| Pros Best looking mid-sized Mercedes to come down the pike in decades. Cons A bit sluggish off the line. The Bottom Line I really like this car. It drives wonderfully and it's luxurious without being flashy. |
| Full Review |
| The E320 is my fourth Mercedes sedan. My first and favorite was a 1968 250S. It was an absolute classic. Wonderfully rich interior, excellent handling, but a bit underpowered. The body style was instantly recognizable as a Mercedes with a slight Pagoda design to the roof, the huge expanse of hood and a trunk that reminded me of a boat's deck. The E320 reminds me of that classic sedan from days of old. It has the most luxurious appointments of any Benz since those from the '60s. The body styling is distinct and, like my old 250S, the car is slightly underpowered. Still, I really enjoy this car and I'll tell you why here: Interior The interior is what ultimately sold me on it. As I mentioned above, the appointments are pure luxury. Swooping wood trim surrounds the driver and front passenger. The best woodwork I've seen in a Benz in 30 years. The leather seats are supple and supportive - much more comfortable than those in the Jaguar X series that I test-drove. In fact, these seats, while not as roomy as the ones in my old 250 are better than those in any of the Mercedes that I've owned since then. The back seat is roomy and the trunk is huge. While it's a subjective judgment, I'd say the controls are laid out well for the most part. I like the analog speedometer and other gauges. But I have a couple of minor complaints in this department. First, telephone dial pad is too far away from the driver to quickly dial while driving. If I have to manually dial a number, it takes a lot of concentration and carefully looking back and forth from the road to the phone pad. I'd have liked a little easier means by which to dial manually. My other complaint is that the menu system which is accessible through steering wheel controls is a bit clunky. I rarely need to change the time or set the interior lighting options while driving, but I have to wade through those menus to get to the few options that I use frequently while at the wheel. Speaking of the interior lighting, I like it. Lots of ambient light available at night and plenty of task lighting when needed. Exterior Gone is the boxy look that started appearing on MB sedans in the '80s. The body sits on its haunches and looks like a cat that's ready to pounce. A sloping roof and hood make the car appear to be in motion even when it's parked. The raked headlights and grill give it a very aggressive 'face'. Very nicely done. Performance As others have noted here, the E320 is not the quickest car on the road. It's heavy for the size of the engine and it doesn't jump off the line. When I get in my wife's Maxima after driving the E320, I have to consciously back off the throttle so I don't over-do it. I've had the E320 up to 115 MPH on the highway and it felt very well-grounded. I think there was a good deal more speed left in her, but I understand that they install a governor at the factory that tops out at 130. But the best place for driving this car is on twisty two-lanes. It sticks to the road and corners tightly and is very much at-home carving out swaths through the back roads. The ride is pure Mercedes - comfortable without being too soft. I get about 30 MPG when driving conservatively on dry roads. I don't drive it in snow, so I can't comment on how she handles under those conditions. |
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1 comment:
I drove the new C300 a couple of days ago with an eye towards trading in my 2003 E320. I liked the new C-class a lot. It's lighter and quicker than my car and it certainly has some great styling. But all-in-all, I prefer my E-class. It's bigger than the C; the interior has much nicer appointments and it has that old Mercedes feel (some compare it to a tank.) In any event, I'm going to hold onto my good old E-320. She's a real beaut.
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