What We Like
That impressively lush feel
Drives comfortably well
Semi-autonomous features are easy to get comfy with
Perfect for towkays who aren't ready for the S-Class
What We Dislike
Lacks dynamism and sportiness in its driving
Steering feels a tad numb
The BMW 5 Series has always been the leading car in the executive sedan segment, thanks to the Bavarian carmaker's perfection in dynamic handling, assuring driveability as well as advance and usable technology.
But it seems Mercedes-Benz has bridged that gap with the E300 that you see here.
You mean it has sportier intentions now?
No, it doesn't. Leaving the sporty intentions to its Bavarian rival, the E-Class focuses on what it does best - unobtrusive and absolute comfort. And that exact feeling overwhelms you the moment you step inside.
Staring at you are two huge 12.3-inch high-definition infotainment screens that display the necessary information you need to know, one of which is controlled via Mercedes' COMAND controller that resides in the centre.
More relevantly, the E-Class manages to uphold its reputation for luxurious comfort and with the E300 it clearly shows. Superseding the 5 Series in terms of supreme comfort, the car wafts itself - in spite of speeds and road undulations - without causing occupants to break a back.
Even when toggled to Sports+ mode via the DYNAMIC SELECT switch, the optional air suspension never leaves you or your passengers in discomfort.
Does that mean it's sluggish?
It's anything but. The 2.0-litre unit in the E300, mated to a tofu-smooth and billiard-precise nine-speed gearbox, puts out 241bhp and 370Nm of torque, which allows the biggish saloon weighing over 1.6 tonnes to smash the century sprint in just 6.2 seconds. In contrast, the new Volkswagen GTI hot hatch does the same sprint in 6.4 seconds flat.
While the Merc feels a tad hesitant in Eco and Comfort mode, Sport and Sport+ modes eliminate that drawback. That said, it's not the same as the 5 Series when you push it through a series of bends. You get the sense that there is a lack of dynamism, no thanks to a steering that's deprived of communication and a body that's more supple than stiff.
No shame in this, really, because the E-Class aces in this aspect hands down and it's this very point of the car that gives it its popularity and loyalty amongst towkays in Singapore who haven't made it to the level of owning an S-Class yet.
But it seems Mercedes-Benz has bridged that gap with the E300 that you see here.
You mean it has sportier intentions now?
No, it doesn't. Leaving the sporty intentions to its Bavarian rival, the E-Class focuses on what it does best - unobtrusive and absolute comfort. And that exact feeling overwhelms you the moment you step inside.
Staring at you are two huge 12.3-inch high-definition infotainment screens that display the necessary information you need to know, one of which is controlled via Mercedes' COMAND controller that resides in the centre.
More relevantly, the E-Class manages to uphold its reputation for luxurious comfort and with the E300 it clearly shows. Superseding the 5 Series in terms of supreme comfort, the car wafts itself - in spite of speeds and road undulations - without causing occupants to break a back.
Even when toggled to Sports+ mode via the DYNAMIC SELECT switch, the optional air suspension never leaves you or your passengers in discomfort.
Does that mean it's sluggish?
It's anything but. The 2.0-litre unit in the E300, mated to a tofu-smooth and billiard-precise nine-speed gearbox, puts out 241bhp and 370Nm of torque, which allows the biggish saloon weighing over 1.6 tonnes to smash the century sprint in just 6.2 seconds. In contrast, the new Volkswagen GTI hot hatch does the same sprint in 6.4 seconds flat.
While the Merc feels a tad hesitant in Eco and Comfort mode, Sport and Sport+ modes eliminate that drawback. That said, it's not the same as the 5 Series when you push it through a series of bends. You get the sense that there is a lack of dynamism, no thanks to a steering that's deprived of communication and a body that's more supple than stiff.
No shame in this, really, because the E-Class aces in this aspect hands down and it's this very point of the car that gives it its popularity and loyalty amongst towkays in Singapore who haven't made it to the level of owning an S-Class yet.
You mentioned about the car being smart?
You won't be exaggerating by saying that Mercedes-Benz has escalated in the quest to an accident-free and autonomous drive with the E-Class.
Our time with the car has proven that you can now travel through a massive jam on the highway without breaking a sweat. Set the cruise control in the car and you can safely let go of the steering wheel and foot pedals completely for up to a period of time before the car prompts you to take over the wheel, for safety reasons.
What's impressive isn't how Merc managed to come up with such an intelligent and complete system, considering Audi and BMW have reached similarly remarkable levels of semi-autonomous driving. What's notable, instead, is how Merc's self-driving system is so easy to get comfortable with, thanks to all-around cameras that help to keep the car in its lane and a safe distance (which you can set) from the car in front of you.
What's even smarter about the car is…
Merc's PRE-SAFE sound that comes standard across all E-Class models. It works by triggering a short interference signal of about 80 decibels, which is equivalent to the level of noise at the side of a busy road, milliseconds prior to an unavoidable collision. This causes the muscle in the ears to contract, which for a split second changes the link between the eardrum and the inner ear to better protect it against damage to hearing.
This simply allows the driver's ear to be ready for the high level of sound that typically accompanies a collision.
You got me at "bridging the gap with the 5 Series"
As competent and inspiring as the E-Class' technology is, the car remains to be best known for its sumptuous cabin and luxurious comfort.
Mercedes has obviously worked hard to understand its customer base well and we should, too, because these are key qualities that have been drawing and will continue to draw potential buyers to it, even if it means losing out a tad in terms of sportiness to its Bavarian rival.
For that, there's always the more antagonistic Mercedes-AMG cars to consider.
You won't be exaggerating by saying that Mercedes-Benz has escalated in the quest to an accident-free and autonomous drive with the E-Class.
Our time with the car has proven that you can now travel through a massive jam on the highway without breaking a sweat. Set the cruise control in the car and you can safely let go of the steering wheel and foot pedals completely for up to a period of time before the car prompts you to take over the wheel, for safety reasons.
What's impressive isn't how Merc managed to come up with such an intelligent and complete system, considering Audi and BMW have reached similarly remarkable levels of semi-autonomous driving. What's notable, instead, is how Merc's self-driving system is so easy to get comfortable with, thanks to all-around cameras that help to keep the car in its lane and a safe distance (which you can set) from the car in front of you.
What's even smarter about the car is…
Merc's PRE-SAFE sound that comes standard across all E-Class models. It works by triggering a short interference signal of about 80 decibels, which is equivalent to the level of noise at the side of a busy road, milliseconds prior to an unavoidable collision. This causes the muscle in the ears to contract, which for a split second changes the link between the eardrum and the inner ear to better protect it against damage to hearing.
This simply allows the driver's ear to be ready for the high level of sound that typically accompanies a collision.
You got me at "bridging the gap with the 5 Series"
As competent and inspiring as the E-Class' technology is, the car remains to be best known for its sumptuous cabin and luxurious comfort.
Mercedes has obviously worked hard to understand its customer base well and we should, too, because these are key qualities that have been drawing and will continue to draw potential buyers to it, even if it means losing out a tad in terms of sportiness to its Bavarian rival.
For that, there's always the more antagonistic Mercedes-AMG cars to consider.
