Mercedes E-Class review

Is the Mercedes E-Class a good car?

The Mercedes E-Class is something of a lifeline for buyers needing a car that can travel huge distances in comfort and without having to stop often for fuel. The E 220 d diesel version isn’t as quiet as we’d like, but its impressive economy and respectable performance are perfect for a long trip. The onboard tech is high point, and the cabin is packed with screens and gadgets - especially when equipped with the Superscreen option. The plug-in hybrid versions lose out on boot space compared with rivals because its sizeable battery takes up valuable luggage capacity. There’s an estate version available for those needing greater practicality, though.

How much does the Mercedes E-Class cost? 

The Mercedes E-Class range is wide, spanning a starting price of around £55,000, all the way up to over £115,000 thanks to the high-performance AMG variants. The entry-level version is the E 200 petrol, although the E 220 d diesel is only slightly more expensive and offers better fuel economy.

Next up in the range are a pair of plug-in hybrids in E 300 e petrol and E 300 de diesel forms, both of which should appeal to company car drivers. The E 450 d offers a bigger, more powerful diesel engine option for those after a high-performance E-Class with excellent fuel economy, while the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4Matic+ is the range-topping model. There are saloon and estate variants available, but this review will just cover the former.

Used - available now

2023 Mercedes

E Class

57,762 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £22,487

View E Class

2020 Mercedes

E Class

67,779 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £13,600

View E Class

2020 Mercedes

E Class

15,166 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £24,900

View E Class

2020 Mercedes

E Class

72,937 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £14,510

View E Class

All E-Class models use a nine-speed automatic gearbox and feature a front-mounted engine. Most have rear-wheel drive, with the exception of the E 450 d and AMG E 53 models, which have four-wheel drive.

The trim range depends on which model you choose. The E 200 and E 220 d models come in AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus, Exclusive Premium and Exclusive Premium Plus trims. The E 300 e and E 300 de models differ slightly by starting in Urban Edition trim instead of AMG Line as a way of standing out from its non-plug-in hybrid petrol and diesel siblings.

Meanwhile, the AMG E 53 hybrid model comes in Premium, Night Edition Premium, and Edition 1 variants.

Mercedes E-Class alternatives

As ever, the Mercedes E-Class is a direct rival for the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series, as well as some left-field choices such as the Genesis G80. All are large executive cars and are aimed at wealthy private buyers and company car drivers looking for something ultra-comfortable, luxurious and still offers plenty of practicality and efficiency.

Within the Mercedes range, the E-Class sits between the smaller Mercedes C-Class and larger Mercedes S-Class saloon cars in terms of size and price. There’s also an electric car available that is in the same class as the E-Class called the Mercedes EQE, which is a rival for the BMW i5. Audi will soon launch a new electric A6 in this class, too.

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As with previous Mercedes E-Class models, the latest version isn’t the sharpest-handling car in its class, but focuses on comfort instead. It’s quiet inside, the suspension is smooth, and the seats are excellent, so a long trip is no bother in any version. There are plenty of engines to choose from, including a selection of normal petrol and diesel, as well as several plug-in hybrid alternatives. Read more about the Mercedes E-Class’ engines, performance and drive…

The Mercedes E-Class’ tech isn’t just for show, because it also features loads of clever engineering that makes it really efficient. It’s a very large and heavy car, which is usually terrible for fuel economy, but every car in the range uses hybrid tech in some way to keep efficiency in check. Our recommended E 220 d mild-hybrid diesel has an excellent fuel economy figure of 58.9mpg, making it great for long trips, while the plug-in hybrids have a huge all-electric range (especially the E 300 e with 71 mile of EV-only driving), meaning you rarely need to use the combustion engine with regular charging. Read more about the Mercedes E-Class' MPG, emissions and running costs…

The Mercedes E-Class is a technical marvel that will wow fans of touchscreen displays, but Mercedes’ traditional customers, who appreciate build quality and comfort, might be a little disappointed with this latest version. The screens have taken over, while the materials you can see are good quality. The huge displays mean that where the E-Class cabin used to feel like a high-end hotel lobby, it now looks more like a smartphone shop. Read more about the Mercedes E-Class’ interior, design and technology…

The Mercedes E-Class has historically been one of the most spacious cars of its type, so it’s disappointing to see that while the 540 litre boot of the standard petrol and diesel models compares well with rivals, the plug-in hybrid versions chops luggage capacity considerably down to 460-litres (370 litres in the AMG E 53 Hybrid).  The reason for that is because the battery for the hybrid system takes up a lot of space. The rear seats don’t offer the most headroom in the class, so you’ll need to look at the estate if you regularly carry taller passengers in the back. There’s plenty of legroom, though, and space up front is fine, even if the raised centre console makes it feel smaller than it actually is. Read more about the Mercedes E-Class’ boot space, comfort and practicality…

The latest Mercedes E-Class gets a strong five-star out of five Euro NCAP safety score, and it performs slightly better than its arch rival, the BMW 5 Series, in all key categories. There’s a lot of tech on board, but we had no issues with glitches during our tests and the build quality in general is excellent. The car is still too new to make a call on reliability overall but we hope the brand can improve upon its disappointing manufacture score in the 2024 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, coming 11 places lower than rival BMW in 25th place out of 32 brands. Read more about the Mercedes E-Class’ reliability and safety…