2017 Mercedes-Benz E-class: All In the Family

Official Photos and Info
Every brand has its darling. For BMW, it’s the 3-series. At Honda, it’s the Accord. And for Mercedes-Benz, it is the E-class, the popular and prolific mid-size luxury car that’s been buttering the bread in Stuttgart for nine vehicle generations, soon to be 10. But despite its crucial position in the product range, the E-class was last in line among Benz sedans to get refashioned in Mercedes’ new “Sensual Purity” design language that did wonders for the S-class in 2014 before the C-class adopted it one year later. The outgoing E-class did receive a major restyling for 2014 to hold it over before replacement, but now the long wait for the new car is over. The all-new, “sensually purified” 2017 E-class has made its official debut at the 2016 Detroit auto show.

Embodiment of Modern Mercedes Design
With the arrival of the 2017 E-class, we find that the signature look for this generation of Mercedes-Benz cars is no less beautiful in size medium. While its predecessor appeared rather stiff, even after the mid-cycle update, the new car’s cab-rearward profile, fluted body sides, and gently sloping tail convey a relaxed elegance. Lovely though it may be, little about the E-class’s design actually breaks much new ground. All of the signature identifying marks—grille, headlamps, taillamps, and windows—are translated more or less verbatim from the other Benz sedans. The E-class appears to have moved the needle inside the lights, however, with futuristic LED matrix headlamps (unlikely for the U.S.) and new “stardust effect” taillamp illumination, but it may take an eagle’s eye to tell the E-class apart from its siblings until you’re close enough to read the badge.

Unsurprisingly, today’s size-medium Mercedes is larger than before, with a considerable 2.6 inches added between the axles and 1.7 inches of length added overall. Height and width are each down by fractions of an inch, while the wheel sizes are up to 19 and 20 inches in diameter. The E-class will be offered once again in Luxury and Sport flavors, the latter getting a two-bar grille and no hood ornament instead of the traditional chrome grille and stand-up three-pointed star, as well as more aggressive fascias.

Naturally, the E-class has stepped up its game inside, as well. The heightened sense of occasion is conveyed by the intricate upholstery patterns, metallic accents galore, and LED ambient lighting in 64 available colors. The sweeping upper dashboard mirrors the design of the S-class, which horizontally joins two displays under a single glass panel. All E-class models will get at least one 12.3-inch high-resolution screen for use by the COMAND infotainment system; higher-spec models utilize a second large screen for the instruments, while base models get conventional round gauges tucked behind a smooth glass pane. Dramatic, full-width wood veneers span the dash and continue onto the door panels, while below the four circular air vents is a curvaceous center console à la C-class.

Mercedes did not provide a comprehensive list of standard and optional features, but it’s safe to say that the 2017 E-class will offer no shortage of optional spoils beyond the 23-speaker Burmester sound system, heated armrests, and dramatic color schemes we already know about. One interesting standard feature is a newly designed steering wheel that uses small, touch-sensitive control pads on the upper spokes with horizontal and vertical swipe functionality, like thumb-sized smartphones. (We tried it. Read more here.)

Tech-E
The 2017 E-class appears to break the most ground in offering a bewildering amount of technology features, some of which are not even offered on the S-class—yet. To briefly recap, the list includes semi-autonomous driving, autonomous lane changes, a system that uses your cell phone as the car key, and, in certain markets (likely not here initially), driver-supervised autonomous parking. Mercedes’ auto-braking system has been enhanced to operate under more scenarios, including pedestrian avoidance, while a new evasive steering-assistance system can add a calculated amount of steering torque during emergency maneuvers. In the event that the car is about to be broadsided, the front side bolsters can inflate to move the occupant more than two inches away from the impact zone. And perhaps most significantly, the E-class is the first car to market with a car-to-X communication system that will be able to report accidents and road hazards to a central computer system, which in turn can warn fellow motorists with compatible systems.

 The 2017 E-class is set to arrive here this summer in E300 form only, powered by Mercedes-Benz’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear or all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. Overall weight is said to have dropped by about 150 pounds, thanks to extensive use of aluminum and high-strength steel throughout the body, including the fenders, hood, and trunklid. The E-class will offer a choice of sport or comfort suspensions with selectable dampers, with an active air suspension optional. The E-class also gets the Dynamic Select system that allows the driver to tailor the vehicle’s dynamics and powertrain demeanor to his or her liking.

The E-class family will grow considerably in the coming months and years, although Mercedes did not formally confirm timing. Beyond the inevitable Mercedes-AMG E63 model, a sportier E450 AMG is also likely, as are plug-in-hybrid and diesel versions. The redesigned wagon (to be offered in AMG form once again!) could arrive by year’s end, and all-new E-class coupe and convertible models are expected during the 2017 calendar year.

We have yet to drive a production-spec model, but based on our time riding in an E-class prototype, we’re optimistic that the 10th-generation E-class will prove worth the wait.