What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class? What does it compare to?
Sold in sedan and wagon forms, in touring and AMG performance editions, the E-Class defines the mid-size luxury car segment. Rivals range from the Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series to the Genesis G80 and Volvo V90.
Is the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class a good car?
Historically, the E-Class is one of the highest-rated cars that’s not a battery electric vehicle. With what promises to be road-hugging agility, supreme comfort, a range of gutsy powertrains, and advanced technology, it appears the new E-Class appears will continue its winning tradition. But we’ll stop gushing until we drive the sedan late this year, and update our rating commensurately. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
The redesigned E-Class arrives with mild-hybrid powertrains revised for better efficiency and less emissions, and it gets a bit roomier inside. But the big story for 2024 flashes from the wall of dashboard screens like a marquis and all kinds of tech upgrades that appeal to the widest perceived customer base, from a remote parking system to a selfie camera and Webex video conference app built into the optional Superscreen infotainment system. This new electrical architecture will support over-the-air updates and other software upgrades down the road.
Slightly wider by 1.3 inches and with a 0.9-inch longer wheelbase, the redesigned E-Class sedan grows into more aerodynamic proportions. The long nose and short front end define the rear-wheel-drive profile, but the nose dips low and the roofline curves back into a tapered rear that combine for a very low 0.23 coefficient of drag. The design for aerodynamics, replete with flush door handles, does not compromise its timeless beauty. Equipped with available 21-inch wheels, the new E-Class remains a stunner, and might be more head-turning than its predecessor. We’ve yet to see the wagon design for the new model.
Inside, Mercedes takes its contoured, airplane-inspired cockpit to new heights. Available ambient lighting rings the doors and cowls, and frames a wide, winged dash now covered in screens. The classic circular vents are gone, replaced by thin horizontal vents built into the dash and bisected by ambient lighting. A new take on the brand’s Hyperscreen, the available Superscreen occupies the center and passenger side of the dash. A 12.8-inch digital instrument cluster stands on its own in front of the steering wheel, and is complemented by a standard 14.4-inch touchscreen with a horizontal orientation. Opt for the additional 12.3-inch passenger screen and that center glass extends to the passenger end of the dash, eating up otherwise gorgeous wood and metallic trim that can still be found on the door panels and center console. Blocked from the driver’s view with a virtual shield, the passenger screen can be used to stream video or to help the driver navigate. If the passenger seat remains unoccupied, the screen turns into a decorative display. A camera monitoring the driver’s eye movements adds additional layers of security and hands-free driver-assist features, and apps such as Zoom or Webex can’t be used while the car is in motion. Mercedes pledges all the new technology and its interface can be employed or ignored based on the driver’s preference.
E-Class mild-hybrid system
Owners won’t ignore the revised powertrains offered in the redesigned E-Class. Both the E 350 and E 450 will come with a 48-volt internal starter generator, or mild-hybrid system, that provides power off the line and takes the electrical load off the engine. A 9-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive will also be standard.
The E 350 has a 2.0-liter turbo-4 making 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, while the E 450 has a 3.0-liter turbo-6 generating 375 hp and 369 lb-ft. Engine specs may sound the same as its predecessor, but Mercedes says the engines are new, with E 450 modifications to the crankshaft, cylinder heads, air intake system for better compression, and on the exhaust system all in an attempt to reduce emissions. In addition to the new starter generator, the E 350 has modifications to the catalytic converter. A plug-in hybrid powertrain will not come to North American markets.
The platform is also new, and includes a four-link front and five-link rear independent suspension. Steel springs come standard, but options include an air suspension with adaptive dampers on all four wheels, as well as rear-axle steering that turns in phase with the front wheels at higher speeds for more stability, and opposite the front wheels by up to 4.5 degrees at slower speeds for more agility and to cut the turning radius from 39.4 feet to 36.5 feet.
The E-Class cabin opens up more room, with more front headroom and 0.6 inch more rear legroom, and the additional width extends to nearly S-Class proportions, Mercedes says. The trunk space grows from 13.1 to 19.0 cubic feet.
The interior sounds like a spa as much as a car, with a Sound Visualization option that uses the ambient lighting in time with the music and a Burmester surround-sound system that Mercedes promises can be heard, felt, and seen. Data is transmitted via a 5G network and various driver profiles can be supplemented with artificial intelligence to create “routines” for certain comfort settings.
How much does the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cost?
Pricing, specs, and feature availability will arrive late in the year, before the E-Class lands in North America. The current E 350 sedan starts at about $58,000, so expect the 2024 E 350 to exceed $60,000 since all-wheel drive is standard and it comes with the new mild-hybrid powertrain. We expect the E 450 to start at around $70,000. AMG and wagon variants will follow.
Where is the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class made?
In Sindelfingen, Germany.
