The new Mercedes E-Class. It has been more than three years since I wrote about the Mercedes Benz UK. Recently, I came across the new E-Class, the all-time innovative and all-time conservative Mercedes-Benz. I always both liked and disliked the E-Class, and with my recent experience things have changed a bit.
Earlier I mentioned on my blog the pre-crash, semi-autonomous and driving assistance systems of the new E-Class. With my latest experience, I had the chance to see these technologies in real life, and to enjoy the massive screens on the dashboard.
I loved the screens on the dash. They are very clean and clear. The PPI rate is way way better than the Land Rover and Jaguar. Also, the E-Class may have overtaken the new BMW 7-Series in this area. However, the menu structure of the E-Class resembles that of the new 7-Series. I consider this to be beneficial for the driver. It will make it easier to control and use the infotainment systems on different brands. However, it is still more complicated than the IOS.
The comfort level of the new E-class is improved and now it is the smallest sized S-Class. However with the recent technological features, the E-Class has overtaken the S-Class! These features include semi-autonomous overtaking, pre-safe internal ear. The upcoming facelift of the S-class will embed all these technologies.
Despite my all efforts to find a problem inside the vehicle, everything was perfectly put together. Mercedes is literally at the same level as the Audi in terms of interior production quality.
The E-class is still practical, still good to drive, still looks conservative. However, with the latest driving assistance systems, it is way better. Also, the latest 2-lt diesel engines will increase the market share of the E-class in markets with a higher tariff for the larger engines. The only missing engine is a 1.6-lt diesel, and I am definitely sure that it will be released soon.
Unfortunately, the E-class will not be able to capture the 5-series’s core customer range. You can still feel the conservativeness of the E-class when you enter the car. However, this is Mercedes-Benz, whose cars will always have a focus on comfort.
In case you are planning to buy one to get the all pre-safe features, the semi-autonomous driving up to 130km/h, the massive infotainment system, the airmatic feature which improves the ride significantly, you may ignore to order the sound system. The base system will be more than enough. You will not regret it.
