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Mercedes-Benz E-Class E200 and E220d 2016 review

EXPERT RATING
9
Richard Berry road tests and reviews the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E200, E220d and E350d with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at their Australian launch.

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E200 and E220d with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at their Australian launch.

Even if you don’t drive a Mercedes-Benz, you kind of do. You see Mercedes-Benz has pioneered so many innovations that are now found in every new car. There’s anti-locking brakes, independent suspension, the multivalve engine, traction and stability control. All these milestones came after Mercedes-Benz invented the first diesel car, the first electric car, and that’s right it patented the first car, too.

As for the new cars we’ll all be driving in the future they will start to become partially automated, they’ll see the road not as the long black bit with white lines, but how you do – recognising trees, buildings, other cars and people and where it fits safely in there. How do I know this? I’ve just driven the latest generation Benz E-Class. This model has a lineage that goes back to a time when people were mainly driving horses and as each E-Class generation has arrived it’s pioneered more innovations that set new standards and then become the norm.

This 10 generation model is beyond just smart, it is the most advanced Benz on the road and by extension the most advanced car on the road. Yet it’s not the fastest Mercedes or the most luxurious and in terms of its price it lives in the more affordable mid-point of the Benz line-up.

The range is arriving in Australia in a couple of waves. The E200, E220d and E350d sedans have touched down first and later this year the E300 and E400 sedans will arrive along with the hard-core Mercedes-AMG E43.

Explore the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class range

Mercedes-AMG E63 S 2017 review | first drive

Mercedes-AMG E43 2017 review | first drive

Mercedes-Benz E400 2017 review | road test

Mercedes-Benz E350d 2016 review | snapshot

Mercedes-Benz E300 2017 review | road test

Mercedes-Benz E220d 2016 review | snapshot

Mercedes-Benz E200 2016 review | snapshot

Design

The E-Class has now taken on Benz’s new family saloon shape and despite it looking sleeker and slipperier than a soapy eel it also looks just like a bigger C-Class or a smaller S-Class. It might seem like the same as Manolo Blahnik making only one shoe, but offering it in different sizes, however, that's not the case with Benz.

That slippery shape makes the E-Class one of the most aerodynamic cars on the planet with its drag coefficient of 0.23Cd, as a point of reference the super fuel efficient Toyota Prius hybrid is 0.24Cd. See, you don’t have to be ugly to be green.

Stretching 4923mm snout to tail the new E-Class is 43mm longer than the previous generation and a hair’s width lower and narrower. The big change is to the wheel base – at 2939mm there’s an extra 65 mm in it now.

The E-Class’s body shell is made from aluminium and ultra-high strength steel – Benz says this makes the car’s structure more rigid which will help it handle better and improve NVH. Aluminium front guards, bonnet and boot lid reduce weight which should equal better fuel efficiency, too.

The cabin is frankly beautiful, from the ‘digital cockpit screens’ and the way the driver and front passenger are cocooned separately away in their plush seats to how the interior trim flows around the occupants complete with ambient LED lighting. It’s like an immersion tank on wheels.

Practicality

That increase in wheelbase base has made a real impact on cabin space with an extra 6mm of knee room. The last generation had 69 mm of legroom and at 191cm I could sit comfortable behind my driving position but every extra millimetre is gold to me and makes getting in and out easier, too.

Shoulder room across the back row has been increased, sure only by 4mm, but anybody that’s been a kid sitting three across knows the wars that kick off with the words “your leg is touching mine” it’ll also make trips to meetings for suited up business people a little less awkward.

  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack
  • 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack 2016 Mercedes-Benz E220d with AMG pack

Boot size is down by 10 litres but at 530 litres (VDA) it’s still large. You’ll find bottle holders in all doors, two cup holders in the fold-down rear centre armrest and another two up front in the centre console.

Connecting an iPhone was easy through Bluetooth, Apple Carplay worked perfectly, too. There’s Qi charging which works with many Android phones but not iPhones.

The swipe controls on the steering wheel are excellent for flicking through the media menus, but I’m not a massive fan of the controller dial on the centre console. Owners would become used to it, but I didn’t take to it as naturally as those offered on other makes.

Price and Features

The E-Class range kicks off with the petrol-powered E200 for $89,900, a $2000 hike on the entry fee into the line-up. Its diesel brother is the $92,900 E220d and that’s a $10,000 leap up from its previous price. The big diesel of the range is the $134,900 E350 which replaces the $99,400 E250.

Replacing the E300 hybrid and arriving just in time for Christmas will be the petrol-engined E300 which will set Santa back $107,900 and the E400 will drop at the same time with a $139,900 price tag.

Going by Mercedes’s price increase tradition it’s safe to say E43 will cost more than the $250,930 E63 it’ll replace.

Standard features are an E-class strong point but the pro-tip here is that the base spec cars – the E200 and E220d get the works, minus a couple of items put aside for the E300, E350 and E400.

So coming standard right from the E200 up are two 12.3-inch display screens, with sat nav, plus Apple Carplay and Android Auto, 360 camera and reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, proximity unlocking and auto parking.

The hugely improved new system now knows a road is more than just lines and has been taught to recognise people, other cars, trees and signs.

Also standard across the range is Driver Assistance Package Plus and this brings the partial automated driving functions. The previous version was offered as standard on the E250 upwards and apparently people went bananas over it so Benz decided to offer it on the base spec up this time round.

The latest version of it brings Drive Pilot which steers the car for short periods; there’s Evasive Steering Assist which if you swerve to avoid something will complete your manoeuvre for you; Active Brake Assist which will stop the car if the cameras and radar spot somebody say running a red light and about to T-bone you. Then there’s the Impulse Side function which pushes the driver or front passenger away from the door just before an impact.

The E300 gets 20-inch alloy wheels instead of the standard 18-inch ones in the E200 and E220d, it also gets a leather interior with heated front seats, air suspension and adaptive LED headlights.

Stepping up into the E350 and E400 adds a Burmester 13-speaker sound system, heads-up display, metallic paint and panoramic sun roof.

Engines and transmissions

All four-cylinder engines aren’t created equal, some are much better like Benz’s which are lightweight and sophisticated with high outputs.

The E200’s 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol is carried over from the last gen without any increase in grunt, while the E300 has a higher output version of the same engine with 180kW and 370Nm.

The 143kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo diesel in the E220d is a new generation engine and 18kW more powerful than the 2.1-litre it replaces.

But that’s small fry compared to the upper variants, which justifies them being a lot pricier despite having the nearly all the same standard features as the E200 and E220d. The E350d has a 190kW/620Nm 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo diesel and that’s a hefty dose more than the 150kW/500Nm in the previous E250 CDI’s 2.1-litre.

The E400’s 3.0-litre six cylinder’s output remains unchanged too at 245kW and 480Nm.

New to the E-Class is a nine-speed automatic transmission which is standard across the range.

Fuel consumption

The average combined fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km from the E200’s 2.0-litre remains the same as the outgoing car, while the E220d’s smaller and more powerful diesel is also .6L/100km more fuel efficient than the outgoing 2.1-litre. The E350d sips at a rate of 5.6L/100km.

Driving

At the recent Australian launch we drove the E220d sedan with and without the AMG Line package, plus the E200 sedan.

Part of the great thing about driving and writing about cars is acting like a kid and pressing every button to see what it does. I’m not going to lie to you and say that I didn’t try to put the E220d into self-driving mode immediately. I did.

The last E-Class could steer itself by looking at the lines painted on the road, but the hugely improved new system now knows a road is more than just lines and has been taught to recognise people, other cars, trees and signs. The system works better on highways but can handle country roads, too.

Pulling on the cruise control stalk will activate the self-steering if the car deems it safe to do so and as we bolted away from the airport down the freeway at 100km/h I could feel the E220d’s steering wheel moving under my hands as the car followed the road keeping itself perfectly in its lane.

There are no blind spots, it doesn’t miss a thing.

A new feature is its ability to change lanes automatically. To do it, you just put the indicator on while the car is in self-driving mode – if the coast is clear it’ll coast across and continue in the next lane.

If the cars ahead come to a halt the E-class will too, and move away when the traffic starts flowing again. And if the drongo in the cab beside you starts to wander out of his lane and into yours the E-Class will see it and move away from him as it did later in the day coming back to the airport.

It can perform these amazing feats thanks to the two cameras on the windscreen which can see 250m ahead and the radars positioned at the front and rear of the car which can ‘feel’ up to 500m ahead, 80m behind and 40m out to the sides. There are no blind spots, it doesn’t miss a thing.

It means that if as you approach a green light at an intersection somebody flies through their red light the E-Class, which will have already been tracking them, will hit the brakes to avoid the collision. If there is a collision another new feature is the cushion which will push the driver or front passenger away from the door in the split second before the impact.

Mercedes-Benz is keen to point out that the E-Class is not an autonomous vehicle, ‘partially automated’ is the preferred term and it’s true because while the car can steer itself and make decisions it needs supervision. Tight corners for example are too difficult for it to handle and it’ll tell you that it needs your help to get through them.

So what’s the E220d like to actually drive? Smooth, comfortable and effortless. The ride even without the air suspension that comes standard on higher variants is excellent and so is the handling –there’s a tautness in the body and which gives the E-Class a flingable feel.

That four-cylinder diesel can be a bit noisy and even though I missed its torque when I left it for the petrol E200 I didn’t miss the noise. The E200 does have the same shove as the E220, but it’s serenely quiet with identical ride and handling. Steering does feel a little artificial and disconnected, but its weighted well and accurate. Pedal feel is great and that nine speed auto is seamless.

This is autonomous driving in its infancy.

The AMG Line package costs $6300 on the E220d and adds 20-inch wheels, an AMG body kit, leather interior, perforated front discs, sports steering wheel and sports seats. The larger wheels and lower profile tyres do make the ride firmer that’s for sure, but it’s not uncomfortable more like you’re wearing running shoes and not Ugg boots any more. The only other noticeable difference is the seats which grip you fairly tightly.

Safety

While it’s yet to be given an ANCAP rating, it’s hard to think of a safer car. The entire vehicle is a safety feature, not just for the occupants but for everybody around it. Apart from the AEB and automated functions including crosswind assistance, there’s also nine airbags.

Ownership

The E-Class is covered by Mercedes-Benz’s three-year unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is capped for three years and required every 25,000km or 12 months.

Verdict

This is autonomous driving in its infancy. It’s the first few less-than-perfect steps towards what we’ll take for granted in the future. As for the cars themselves, while we haven’t driven the E350d, the E200 and E220d with their extensive list of standard features including the self-driving tech along with the high level of refinement and safety make them excellent value for money at this price.

We're now on the road to autonomous driving, but this raises many questions about safety, regulations and even ethics. What do you think will be the biggest challenges for us? Let us know in the comments below.

Click here to see more 2016 Mercedes-Benz E200 and E220d pricing and spec info.

Pricing guides

$41,970
Based on 30 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months
Lowest Price
$27,999
Highest Price
$52,450

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
E200 2.0L, PULP, 9 SP AUTO $37,620 – 44,220 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2016 E200 Pricing and Specs
E220 D 2.0L, Diesel, 9 SP AUTO $38,720 – 45,540 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2016 E220 D Pricing and Specs
E250 CDI Night Edition 2.1L, Diesel, 7 SP AUTO $40,370 – 47,520 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2016 E250 CDI Night Edition Pricing and Specs
E250 Night Edition 2.0L, PULP, 7 SP AUTO $31,570 – 38,060 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2016 E250 Night Edition Pricing and Specs
EXPERT RATING
9
Richard Berry
Senior Journalist

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