2025 Mercedes-Benz E 350 comes with a RWD trim, doesn't save money
In the U.S., the 2023 Mercedes-Benz E 350 lineup began with a rear-wheel-drive version that started at $57,900 after the $1,150 destination charge. When Mercedes launched the refreshed 2024 E-Class, the base rear-driver got left behind; today, the E-Class kicks off with the E 350 4Matic that starts at $63,450 before options, a $5,550 rise over the previous floor. Come 2025, Mercedes-Benz USA returns to its old ways, slotting a RWD variant of the refreshed E into the lineup. The savings, however, will be relative. Because Mercedes is raising prices on the other two versions, the E 350 4Matic and E 450 4Matic, the new pusher entry-level sedan starts at about the same price as today’s all-wheel-drive entry-level sedan.
Mercedes hasn’t announced pricing for the 2025 models yet, but assuming the $1,150 destination holds steady, MSRPs for the coming range and their differences from today are:
E 350 RWD: $63,600 (New trim)
E 350 4Matic: $66,100 ($2,650)
E 450 4Matic: $72,000 ($2,750)
As you can see, going with the 2025 E-Class RWD saves zero money over over today’s AWD base model — in fact, it costs $150 more than today’s base AWD model. Also, the coming RWD sedan costs $5,700 more than the 2023 rear-wheel-drive sedan. Without any order guide information to go on, we’ll have to wait to find out if Mercedes is plumping up the list of standard equipment for any of these trims to help justify the costs. Barring powertrain changes, the E 350 will continue with a turbocharged 2.0-liter making 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, the E 450 with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 375 hp and 369 lb-ft. Both engines get 48-volt mild hybrid assistance.
We saw similar differences when Mercedes brought the E-Class All-Terrain back for 2024. The new wagon starts at $75,850 after destination, a $3,450 jump over the 2023 wagon that bought a slightly larger car with updated processors and software enabling new tech inside.
The wagon’s pricing put it above everything in the class save for the Audi RS 6 Avant, and 2025 pricing for the sedan puts it steps ahead of the 2024-model-year competitors. The RWD sedan costs more than the $58,895 rear-driver 2024 BMW 530i, the $63,195 2024 BMW 530 xDrive and the $59,195 Audi A6 and $59,965 Volvo S90, the latter three with all-wheel drive. The 2024 Genesis G80 starts about $10,000 below the Mercedes, and the Lexus ES starts in the low $40,000s, both with standard all-wheel drive. The 2025 Cadillac CT5 shed its base model from previous years but still starts at $50,385 for a rear-driver.
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