A BARELY perceptible tweak of a bumper here and a clear indicator lamp lens there; these are the usual staples dictating a vehicular facelift, but those of you familiar with this mid-cycle phenomenon will probably be doing a double take when surveying the updated Mercedes-Benz E-Class. But will the significant restyle sit well with this traditionally conservative member of the executive saloon segment, especially when combined with an all-new 2,0-litre turbopetrol engine?
Despite having chalked up more than half a million sales since its introduction in 2009, the W212 E-Class always managed to split opinion right down the middle when it came to its slab-sided styling and quad-headlamp face. With the latest model this doesn’t look set to change.
A sportier visage
Mercedes has adopted a bolder, more organic approach to its styling of late and, as evidenced in such models as the new SL- and A-Class, the results have been hit and miss.
The E’s update, although expansive, is understandably more measured than those of the aforementioned models. While the frontal styling, with its single-piece headlamps and more rounded, higher-sited grille gives the car a sportier visage, it does sit at odds with the more angular bodywork aft, and some of the previous car’s individuality and Bauhaus charm have departed.
Those lamenting the departure of the quad-light face will, however, take some solace in the adoption of a forked drop-line in the headlamps that mimics those of its predecessor.
That said, the revisions to the brakelamps and rear valance are welcome, tightening up what was previously a rather clumsy, fat-lamped rump.
While the exterior changes have been dramatic, the host of other material and mechanical alterations, although subtle, have managed to further bolster the E‘s effortless cruiser credentials.
A couple of Mercedes idiosyncrasies
Inside, the changes aren’t as sweeping, but they are nonetheless welcome. The air vents have received a mild restyle with more upmarket, brushed chrome-finish garnish and a classy looking analogue clock now occupies the space between the two central apertures.
Otherwise the interior retains an upmarket air thanks to that precipitous facia, plentiful room to sprawl out, firm yet supportive seats and sound insulation that makes you feel as though you’ve been vacuum-sealed into the cabin when the door thuds solidly shut. Despite the alterations, a couple of traditional Mercedes idiosyncrasies, namely the old-fashioned foot-operated parking brake and column-mounted shifter, remain.
Given that our test unit was kitted out with almost every perceivable extra that could be bolted onto an E-Class, we were circumspect about just how capable the modestly powered 2,0-litre turbopetrol would be of propelling this 1 700 kg car with any degree of urgency.
Thankfully, the direct-injection unit is a willing engine that serves up a healthy 350 N.m from a low 1 200 r/min, giving it a livelier nature than the performance figures suggest. Like a number of smaller displacement Mercedes petrol engines, the new 2,0-litre does sound rather coarse at idle, but the E‘s ample sound-deadening means that only a hint of four-pot rasp permeates the cabin under hard acceleration. Our mixed-use fuel route saw
the engine return a respectable figure of 8,1 litres/100 km.
Smoother shifts
Another trait that often afflicts these smaller engines is their tendency not to mesh well with the 7-speed automatic transmission, especially when the drivetrain setting is in its more relaxed Eco mode – a combination that often results in the ‘hunt ‘n shunt’ sensation that has previously marred the E’s otherwise composed demeanour.
Mercedes’s engineers have worked on both the torque converter and the gear ratio spread in Eco. By limiting the torque converter’s slip, the shifts exhibit a smoother, more positive action under hard acceleration than before. Paddle-shifter-actuated gear changes are still somewhat tardy, though.
All new E-Class models are fitted with a selective damping suspension system as standard. In the case of our Avantgarde-line example, this configuration drops the ride height by 15 mm and sees two of the three multilink elements up front tuned with a greater emphasis on reining in lateral movement than its slightly softer-sprung Elegance-spec equivalent.
This setup is complemented by a steering system with a speed-variable rack. The steering, although pleasantly weighted and precise, still exhibits the slight vagueness expected of a comfort-oriented, electrically assisted system.
While the Benz is no dullard dynamically, it doesn’t serve up the same levels of entertaining dynamics and feedback as the BMW 5 Series or Jaguar XF.
Class-leading comfort
Where the E250 falls into a class of its own is in terms of pure comfort. Few cars this side of a Rolls-Royce or high-end S-Class possess the E’s ability to simply glide over road imperfections with scarcely any fluster. Allied with the satisfying sensation of feeling monolithically planted at high speeds, this makes the Mercedes an effortless means of despatch-ing long distances.
One doesn’t immediately associate Mercedes’ wares with being value propositions. Skim through the E250’s and BMW 528i’s standard specifications lists and there’s little to pick between them. There is, however, a price gap of almost R30k between the standard models, while speccing the cars to their sportier trim lines, Avantgarde and M Sport, sees the gap grow to around R50k.
Although it’s possible to kit your E with a raft of camera– and radar–actuated safety systems, the list of standard safety features doesn’t wont for much. Along with the array of airbags and stability/braking gizmos, the E also features Mercedes’s Attention Assist and Collision Detection systems that are capable of detecting driver drowsiness and potential frontal collision scenarios.
Test Summary
In most cases, a car that manages to detach its driver from most of what’s going on would be considered flawed and uninspiring. But how often have we encountered a solidly built machine tasked with a complex or demanding assignment and barely registered our astonishment at the effortless manner in which it does its job? Broadly speaking, the E cannot be described as exciting.
Most of its contemporaries exhibit appreciably greater levels of driver involvement, but they often do so by compromising overall refinement. Instead, the E’s quiet manners, comfort and solidity are among the tenets of a successful mile-munching executive saloon.
The cosmetic updates will engender admiration and disdain in equal measure, but they generally don’t detract from the E’s appeal. Factor in a willing, frugal powerplant and competitive pricing and the E250 makes a strong case for itself in the executive saloon segment.
