If you spend two dollars on a cup of coffee at Starbucks, is it really twice as good as the coffee you get at Tim Hortons for a dollar? When it comes to coffee, everybody has an opinion about price and value...but for cars, the undisputed sweet spot is midsize luxury cars, and the newest member of that club is the venerable Mercedes-Benz E-Class, all-new for 2017.
Walkaround
It looks very much like a shrunken version of Mercedes’ flagship S-Class—for roughly half the price. The mid-size Mercedes sedan has gone by a few names since it was introduced in the early 1950s. The one constant in all these years has been a steady evolution of the model, never a revolution. The 2017 version — effectively the 10th generation of the E-Class — has evolved nicely. Where the old model had hard edges, this one looks softer, smoother, more aerodynamic. The front end is very similar, but from the rear-three-quarter it’s got a futuristic, forward-looking style the old one never did. Mercedes’ design department is getting more adventurous.
Interior
Inside, you get as much space as one could ever really want for four passengers, with more soft leather than anyone really needs. If you spend an extra $300,000 on a Bentley, you’ll get more leather. It’ll be hand-stitched. And the wood veneer will be of higher quality and shine. But in purely objective terms: is that good value when the cabin of this new E-Class is so luxe?
The massive widescreen display across the dashboard is an optional extra, unfortunately. It’s a must-have really. Each piece of information on it can be customized, right down to how it looks. You see only the info you want. Do take plenty of time to set everything up before you set off, though—it can be distracting.
Technology
This is really where the new E-Class shines. It’s got most of the tech from the top-line S-Class, including collision warning, emergency braking, radar adaptive cruise, lane keeping, forward-looking stereo cameras, all kinds of radar and much more. You don’t need to understand all the tech packed into this car; you just need to know what it can do. On the highway, the E-Class can nearly drive itself. Once you engage Drive Pilot (by flicking a stalk behind the steering wheel) the car does most of the work. We say "most" because you’ve got to keep your hands on the wheel—and the car can sense if you don’t. It accelerates and brakes, and steers around gentle highway corners staying perfectly centered in the lane. It works exceptionally well in practice, even on an unknown highway in Lisbon.
Performance
The E-Class lineup will eventually balloon to include AMGs and wagons and diesels and maybe even a plug-in, but initially there will be two choices: the E 300 and E 400. Both will come with 4Matic all-wheel drive as standard. The new E 300 will have four cylinders instead of six under the hood. But with the help of a turbocharger, the new four is certainly up to the job. It makes 241 horsepower, which the new nine-speed transmission puts to good use. The E 400 is the model we’d go for, with its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. Making 329 horsepower, it offers a good balance of power and fuel efficiency (although official figures for Canada have yet to be released). The zero-to-100 km/h dash takes 5.3 seconds. In all models, the driving experience is exceptionally quiet and calm. Mercedes was wise to make the ride err on the side of comfort rather than sportiness. It’s the sort of car you could drive all day and still arrive relaxed.
Value
As mentioned, a luxury mid-size sedan represents the pinnacle of the quality-price equation. The E-Class faces tough competition from the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. But the new Jaguar XF should be considered, too. It looks gorgeous. The Cadillac CTS looks great as well, and certainly gets the driving dynamics right, but the infotainment and driver assistance technology don’t come close to the Mercedes. The Lexus GS is worth a look, too. Pricing for the E-Class has yet to be announced, but it’s a safe bet it’ll start around the same price as the old one: $64,500.
Conclusion
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: mid-size sedans from Germany are the most well-thought out, refined, and all-around lovely cars in the world. The E-Class is the choice for those who want to sample cutting-edge technology in a classic package. If you’re looking to sample semi-autonomous driving, this is the car to get in 2017.
