The Mercedes-Benz E-class is the brand’s most iconic model. A luxury-class standard-bearer, the current-generation E-Class has been out for a couple of years but was comprehensively updated for 2021 with changes to styling, powertrains and infotainment technology. 

Since it’s arrival in the 1950s the E-Class has set the precedent medium-sized four-door sedans that blend practicality, performance and durability in a package with satisfying luxury touches and a touch of sporting dynamics.  Mercedes-Benz  

The base E350 sedan uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. While that output and configuration are in line with class competitors, the E450’s engine upgrade better fits a car of this standing. That’s the model we drove.

The E450 features a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six abetted by an electric motor (Mercedes’ “EQ Boost”) producing 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. There’s plenty of oomph for merging and passing, and the combination of the big six and electric motor makes for seamless power delivery at any speed. The EQ Boost system smooths auto stop/starts and also allows the engine to shut down when coasting, an action that’s all but imperceptible. 

The new E350e plug-in hybrid is a greener way to enjoy enhanced power—315 horsepower and 516 pound-feet. The E350e’s estimates for EV range and fuel economy are not out yet, however.

The E-Class interior is more stylish than its exterior. The central display screen and the instruments display are housed behind a single piece of glass. The center console features a large touchpad, but there are physical buttons for some climate controls, a rocker switch to select drive modes, and a roller switch for volume.  Mercedes-Benz

Equipped with the optional air suspension, the E450 impressed with its blissfully smooth ride even in the midst of an early spring pothole bloom here in the Northeast. That’s in Comfort mode, but there’s little reason to switch out of it since Sport or Sport+ don’t materially enhance the standard setting’s already admirable body control.

Those seeking a sportier experience should look to the AMG models. The AMG entry point is the E53, in which the E450’s powertrain is turned up to 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet. The E53 also boasts AMG-specific styling outside, sportier design elements inside, and a sport suspension with Air Body Control. 

The hardcore E63 S has a fire-breathing twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that proffers 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet, numbers that just eclipse arch-rival BMW’s M5 but not the M5 Competition or M5 CS. Still, this banker’s hotrod slingshots to 60 mph in a scorching 3.3 seconds. The standard all-wheel-drive system even features a Drift mode that sends all the grunt to the rear wheels for tail-happy hooliganism. Cornering is astonishingly good but expect a jarring ride even in the suspension’s mellowest setting.

Last of its kind: Readers of a certain age will remember riding in station wagon cargo-area seats like this. The E450 All-Terrain is the last wagon in the U.S. to offer the feature. Mercedes-Benz

Amusingly, the E63 S is also available as a station wagon, which is a sure way to get the kids to soccer practice on time. There’s also an E450 wagon, now called the E450 All-Terrain, reflecting its slightly lifted suspension, plastic fender trim, and standard all-wheel drive, a formula akin to the Volvo V90 Cross Country. Alas, the wagons account for a tiny fraction of U.S. E-Class sales.

Consumers also are (sadly) losing interest in coupes and convertibles, but the E-Class still offers them. The coupe and convertible hew to the middle of the powertrain roster and are offered in E450 and E53 form, the former with rear-wheel drive or AWD, the latter with 4Matic only. The duo is among the few four-seat luxury two-doors extant. BMW’s 4 Series models are smaller, cheaper, and sportier, while its 8 Series is pricier and less roomy.  

The E-Class makes good use of its ultra-high-resolution display screen with a neat camera-navigation integration (augmented video for navigation, $350). As the car nears a turn, the image switches from the map to a feed from the forward camera over which the turn instruction is overlaid. Mercedes-Benz

The E-Class sedan interior is spacious, though the 13.1-cubic-foot trunk is on the small side. The environs are convincingly luxurious, and the E-class now has the brand’s latest infotainment integration. The presentation is impressive. A 12.3-inch central display and a similar-sized, screen-based instrument cluster merge to create an ultra-widescreen effect, and the graphics and resolution are first-rate.

The main display is a touchscreen that can also be operated using the console touchpad (the rotary controller is gone). It can also be manipulated via a touchpad on the steering wheel spoke that responds to swipes of the driver’s thumb. On the opposite spoke, another touchpad manipulates the digital instrument cluster. If all this sounds complicated, it is. But there’s a chirpy-voiced virtual assistant to help. Summon her (the voice is female) by saying, “Hey, Mercedes.” The driver isn’t required to memorize commands’ exact wording—saying, “I’m cold,” for instance, prompted the system to raise the climate control setting from 70 to 71 degrees. Inevitably, though, there are some comical misunderstandings. 

The E-Class sedan starts at $55,300 (including destination fee) for the E350, while the E450 is $63,050, though that includes 4Matic, which is a $2,500 add-on for the base car. Jumping to the sportier Mercedes-AMG E53 costs $74,950, while the full-fat E63 S starts at $108,550.

The two-door models are slightly dearer than the sedans, with the E450 coupe at $66,000 (though 4Matic is not standard here), while the E53 coupe is $77,300. Convertibles are more of a splurge: The E450 droptop is $7,000 more than the hardtop, while the E53 convertible upcharge is $6,600. The E450 All-Terrain wagon is $68,650, and the AMG E63 S wagon is the most expensive E-Class of all at $113,500—although at that price, exclusivity is all but guaranteed.

[E-class inline – instrument screen] All E-Class models come standard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Drivers can choose among several different display modes, including one that features the navigation map. This sporty instrumentation view is exclusive to the AMG versions.  Mercedes-Benz

German luxury sedans often charge extra for some features that come standard on their Japanese or Korean competitors, and that’s the case here. On both the E350 and E450 sedan, buyers must pony up for adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist (both part of the $1,950 Driver Assistance Package), and leather is an extra $1,620.

The E-Class, though, has always been expensive. It’s also been a leader in its segment, and that also remains the case.