2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Overview
Velvety, creamy, buttery, smooth–these are the words that come to mind in a Mercedes-Benz E-class. The four-door sedan, two-door coupe, and two-door convertible body styles that make up the E-class family all provide a sense of lavish comfort and a long list of options that enables customers to tailor their car to their taste. Start with the engine choices: the E350 sedan is powered by a 255-hp inline-four; the E450 sedan is blessed with a 362-hp version of Mercedes’ silken 3.0-liter inline-six. The slinky coupe and the soft-top convertible come only in E450, six-cylinder form. The E-class comes with a good-sized helping of luxury items ranging from a glove-compartment cool box to a power-adjustable steering column. Suprisingly, however, some things you would expect to be standard in this price class turn out to be optional, like leather upholstery and the more sophisticated of Mercedes’ driver assists. The E-class is a tranquil, comfort-first cruiser, so those with a need for speed should check out the AMG E53 for its amplified performance. But if it’s a beautifully crafted luxury automobile you’re after—with a pedigree to match—the E-class has always been and remains a compelling choice.
What’s New for 2023?
For the 2023 model year the only change to the Mercedes-Benz E-class line is a slight bump in standard content as non-Manufaktur metallic paint options are now included in the base price.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
We recommend the sedan body style and advocate for the E450 trim, with its potent six-cylinder powertrain and standard 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. It comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, a fully digital dashboard, heated front seats with memory settings, an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and passive entry. To that we’d add the optional air suspension, head-up display, heated steering wheel, multi-contour front seats with massage functions, and ventilated front-seat cushions.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Every E-class features an obedient nine-speed automatic transmission that pairs with three distinct engines. The E350 has a turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It pairs with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The E450 models are powered by a turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine with a 48-volt hybrid system that doubles as an electric supercharger. The setup sends 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet to the wheels. Which wheels get the power varies by body style: E350 sedans are available in rear-drive or with Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system. The E450 sedan comes only with all-wheel drive. The E450 coupe and cabriolet (convertible) roll with your choice of rear-drive or 4Matic all-wheel drive. Since the E-class is a comfort-biased car, its handling is competent but not sporty. It leans in corners, but it rarely feels overwhelmed when pushed hard. With the optional air suspension in its Comfort setting, the ride is creamy, and the E-class is perfect for gobbling up lots of road. It glides over pavement imperfections with only slight notification of such unpleasantries communicated to the cabin. With the drive-mode selector set to either Comfort or Eco, the steering is nicely weighted—not too light, not too heavy—and feels accurate. The E-class tracks straight on the freeway with a solid and predictable nature, and feedback from the road is muted. Unfortunately, the E450 we tested needed a long 187 feet to stop from 70 mph.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
For 2023 the four-cylinder E350 earned EPA ratings of 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway with rear-wheel drive and 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway with all-wheel drive. The more powerful E450 model is just as efficient with ratings of up to 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Once we have the chance to test the different powertrains on our 75-mph highway fuel economy test route, we can evaluate their real-world mpg. For more information about the E-class’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The E-class’s cabin is beautifully detailed with brushed aluminum, lovely wood, and some of the most comfortable seats we’ve ever tested. Every model comes standard with customizable ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and memory settings for the driver’s and front passenger seat. Desirable options include a head-up display, massaging front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and ventilated front-seat cushions. Under its shapely rear end is a trunk that offers less space than some rivals, but the Benz has them beat when it comes to interior cubby storage. Lowering the rear seatbacks opens up much more space for hauling cargo, but they don’t fold completely flat so loading heavy items may feel like a chore. We still managed to fit 18 of our carry-on suitcases inside the sedan with the rear seats stowed. Both the coupe and convertible models offer a 10-cubic-foot trunk; with the top down, though, the cabriolet model’s available space shrinks considerably. We could only fit two carry-on suitcases inside the trunk with the convertible’s top stowed, but the coupe managed to hold five.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
The E-class comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which can be controlled in myriad ways that include a touchpad on the center console as well as voice-activated commands. Despite the litany of controls, the interface isn’t as intuitive to operate as its predecessor was, which featured a useful rotary controller on the center console. The MBUX system comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Those who want fancier features can upgrade to a powerful Burmester stereo and wireless charging.
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Although it comes standard with several driver assists, such as automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring, most other equipment costs extra. For more information about the E-class’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist Available automatic high-beam headlights
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Mercedes-Benz covers the E-class lineup with a competitive limited and powertrain warranty. However, unlike rivals such as BMW and Jaguar, the company doesn’t provide any amount of complimentary maintenance.
Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
BASE PRICE (C/D EST)
$68,000
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
182 in3, 2991 cm3
Power
362 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque
369 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
9-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 115.7 in
Length: 194.3 in
Width: 72.9 in
Height: 57.8 in
Curb weight: 4500 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.7 sec
100 mph: 11.8 sec
1/4 mile: 13.3 sec
Top speed: 130 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/city/highway: 23/20/28 mpg
More Features and Specs
