Mercedes is still perceived by many as one of the most conservative brands. Let’s face it, Mercedes really isn’t a design experiment. Many models resemble each other like eggs and eggs and differ mainly in size. The ultra-conservative admiral of this fleet is the E-Class.
Currently, there is either the fifth or tenth generation on the market, depending on how you want to calculate it (see box). The manufacturer calls the E-Class the heart of the brand. Not only because of tradition, but mainly because, according to internal surveys, 8 out of 10 E-Class customers remain loyal to the brand when buying another car.
The current generation has been on the market since 2016, now it’s time for a facelift. There is not much recognition on the front grille, its appearance close to the C-Class has a number of staunch opponents, but at the back, the conservative Mercedes is literally about revolution. The two-part headlights, which extend to the boot lid, have a completely different look, which is a big change for Mercedes.
Inside, after the modernization, there is a combination of two 10.25-inch displays, the latest MBUX infotainment system and new seats. These are all things that most people would expect from a facelift. However, we focused on a few things that we find most interesting in the E-Class.
Hybrid diesel
Unfortunately, we were only able to ride the novelty for a short time. From the four available bodies (sedan, station wagon, convertible, coupe), we chose a station wagon and chose a very exceptional motorization of a plug-in hybrid connected to a diesel engine in the automotive world. The combination of two engines is perhaps the most technically complicated thing, you will achieve low consumption only if you have the responsibility to recharge regularly, otherwise your consumption will increase dramatically, because you carry a few hundred kilos of extra batteries, but if I had to get this type of drive choose, so this one from Mercedes.
It first appeared before the facelite and combines a four-cylinder turbodiesel with an output of 143 kW with an electric motor with an output of 90 kW. Great performance (eg acceleration to a hundred in exactly 6 seconds) is associated with pleasant consumption – about 1.6 liters with a charged battery and eco-driving, or about 6 liters of diesel when you run out of electricity. While driving, the car itself evaluates when to choose which drive or combination and when and with what intensity to start energy recovery.
An important novelty is the possibility to order a diesel plug-in with all-wheel drive – before the facelift, only a version with one-axle drive was available. The tax for all this, however, is a drastic reduction in the capacity of the luggage compartment – from 640 to 480 liters. But the car is so quiet that you practically don’t know which drive you’re driving. Compared to other German competitors, the E-Class has retained its traditional emphasis on comfort rather than sporty driving characteristics, and with a heavier plug-in hybrid, the car travels smoothly on the road.
Of course, you can also choose from a really wide range of other engines. From the basic diesel 200d 118 kW to the AMG E 53 4MATIC + with an output of 320 kW. There is one complete novelty among them, namely a two-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with integrated starter and generator and a 48V electrical network known as the M 254. Simply put, it is a mildhybrid, where a small electric motor adds 15 more to the highest power of the 200 kW combustion unit. especially during starts and reduce consumption by a few deci.
Smart steering wheel
“Éčko” got a completely new steering wheel after the facelift. It has three narrow arms and a number of controls are located on it, but not in the form of classic buttons, but capacitive touch sensors. In an innovative way, Mercedes solved the semi-automatic driving. He added one technical innovation to the already well-known Intelligent Drive service package, where the car can stay in the lane, slow down before a turn or roundabout, etc. when navigation is switched on, etc. Most competing cars with a similar system hold the car in the lane for a while and then either turn it off after the acoustic warning, or the driver must at least “jerk” the steering wheel. This is not entirely comfortable, for example, in situations where it is moving slowly in a column.
However, Mercedes has inserted capacitive sensing sensors in the steering wheel rim that detect if the driver’s hands are only on the steering wheel. So there is no need to make any effort, and together with the adaptive cruise control, the car jumps through the column all by itself. In the event that, on the other hand, the driver would be affected by, for example, a medical condition, the system first triggers a sequence of warnings and finally can even stop in an emergency.
Camera
Everyone has cameras to monitor everything possible or to help with parking. But Mercedes was able to go a little further and offered two novelties in the facelifted “e”. One is that the camera in the windshield can record driving recordings. This function can be additionally activated for about CZK 5,000 and then it can record events in front of the car in a loop on a connected flash drive. GPS in the car alerts the driver if it crosses borders to countries where the use of these cameras is prohibited, such as in Austria.
An even bigger tweak is called Urban Guard. Depending on how wide the range of service you pay for, the system can not only trigger a classic alarm device. Vehicle sensors can also detect that someone has crashed into a parked and locked vehicle or is being towed – or that someone is trying to break into the vehicle. The driver is informed via the application and learns which part of the vehicle has been damaged by another parked vehicle and to what extent.
According to Mercedes product specialists, one technological expansion is also being prepared – in the event of damage, the recording of the camera closest to the given location will also be started. So he takes a picture of the car of the driver or pirate who damaged the parked car.
Over a million
If you want a Mercedes E-Class, prepare at least CZK 1,318,900 including VAT. That’s how much a sedan with a 145 kW petrol engine costs. Before the facelift, the price with this engine started at CZK 1,272,920. A station wagon with the same engine will cost CZK 1,379,400. The cheapest diesel costs CZK 1,385,450 (sedan) or CZK 1,445,950 (station wagon). The tested combi plug in hybrid E 300 de 4MATIC is in the price list for CZK 1,770,230. For the top variants of the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC +, the applicant will pay CZK 2,117,500 (sedan) or CZK 2,147,750 (station wagon).
History of class EWith more than 14 million vehicles delivered since 1946, the E-Class is the best-selling model line in Mercedes-Benz history. After the Second World War, production was resumed with the 170 V type, which was originally launched in 1936. Initially, versions were produced for rescue services, police, tradesmen and craftsmen. As early as 1947, the sedan was followed by the first post-war Mercedes-Benz passenger car. In 1953, the type 180 (W 120) with a pontoon self-supporting body attracted technical and formal aspects. In 1961, four-cylinder versions of the W 110 model series followed – this was the first model with a safety body and deformation zones. Seven years later, the W 115/114 model line took another big step. At the same time, the offer of body variants was expanded to include a coupe, which was offered for the first time. The success of this model line was again surpassed by its successor, the 123 model line, which has been on sale since 1976. The first station wagon also appeared on the menu. The 124 model line was produced from 1984 to 1995, including as a four-seater convertible, and since mid-1993 has been called the Class E for the first time. – |
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