Posted By: MeanRedSpider
New Mercedes E Class - 03/07/2016 09:01
Took the new E Class (the saloon - the estate isn't yet available) for a 2-hour spin yesterday thanks to Merc Swindon.
There are only 2 engines available (for now), both diesels 220d and 350d (2 and 3 litre, I guess). I drove the 220d with 197bhp (10 down on my current 250cdi) - I'm struggling to find torque figures.
The box is a 9 speed and apparently has the ability to jump gears like 5-7-9
Unlike the last model which got the fabulous Merc COMAND infotainment system, the new E only gets a Garmin Sat Nav as standard. There's an option (utterly imperative in my mind) of a wide-screen digital dash and COMAND system. Merc have also changed a lot of the input controls including 2 Blackberry-style scrolling buttons on the wheel.
Apparently Merc want to make the E Class more like the S Class.
I've got to say that I was disappointed. The car handles pretty well and has 5 performance modes (economy, comfort, sport, sport+, and Individual) but the 2-litre diesel just felt like it lacked the grunt of a diesel. That said, this demonstrator had done over 1000 miles and was averaging 53mpg which is pretty good for a big German saloon. In Sport+, it felt quite lively, but that 9-sp box was jumping around like a crazed loon and so it was rather irritating. Persuading it to go into 9th was pretty hard too and it felt like an overdrive and the engine felt quite harsh and unrefined in it.
The Garmin sat Nav is dire in the car. It looked crappier than the Garmin unit I bought from Halfords and it just talks over the radio (rather than semi-muting the radio) - really cheap-feeling. The controls for the systems were generally poor by Merc standards - you get used to them I suppose and the ventilation system - a large bank of round ports across the middle of the dash - were quite intrusive and not at all subtle blowing loads of cold air onto my bare arms in auto mode.
The seats are a big improvement over my W212 but not as comfortable as my W211.
To cut a long story short, I've now got the salesman looking for the last of the W212 which apparently have big discounts. I need to swap mine in Aug and the new estate isn't out until Oct. I will also try the E350d but it's a big hike in price.
I think Merc have gone in the wrong direction with this car. I've had a W210, 2x W211 (including current tow car) and now the W212 but I'm really not sure My fifth will be the W213.
There are only 2 engines available (for now), both diesels 220d and 350d (2 and 3 litre, I guess). I drove the 220d with 197bhp (10 down on my current 250cdi) - I'm struggling to find torque figures.
The box is a 9 speed and apparently has the ability to jump gears like 5-7-9
Unlike the last model which got the fabulous Merc COMAND infotainment system, the new E only gets a Garmin Sat Nav as standard. There's an option (utterly imperative in my mind) of a wide-screen digital dash and COMAND system. Merc have also changed a lot of the input controls including 2 Blackberry-style scrolling buttons on the wheel.
Apparently Merc want to make the E Class more like the S Class.
I've got to say that I was disappointed. The car handles pretty well and has 5 performance modes (economy, comfort, sport, sport+, and Individual) but the 2-litre diesel just felt like it lacked the grunt of a diesel. That said, this demonstrator had done over 1000 miles and was averaging 53mpg which is pretty good for a big German saloon. In Sport+, it felt quite lively, but that 9-sp box was jumping around like a crazed loon and so it was rather irritating. Persuading it to go into 9th was pretty hard too and it felt like an overdrive and the engine felt quite harsh and unrefined in it.
The Garmin sat Nav is dire in the car. It looked crappier than the Garmin unit I bought from Halfords and it just talks over the radio (rather than semi-muting the radio) - really cheap-feeling. The controls for the systems were generally poor by Merc standards - you get used to them I suppose and the ventilation system - a large bank of round ports across the middle of the dash - were quite intrusive and not at all subtle blowing loads of cold air onto my bare arms in auto mode.
The seats are a big improvement over my W212 but not as comfortable as my W211.
To cut a long story short, I've now got the salesman looking for the last of the W212 which apparently have big discounts. I need to swap mine in Aug and the new estate isn't out until Oct. I will also try the E350d but it's a big hike in price.
I think Merc have gone in the wrong direction with this car. I've had a W210, 2x W211 (including current tow car) and now the W212 but I'm really not sure My fifth will be the W213.
