Nearly four years
into its production, the E-Class revamps itself both on the outside and inside.
From the outside,
the facelift E-Class appears to be more youthful, opting for a built-in emblem
on the front grill for the Avantgarde trim. Compared to previous models, the
revised E-Class integrates state-of-the-art headlamps, with neatly weaved in
daytime running lights. This provides a distinct look for the E-Class,
differentiating it from non-facelift models, as well as from competitors such
as the 5-Series, XF and GS models. What strikes me is how bold Mercedes has
become, taking inspiration off sporty and youthful models such as the new A and
B-Class, and sewing certain aspects into larger, more serious models such as
the E-Class. This plays out at the rear, where elongated oval-shaped brake
lights replace the more rectangular and serious lights on the pre-facelift
E-Class. Furthermore, angular exhausts take over previously rounded exhausts,
indicating how Mercedes aims to step towards more futuristic and youthful
designs.
On the inside, the
interior sees no distinct changes, bar the integration of a new sports steering
wheel on the Avantgarde trim (a 4-spoke wheel for the Classic trim) and the
addition of an analogue clock on the center console, just as in the current
S-Class. Other minor changes include slightly new seat patterns, as well as a
design change of the gearshift stalk. Still, one change that breaks E-Class tradition
is the shift from a quad-cluster instrument panel to that of a tri-cluster one,
due to the shift of the analogue clock to the center console. Apart from those
changes, the majority of things on the inside remain the same. Of course, extra
technological features are offered as a teaser for the upcoming S-Class, such
as LANE KEEPING ASSIST and PRE-SAFE PLUS.
·
Ride & Handling
*Having being lent
the keys to the new E200, 7G-TRONIC, the specs provided are for this particular
model only. With the new E-Class, out goes the old heart and in comes a new
turbocharged 4-cylinder, churning out 184BHP with a century sprint of a decent
8 seconds. Most notably, fuel efficiency is now up to an average of 17.1km/l,
surpassing BMW’s 520i by leaps and bounds. Still, some problems from the
pre-facelift E-Class carry on to the facelift version, such as soft brakes and
a firm suspension. Nevertheless, the overall quietness of the vehicle makes up
for its flaws.
·
Verdict
Great refresh. Looks good on
the outside and on the inside as well. However, stronger brakes could help
assert even more driving confidence.
o Pictures from:
o
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/2/0/2014_mercedes_benz_e_class_01_sedan_02-1212.jpg
