2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Reviews

While the focus at Benz has shifted to the new, small A-Class, the larger E-Class four door sedan and wagon is the "core" of the company. They've been making E-Class for decades to the point where it's everywhere, in just about every country.For the latest model, Benz asked owners what they thought and implemented many of the suggestions that included a styling tweak, more power, improved economy and safety, more driver assistance features, better value.Benz has delivered on all scores with the mid-life update to the E-Class. The value equation sees prices reduced and some are down by 20 per cent compared to a similarly spec'd previous model. It has the Gorden Wagoner prominent nose with a "four eyed" face, three bar grille with large Benz emblem and more style lines along the body capped with a pair of large tail lights.VALUEThe entry level E200  goes for $79,900 and rolls on 18-inch wheels, gets park assist, blind spot warning, collision warning, sports pack and LED headlights and tail lights.The range goes up to the E400 V6 biturbo at $128,900. It replaces the previous E350 and E500 models. An AMG 63S version arrives later in the year at $249,900 complete with 430kW/800Nm V8 petrol power and all the goodies associated with the AMG brand.Estate (wagon) variants are available in a number of powertrain choices. All offer seven seat capacity. Some of the new E-Class range fall under the 7.0-litre/100km Luxury Car Tax reduction trigger point with commensurate price reductions.DESIGNThe classy interior is better than before with a sports multi function wheel, analogue clock, decorative features and a choice of three two-tone colour schemes. It's simpler to operate, better looking and has more features.TECHNOLOGYFrom the E250 up the cars get adaptive LED headlights while all variants score the exterior sports package popular on the previous model, direct control suspension, cross drilled discs and splashes of chrome inside and out. Technology improvements see 'Command III' make an appearance in E-Class, a system that integrates with the iPhone 5 or Android equivalent for direct internet connectivity.Under the bonnet, the base engine moves from a 1.8-litre turbo petrol four to a 2.0-litre with EU 6 credentials. In the entry level E200, this engine is good for 135kW/300Nm output while in the 250, it's uprated to 155kW/350Nm.Standard transmission across the range is a seven-speed auto driving the rear wheels. The E250CDi diesel retains the strong 2.1-litre turbo diesel engine from before. An E400 twin-turbo petrol V6 is coming soon as a replacement for the previous V8 model. It has a similar output but uses less fuel and generates fewer emissions.There's also an E300 'Bluetec' hybrid with an in-line electric assist motor and a lithium ion battery pack capable of super low fuel consumption. E-Class Bluetec has multi modes including the interesting `sailing' when the car is on electric power alone at freeway speeds.SAFETYDriver assist functions abound and include attention assist, high beam assist, and Distronic cruise control with lane keeping function. It uses a stereo camera to monitor the driving environment, altering the car's dynamics to suit, even to avoid pedestrians or potential cross street collisions. Active park assist makes an appearance for parallel and end on parking. DRIVINGWe drove the first three variants to arrive, E200, E250 and E250CDi. We would be happy with any of them with the sporty E250 petrol a stand out. The new E-Class has poise and control on the road, is quiet and sophisticated and can be super economical.There's plenty of room inside and a large boot. Even the base car will please in performance terms thanks in part to the willing new 2.0-litre engine and slick seven-speed transmissionVERDICTStill the benchmark in the medium large premium Euro segment. Looks better, goes better than the competition  and with price reductions and  extra kit, makes the proposition even more tempting.The complete 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon range is:E 200 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $79,900E 220 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $82,400E 250 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $97,400E 250 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $99,900E 300 Hybrid 2.2-litre turbo-diesel / electric four-door sedan: $109,900E 400 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $129,900E 63 AMG 5.5-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $249,900E 200 Estate 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $86,900E 250 CDI Estate 2.2-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $107,700E 400 Estate 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol five-door wagon: $137,700Mercedes-Benz E200Price: from $79,900Warranty: 3 years roadside assistEngine: 1.8L four-cylinder, 135kW/270NmTransmission: 7-speed automatic, RWDThirst: 6.6L/100Km, CO2 154g/km

Playing it safe has always been a Mercedes-Benz hallmark but the German carmaker is breaking with tradition by installing its updated mid-sized E-Class as the occupant-protection pioneer. It is part-acknowledgement that technology evolves too quickly to delay innovations for the new flagship S-Class due late this year and partly a reflection of the fact the E is now a more important vehicle for Benz as sales of large limousines continue to decline. Either way, it’s a win for E-Class buyers when the car goes on sale in Australia in August.Pricing for Australia hasn’t been confirmed but company spokesman David McCarthy says an “assertive” strategy will mean minimal changes to the existing numbers, which start at $80,000 for the petrol-powered E200 four-cylinder car.  “We’re still finalising specifications for the range,” McCarthy says. “Expect the E-Class to lead the way on pricing and features.” Holding the prices in check will be a big achievement for a car that has had 2000 new components.There will be a choice of three petrol and three diesel engines in the sedan. The highlights are a bi-turbo V6 petrol E400 that will give Mercedes a vehicle to rival BMW’s 535i and a diesel hybrid that uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. Wagon buyers will have the option of a four-cylinder diesel or the bi-turbo V6.There are 11 new or updated safety systems in the E-Class, headed by automatic braking to prevent rear-end crashes and a system that detects pedestrians or crossing traffic at an intersection and hits the stoppers to avoid them. A single windscreen-mounted camera has been replaced by dual cameras linked to radar sensors to provide a virtual 3D field of vision that constantly monitors a 50m space around the car for potential hazards.Unlike the new Volvo V40, Australian E-Classes won’t read speed signs. Put that down to rural signs often being used for target practice by gun and 4WD owners and the fact many of our major cities have such a gaggle of signs that it is almost pointless to try and monitor them. “Like all our safety features, until it works perfectly every time, we won’t implement it,” McCarthy says.The basic structure of the E-Class hasn’t changed but just about everything else has. The headlamps are now a single unit with a pair of daytime running lights in a tick layout. The lamps are housed in a new front end that still comes in two guises - the traditional “Elegance” design with a bonnet-mounted three-pointed star and three-strake grille and the sportier-looking “Avantgarde” style that uses a larger Mercedes roundel mounted in a two-band grille.The interior updates are more subtle but reflect the move to improve refinement. It’s a sum-of-the-parts equation: touches like a new “split view” seven-inch screen that can project one display for the driver and another for the passenger and an analogue clock nestled between the redesigned vents aren’t instantly obvious but in combination make a big difference to the cabin ambience.Mercedes is still assessing which features will go into which cars, but the range-topping regular model, the bi-turbo V6 E400 will pick up everything. That includes adaptive cruise control with “steering assist”, which uses the dual cameras to keep the E-Class in the centre of the lane. A lane-keeping assist function also scans the road for solid and broken lines.It automatically brakes a wheel to avoid crossing solid lines and alerts the driver with a vibration in the steering wheel if they are veering over a broken line. If the system detects oncoming traffic in that situation, it also brakes a corner to bring the Mercedes back into its lane. A five-star rating from ANCAP is pretty much guaranteed.The four-cylinder models are expected to account for the vast majority of E-Class sales and the performance from the lightweight engines is more than acceptable. The pair of 250 engines - the entry level E200petrol wasn’t available at the international launch in Spain - pull the 0-100km/h sprint in around 7.5 seconds.The E220 CDI is the diesel price-leader to take on BMW's 520d, which heads 5 Series sales. The E250 diesel is the pick, courtesy of an expected $95,000 price backed by 500Nm that gives a decent shove in the seat at any speed.Step up to the hybrid and the reward comes in even less fuel use. The diesel-electric system adds around 100kg but still uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. That weight can be felt in the wagon over badly broken roads, where there’s a muted bang over seriously big bumps. We’re reserving judgment on that until we can try the car on local roads but around town the behaviour is impeccable.The E400 is a weapon and it’s only the sound from the bi-turbo V6 that gives away you’re not in a V8. The electric steering now has more weight at speed without sacrificing feel and makes the mid-sized car a lively vehicle when the road starts to wind.