While test driving the Mercedes Benz E300, my son who worked at a dealership said to me that ‘If you want all the good things in a Mercedes, but don’t want the size and glitz of the S models, the E have it all.’ At the end of the test period, I had to agree – the E300 was all the car I needed regardless of how much money I could spend. For me, it was the size that made me favour this car over the others.
Now, you have to remember the E Class is not a small car but it is just right for that little more sporty/luxury driving I like to experience.
If you are not familiar with the Mercedes line, the E class is the model down from the large and luxurious S class. The E models are offered with 5-engine choices: two gas V6’s, a diesel V6 and a couple of V8 engines. My test car was equipped with the base gas 3.4L V6 with 248hp with all-wheel-drive, which Mercedes refers to as 4-Matic. Just a note here, many of the Mercedes lines are all-wheel-drive models except for the Blue Tech (Diesel) and AMG (high performance) models.
By today’s standards, 248hp doesn’t sound like much but with a 251lb.ft. of torque and all-wheel-drive, this car moves out pretty quick. Transmission for this car is a 7-speed automatic that is as smooth as it gets going though the gears during hard acceleration. The standard 245R45R17 performance tires on Mercedes alloy wheels were more than capable of keeping this car glued to the road. Even during some cold snaps I experienced while driving the car, the tires gripped very well.
Inside the E class, you find 14-way power, front-heated seats and of course all leather. On the upper models, heated rear seats are an option. Everyone who sat in the car easily found a good seating position within a minute or two. Rear seating was comfortable in my test car as well as easy entry and exit.
For a car with a lot of standard features, all the controls were well placed and fairly easy to find and learn how to use. I generally set the heating controls to automatic and let the computer do the rest. Once in the driver’s seat, visibility was good with no real bad spots as the outside mirrors were large enough to give the driver a commanding view. As for the practical side of things, cup holders and trunk space were all more than adequate for my needs.
The E class line offers something for all types of drivers and driver’s needs. My test car offered quality and luxury. The Blue Tech models offer these qualities plus better fuel mileage. Moving on up to the 550 engines and AMG models, drivers are offered performance second to none.
Prices for the E class start at around $58,000 and move on up to over $100,000 on the AMG models. I have driven a lot of cars over the years, but Mercedes-Benz is still in my mind, one of the best cars built.
