2024 Mercedes-Benz E 300 review

Mercedes-Benz is one of the world’s oldest car brands, and the E-Class is one of its longest running nameplates.

While the modern E-Class as we know it first debuted in the early 1990s, its lineage dates as far back as the late 1940s. Mercedes-Benz says there have been 16 million units of its ‘mid-size’ sedan built since its inception eight decades ago.

But the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class you see here is a different beast compared to its W110- and W120-era ancestors from decades past.

It’s now grown to over 4.9 metres long, making it almost as big as a third-generation S-Class. As is the case with previous iterations it also forges its own design path, rather than the mini-me effect between the C-Class and S-Class.

The Australian range looks very different in 2024. Gone are the diesels, the six-cylinder options, and the plug-in hybrid – just a single mild-hybrid four-pot is offered at launch.

While previous iterations have offered Estate and All-Terrain wagon options as well, Mercedes-Benz Australia has elected not to offer them locally despite them being available abroad – SUVs are apparently why.

With a tech-laden cabin, flagship design approach as well as a focus on comfort and luxuries, does the W214-generation E-Class deliver on Benz’s promise of ‘The Best or Nothing’?

How much does the Mercedes-Benz E-Class cost?

The new-gen E-Class Sedan range has been pared back to just one variant – the E 300.

Mercedes-Benz Australia hasn’t closed the door on other variants joining the lineup, but there’s nothing confirmed for the time being.

In overseas markets there are also E 200 and E 220d mild-hybrids; E 300e and E 400e plug-in hybrids with over 100km of EV range; as well as the choice of Sedan (Saloon), Estate, and All-Terrain body styles.

We also anticipate high-performance AMG versions are coming down the track. Expect an AMG E 53 donning a 330kW/560Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six to start with – given Mercedes has the AMG CLE 53 on the way.

Prices exclude on-road costs

To see how the Mercedes-Benz E-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class like on the inside?

Screens, screens and more screens…

As standard there’s a 12.3-inch display for the driver and one for the front passenger, and a 14.4-inch touchscreen integrated into the dashboard.

Mercedes-Benz calls the arrangement the MBUX Superscreen, which differs from the EQE’s Hyperscreen as the driver’s display in the E-Class isn’t recessed into the dashboard – it’s more in line with the instrument clusters in the C-Class and S-Class.

It’s all running the latest Mercedes-Benz User eXperience (MBUX) software, which has an even flatter menu structure called “Zero Layer”. There’s a lot going on, but the menu structure means the clearly-labelled buttons and sub-menus should take you to what you’re looking for.

The integrated intelligent voice assistant is an interesting character, which claims to learn as time goes on and can control everything from infotainment to the climate control and sunroof. You can also play games or ask it general knowledge questions which is kinda fun.

It’s all otherwise pretty familiar if you’ve ever sat in a current Benz, with crisp graphics, sharp responses, and a distinctly Mercedes look and feel.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feature as standard, and take up a healthy portion of that 14.4-inch touchscreen. The native system works pretty well as I mentioned earlier, and has connected services, augmented reality navigation, and DAB radio.

It’s all hooked up to a 17-speaker Burmester 4D sound system with 730W amplifier. What’s 4D? It’ll actually translate “the system’s sound into vibrations in the front seats using two tactile transducers integrated into each backrest”.

“Dolby Atmos can use the entire cabin space to create a 360-degree experience, positioning individual instruments or voices in the studio mix all around the listening area,” the company adds.

Worth it? Well, during our couple of hours behind the wheel I was more focused on driving than whether my seat was vibrating me right, but the sound quality was very good.

I want to take a moment to talk about ambience and build quality, because it’s something that’s been a talking point out of recent Benz launches.

Unlike the C-Class and GLC, I’m glad to report the E-Class is more in line with traditional perceptions of Mercedes build. It’s nicely finished, feels solidly put together, and there’s a better mix of premium materials.

However, while the big screens have a lot of wow factor, the focus on minimising physical buttons in place of screens means there’s silly touch-capacitive stuff about the place which is usually finished in piano black.

Keep your cleaning cloths handy, because you’re going to have to wipe down much of the front cabin regularly with clients or family members riding along.

With just myself in the car there were plenty of fingerprints and smudges left about the place from touch inputs and swipes of the screen for basic functions, as well as on the double-spoke steering wheel. Aluminium or matte finish next time, maybe?

The rear seat also isn’t as palatial as you’d expect with the E-Class’s extended dimensions in this generation.

At 6’1 I can fit behind my own driving position fine, but this is far from a cut-price S-Class L. Knee and leg room aren’t quite at the levels I’d expect of a car this size, though foot and toe room are fine for the outer seats.

There’s a big driveline hump in the middle which will cause a fifth passenger to splay out, and the rear of the centre console protrudes quite a bit – it’s more of a luxury four seater.

I find it odd Mercedes-Benz has relegated four-zone climate to the options list, and part of a $9400 package on an already expensive car. But there are air vents as standard.

There’s a healthy 540 litres of boot space under the electrically operated rear lid, and you can fold down the rear seats – including just the centre one – for longer items and increased capacity if you need.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz E-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

Despite historically offering a range of four-, six- and eight-cylinder options, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers a sole four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain at launch in Australia.

As noted earlier, Mercedes-Benz offers a number of engine variants abroad including four-cylinder petrol and diesel mild-hybrids, as well as four-cylinder plug-in hybrids with over 100km of WLTP-certified driving range.

There are also Sedan (Saloon), Estate and All-Terrain body styles offered in select overseas markets, and there are six-cylinder options coming to the lineup eventually.

Further, we can expect some hipo AMG-fettled E-Class models to launch at some point, with one clue being the new AMG CLE 53 4Matic which is on its way to Australia soon.

Unlike the C-Class range, which has reverted to a massaged four-cylinder turbo out of the A 45 hyper hatch, the go-fast CLE uses a 330kW/560Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz E-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

How does the Mercedes-Benz E-Class drive?

$130,000 for a four-cylinder E-Class might sound like a bit of a joke, but there’s a few things to consider here.

Firstly, the E 300’s turbocharged and mild-hybrid four-pot is easily as powerful and even torquier than six-cylinder E-Classes of old, and remains hot-hatch quick with a 6.2s claimed 0-100km/h.

The 2.0-litre four has a gruff and gravelly tone to it, but it’s nicely muted. It’s rarely coarse or thrashy like we’ve found in the C-Class and GLC.

I didn’t always gell with the nine-speed automatic. While it’s generally pretty good under load and at a cruise, I noticed there was a slight lurchiness and clunkiness at low speeds, particularly in stop-start situations and when coming through low speed slip lanes – it just needs an extra layer of polish.

Insulation from the outside world in general is very good. We spent hours behind the wheel of the E 300 on a mix of country highways and B-roads with varying surfaces and found it incredibly refined and relaxed. It’s an excellent all-round tourer.

And that’s where these kind of cars do their best work, either skulking around quietly in the city or stretching their legs on the freeway.

You’re best to not try and drive this like a performance model. It may wear AMG Line styling inside and out, but an AMG the E 300 is not.

From the occasionally doughy throttle response to the comfort-oriented chassis, this luxury saloon is designed to do long-haul commutes in as much comfort as possible. Our test cars were fitted with optional adaptive air suspension as part of the Plus Package, and we imagine this only adds to this.

While it will happily waft along undulations and softer hits, the large standard 20-inch alloy wheels and staggered 245/40 front and 275/35 rear tyres do mean there’s a slight terseness over sharper bumps and high frequency imperfections. It’s are from uncomfortable or unrefined, but it could be better (smaller wheels, please).

Flicking between Comfort, Eco and Sport modes tailors steering and throttle response, in addition to damping and transmission shift points. There are noticeable but not huge changes to each profile, but there’s some good adjustability dialled in.

The tradeoff to the ride’s firmer edge is that the E 300 can still take on a series of bends with gusto.

It might be a 1.8-tonne, 4.9-metre long executive sedan, but the E-Class’s slightly athletic bent means it corners with confidence and enthusiasm, laying a solid foundation for upcoming AMG iterations.

The E 300 loves sweeping bends, where its accurate steering fluidly reacts to inputs and its hunkered-down stance inspires confidence. You can power out of bends with that 400Nm of torque, and you can flick it into Sport for even better throttle response.

In its standard setting, the steering is quite light (but accurate), but it’s not the last word in feel. I understand this is meant to make lower-speed and tighter manoeuvres a cinch – in combination with optional rear-axle steering – but rivals like the BMW 5 Series make the driver feel more involved.

This feels like a more traditional Benz in character, with a nice lean towards comfort but with an underlying athletic edge that means you can still enjoy some of the time between A and B.

As for driver assistance systems, the E-Class is pretty decked out as standard.

The adaptive cruise control and lane centring functions enable semi-autonomous highway driving, and Mercedes’s tech is some of the best out there, while the blind-spot assistance will counter steer away from an approaching vehicle in your blind-spot.

We also got a preview of the optional Digital Light projection function, which will project an arrow on the road ahead if the vehicle senses you drifting out of your lane, providing a visual warning for the driver and nearby road users.

Mercedes-Benz says there is extended functionality on the cards in the future, but exactly what all that will look like remains to be seen. To get this projection feature, you need to option the Plus Package.

What do you get?

Just one variant is available from launch – the E 300 Sedan.

E 300 Sedan standard equipment:

Exterior

• AMG Line exterior package
• Agility Control suspension, selective damping
• 20-inch AMG multispoke alloy wheels in black
• Panoramic sliding sunroof
• Metallic paint – excl. Manufaktur
• Rear privacy glass
• Keyless-Go – handsfree access
• Electric folding mirrors
  • Surround lighting
  • Logo projection
• Digital Light
• Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
• Parking Package
  • Active Parking Assist
  • 360-degree camera
• Driving Assistance Package Plus
  • Pre Safe Impulse Side
  • Distronic – adaptive cruise
  • Active lane change assist – blind-spot
  • Active lane keep assist
  • Active steering assist
  • Traffic jam assist
  • Traffic sign assist
• Tyre pressure monitor
• Acoustic Comfort Package
• Tyre repair kit

Interior

• AMG Line interior package
• Sports steering wheel in Nappa leather
• Leather upholstery
• Roof liner in black
• Sports front seats
• Open-pore black ash wood centre console
• Black piano lacquer trim
• Active ambient lighting with sound visualisation
• Auto-dimming interior and driver’s mirrors
• Memory Package
  • Electrically adjustable front seats
  • Lumbar adjustment
  • Memory function – front seats
• Climatised front seats
• Folding rear seat backrests – 40:20:40
• Thermatic dual-zone climate
• Burmester 4D surround sound system
• DAB+ digital radio
• MBUX infotainment system
• MBUX Navigation Premium – AR function
• MBUX Superscreen
  • 14.4-inch central touchscreen
  • 12.3-inch passenger touchscreen
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto – wireless
• Wireless charging
• Mercedes-Me Connect – 5G module
• Selfie and video camera

Options

A pair of option packages are available for the E 300 Sedan.

Plus Package: $9400

• Airmatic adaptive air suspension
• Illuminated grille
• Rear-axle steering
• Multi-contour front seats
• Heated front seats
• Heated rear seats
• 4-zone climate control
• MBUX Interior Assistant

Energizing Package Plus: $5200

• Air-Balance package incl. adjustable interior fragrances
• Energizing Comfort programs
  • Adjust climate, music, lighting, fragrances, air-conditioning
  • Anti-travel sickness program

Colours

A selection of exterior and interior colour options are available.

Exterior

Standard – $NCO

• Polar White Non-Metallic
• Graphite Grey Metallic
• High-tech Silver Metallic
• Verde Silver Metallic
• Obsidian Black Metallic
• Nautic Blue Metallic

Manufaktur – Optional

• Alpine Grey Solid: $2900
• Hyacinth Red Metallic: $2500
• Opalite White Bright: $2500

Interior

• Black leather – Sport Seats*
• Black leather – Comfort Seats^
• Tonka Brown leather – Comfort Seats
• Macchiato Beige leather – Comfort Seats

*Not in conjunction with Energizing Package Plus
^Only in conjunction with Energizing Package Plus

Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class safe?

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• 11 airbags
• Active Steering Assist – lane centring
• Adaptive cruise control with stop, go
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Evasive steering assist
• Lane keep assist
• Pre-Safe Plus, Impulse Side
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Surround-view camera
• Traffic sign recognition

How much does the Mercedes-Benz E-Class cost to run?

Like the wider Mercedes-Benz range, the E-Class is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Scheduled maintenance is required every 12 months or 25,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.

Mercedes-Benz offers up to five years of capped-price servicing, though it hasn’t confirmed pricing for the W214 generation – for reference, the outgoing one will cost you a lofty $6800 for a five-year plan.

CarExpert’s Take on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The latest E-Class is a new chapter in one of the oldest Mercedes-Benz storylines – it may be niche, but it’s a big deal.

As is the case with most of the premium manufacturers, the mid-size segments often bridge the gap between entry-level and flagship products – and sometimes even blur the lines between them.

The E-Class has long stood on its own compared to the C-Class and S-Class, carving its own path and doing things in its own time. It’s more special and interesting than the C, but not quite the automatic chauffeur’s choice like the S.

Like generations past it’s not just a cookie-cutter Benz sedan. It’s distinct from the C- and S-Classes inside and out, and offers a number of unique touches like that Superscreen which really gives the cabin a different vibe to its stablemates.

The driving experience is also largely good, with effortless performance, decent handling, and good efficiency. Comfort and quietness are likewise strong points.

But there are a few kinks in the armour. There’s no escaping the lofty price – it’s $15,000 more than a BMW 520i which isn’t that far off in terms of power and pace, and piles on similar luxuries and a more conventional cabin. You can also have a more powerful six-cylinder Audi A6 55 TFSI with quattro all-wheel drive for the same money.

You also need to add over $10,000 in options to the Benz to get the full suite of available features for the proper experience. It’s a shame certain desirable features aren’t just single-item options rather than exxy packages.

It’s also disappointing there’s little diversity in the range or choice of powertrains. Sure Mercedes will sell you an EQE, but it’s less desirable and quite a bit less attractive, and I’ll leave it at that. Something has me thinking a diesel engine or plug-in hybrid would further boost the efficiency equation, and suit this car’s effortless vibe.

The E-Class only sells in double-digit numbers monthly, making it a niche offering for loyalists – and I reckon those traditional E- buyers will be perfectly happy with how this one goes about its business.

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