148mph

E 300 e

309bhp

6.4s

147mph

E 450 d

362bhp

4.8s

155mph

What is the Mercedes E-Class like to drive?

In town 

The Mercedes E-Class is a large car, so it will never be as relaxing to drive as a smaller city car through narrow streets. However, it’s incredibly quiet at low speeds, especially in hybrid models that can drive using near-silent electric power without waking the engine.

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The suspension is fantastic at masking bumps and potholes, plus the automatic gearbox is smooth in traffic. So as long as you don’t need to park in a tight car park, the E-Class is excellent around town.

On A- and B-roads 

The Mercedes E-Class is competent on twisty roads, but the BMW 5 Series is nicer to drive. The E-Class feels heavy, and the brakes of plug-in hybrid models, while effective, don’t give you the same confidence as the 5 Series and have an inconsistent pedal feel. The steering is numb - like many cars in this class - but light and quite quick, which can cause the car to feel a bit unsettled as you turn into bends.

There’s more body roll than a 5 Series in tight corners, but things improve once on an open A-road. The suspension in the E-Class smoothes out bumps very well (even in models with large alloy wheels and not much tyre sidewall). It does a fantastic job of providing a comfortable feel without jostling you and your passengers when travelling along a bumpy road.

On the motorway

The E-Class excels on the motorway. Its smooth suspension and powerful engines make it effortless to spend time here, while the low-drag bodywork keeps wind noise low and economy high. The diesel engine in the E 220 d is a little noisy under hard acceleration, but overall refinement is superb, and you could hardly hear the engine in the E 300 e model we tested.

Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed

The E-Class engine range has strong performance across the board. The E 200 petrol manages 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, while the E 220 d does the same in 7.6 seconds. The top speeds of 149 and 148mph, respectively, reflect their home-country usage on the Autobahn; they’re great as high-speed cruisers despite being entry-level cars.

The E 450 d is the fastest non-hybrid in the range, and takes 4.8 seconds to go from 0-62mph. It can hit a limited top speed of 155mph. 

The E 300 e and E 300 de are the economy-focused hybrids in the E-Class range, and can go from 0 to 62mph in 6.4 seconds. The petrol E 300 e has a top speed of 147mph, and the diesel E 300 de tops out at 146mph.

The high-performance Mercedes-AMG goes from 0-62mph in just four seconds and has a limited top speed of 155mph.

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Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    E200 AMG Line 4dr 9G-Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £55,710

Most Economical

  • Name
    E300de Urban Edition 4dr 9G-Tronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £67,200

Fastest

  • Name
    E450d 4M AMG Line Premium 4dr 9G-Tronic [Pan Roof]
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £79,870
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