Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review

The latest E-Class follows a familiar Mercedes pattern. The exterior is an evolution rather than a reinvention, but beneath that conservative skin there is a lot going on. This is a very modern executive saloon, with a wide spread of powertrains, a cabin dominated by screens and the kind of quiet long-distance ability that still matters hugely in this class.

The styling will not shock anyone, which is probably the point. Mercedes buyers tend to want visual continuity, and the E-Class delivers it. The proportions are neat, the detailing is clean and it looks expensive in the understated way a good German executive car should.

Inside is where the bigger change comes. The dashboard is dominated by Mercedes’ latest screen-heavy MBUX setup, and in higher-spec cars the optional or standard Superscreen treatment gives the whole cabin a far more digital look than the old E-Class. It is a more dramatic interior than those of its closest rivals, and it does a good job of making the car feel special from the driver’s seat.

The E-Class also covers a lot of ground in the range. There are mild-hybrid petrol and diesel models for traditional executive-car buyers, plus plug-in hybrids that now offer enough electric range to make a real difference in daily use. That matters because the E-Class is exactly the sort of car that suits a plug-in hybrid well. Company-car drivers, mixed-use commuters and private buyers who can charge at home all have a strong reason to pay attention.

On the road, the E-Class is predictably comfort-led. The BMW 5 Series still has more edge and more precision if you enjoy driving for its own sake, but the Mercedes counters with a softer, more soothing character. That is often what buyers in this class actually want, especially if the car will spend most of its life on motorways or urban A-roads rather than chasing apexes on a Sunday morning.

The sweet spot depends on how you use your car, but for many buyers the E 300 e is the standout. Its long electric range makes it one of the most convincing plug-in hybrids in the class, and if you can charge regularly it has the potential to feel far more efficient in real use than many older PHEVs ever did.

If you do regular motorway miles and do not want the packaging compromise of the plug-in hybrid, the E 220 d remains a very strong option. It suits the E-Class character extremely well, with enough shove for easy overtaking and the sort of economy that still makes a good diesel hard to ignore in this type of car.

In trim terms, AMG Line Premium is probably where the range makes most sense. The basic AMG Line already gives you the right look and enough equipment, but AMG Line Premium adds the extra polish most buyers in this class will expect without straying too far into excess. AMG Line Premium Plus and the richer Exclusive trims are impressive, but they also push the price up very quickly.

So the smartest answer is this: E 300 e if you will use the electric range properly, E 220 d if you will not, and AMG Line Premium for the best balance of luxury and cost.

The current Mercedes-Benz E-Class range starts at £57,170 and rises to £79,725 in the mainstream saloon line-up before you get into full AMG territory. That puts it squarely in the middle of the executive-car fight, where buyers will also be looking at the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and the all-electric EQE.

The base car is already a serious financial commitment, but the E-Class does not feel under-equipped at the bottom of the range. Mercedes has pitched it as a premium product from the outset rather than a bargain executive saloon with a premium badge.

The issue is not the starting point so much as the way the price rises through the range. Plug-in hybrids, higher trims and option packs can add up fast. That makes selective buying important, especially because the core appeal of the E-Class does not really depend on chasing the most lavish version.

The obvious benchmark remains the BMW 5 Series. It is still the one to buy if you want the more engaging drive, because it feels tidier and more responsive from behind the wheel. The Mercedes counters with a richer sense of comfort and a more dramatic digital cabin.

The Audi A6 is another obvious rival, even if it now feels older alongside the Mercedes and BMW. It still has a beautifully built cabin and a more intuitive infotainment layout in some respects, but the E-Class now feels fresher overall.

Within Mercedes’ own line-up, the EQE is worth considering if you want a fully electric take on the same idea. It occupies similar territory in terms of size and luxury, but it is a different proposition from the combustion and plug-in hybrid E-Class rather than a direct substitute for every buyer.

The E-Class is a large car, and that shows in the cabin. There is plenty of front-seat space, and although the high centre console gives the driver and passenger a slightly cocooned feeling, it never feels cramped. The seats are excellent, too, providing the sort of support you want in a car built for long hours at the wheel.

Rear-seat space is also strong. There is lots of legroom, and the E-Class feels more generous than some rivals in the back. The only caveat is headroom for taller passengers, because the roofline slopes more than some buyers might expect. It is not a major issue for most adults, but it is worth noting.

Boot space in the regular petrol and diesel saloon is 540 litres, which is one of the E-Class’s real strengths. That is a properly useful figure for an executive saloon, and enough for luggage, business kit or family travel without the car feeling compromised.

The plug-in hybrids are the catch. Both the E 300 e and E 300 de drop to 370 litres because of the battery packaging. That is a significant reduction, and it is large enough to matter. The boot is still usable, but you lose the underfloor cable storage and a good chunk of overall practicality. Buyers who need both the plug-in hybrid efficiency and maximum luggage capacity may be better served by looking at the E-Class Estate instead.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class measures 4,949mm long, 1,904mm wide and 1,468mm high. That makes it a substantial saloon, and it looks and feels it on the road.

The upside is strong cabin space, a lot of road presence and the sort of long-wheelbase composure buyers in this class expect. The downside is that it is not as easy to place in tighter urban environments as something smaller and more compact. For most buyers, that is an acceptable trade-off.

Mercedes has leaned hard into the digital side of the E-Class, and it largely works. Every car gets a 14.4-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch driver display, while the Superscreen setup extends the digital treatment further with an additional passenger screen on certain trims.

The MBUX system itself is fast, feature-rich and reasonably straightforward to get your head around once you have spent a bit of time with it. There is a lot going on, but the screen quality is excellent and the interface is responsive.

The usual Mercedes complaint still applies, though. Too much depends on touch interaction. The central touchscreen works well enough, but the touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls are less convincing. They look neat, but they are not as intuitive or as satisfying to use as proper buttons.

Still, the overall tech package is strong. Wireless charging, USB-C ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all help, and the E-Class feels genuinely modern in the way it presents information and entertainment.

The E-Class feels like a return to form for Mercedes interiors. There was a period where some cabins from the brand looked flashier than they felt, but the latest E-Class does a better job of combining visual drama with properly premium materials.

That is not to say every rival is beaten here. The Audi A6 still feels fractionally more robust in some of the smaller tactile details, but the Mercedes is very close and arguably has the more interesting overall design.

Material choice improves as you move up the range, with leather upgrades, open-pore woods, gloss surfaces and more elaborate trim options available. AMG Line cars bring a sportier edge, while Exclusive versions lean more into traditional luxury. Either way, the base level is strong enough that the E-Class feels appropriately expensive from the outset.

The core UK range now centres on the E 200, E 220 d, E 300 e, E 300 de and E 450 d, with the AMG E 53 best treated as a separate performance review.

The E 200 uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol mild hybrid with 204PS and reaches 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. It is the most affordable entry point to the range and makes sense as an all-rounder if your mileage is modest.

The E 220 d uses a 2.0-litre turbo diesel mild hybrid with 197PS. It is fractionally slower on paper, but only just, with 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. In real use, the extra torque makes it feel more effortless than the numbers suggest.

Then there are the plug-in hybrids. The E 300 e combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with the hybrid system for 313PS and up to 71 miles of electric range. The E 300 de diesel plug-in hybrid offers the same quoted 313PS with a different real-world feel and similarly impressive electric running. Both officially manage 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds.

The E 450 d 4MATIC sits above those as the straight-six diesel choice, producing 367PS and cutting 0-62mph to 4.8 seconds. That is plenty of pace for a comfort-focused executive saloon.

This is where the E-Class earns its keep. It feels calm, composed and beautifully settled at speed, exactly as a good Mercedes executive saloon should.

The standard adaptive suspension does a very good job of isolating occupants from rough surfaces, and while the ride is not as pillowy as some older Mercedes saloons, it is still one of the more comfort-focused setups in the class. The optional air suspension should improve things further, though even the regular car is already very capable.

The steering is accurate enough, but it does not offer much in the way of feel. That is the key dynamic difference between this and a BMW 5 Series. The Mercedes is competent and secure through bends, but it never really invites you to enjoy them in the same way.

The nine-speed automatic gearbox suits the car very well. It is smooth, unobtrusive and happy to fade into the background. That helps reinforce the E-Class’s easy-going personality.

Refinement is excellent. Wind noise is low, road noise is well suppressed and even the diesels remain impressively subdued unless you really work them hard. Over big distances, the E-Class feels exactly right.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class achieved a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2024. It scored particularly strongly for adult occupant protection and child occupant protection, and Euro NCAP later named it its best overall performer of 2024.

Standard safety equipment is generous, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping support, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors and a reversing camera. Optional assistance packs add further intervention systems and more advanced parking functions..

The mild-hybrid engines are straightforward enough. The E 220 d is the economy leader among the conventional models, at up to 60.2mpg, and remains the best bet for long-distance drivers who want simplicity. The E 200 manages 43.5mpg, which is respectable rather than remarkable.

The plug-in hybrids are more complicated because their official economy figures depend heavily on battery use. What matters more is the electric range. With up to 71 miles available in the E 300 e and E 300 de, these are among the more convincing executive PHEVs currently on sale.

That means many owners with home or workplace charging should be able to complete shorter journeys with very little fuel use. If you never charge them, though, you are carrying extra weight and losing boot space for much less reward. These are plug-in hybrids that only make full sense if you actually plug them in.

Mercedes provides a three-year warranty, which is in line with most premium-brand rivals but no longer especially generous in the wider market. The first service is typically due after one year or 15,500 miles.

Routine maintenance should be straightforward enough, but this is still a high-end executive saloon from a premium brand, so nobody should expect bargain-basement servicing costs.

The E-Class sits in insurance groups 36 to 50 depending on version. That is high, but not surprising given the car’s price, performance and technology.

The plug-in hybrids and AMG versions are at the more expensive end, while the regular E 200 and E 220 d are the more manageable place to start. Even so, insurance is something buyers should budget for realistically.

For 2026 to 2027, the standard annual VED rate after the first year is £200. Because every current E-Class sits above the £40,000 threshold, all versions also attract the Expensive Car Supplement.

That means an extra £440 a year for five years from the start of the second licence, leaving most buyers looking at £640 a year during that period.

This applies to the plug-in hybrids as well as the petrol and diesel cars. They are not zero-emission models, so they do not qualify for the separate EV threshold.