MERCEDES-BENS E450 4MATIC

‘E’  IS FOR  EXCELLENCE OR MAYBE ELEGANT WHEN IT COMES TO MERCEDES E-CLASS

I’m not sure if he was the first to say it but astronomer/scientist/author/etc. Carl Sagan once observed that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but I have two incidents that would challenge that notion.

One was several years ago when a friend of mine was interviewing golfer Orville Moody for a story he was doing about a local tournament. Naturally, the subject of Moody’s victory in the 1969 U.S.Open came up and at a pause in the conversation, my friend blurted out, “Was that your biggest win?”

As soon as his words were out, my friend wanted them back.

You see, not only was the 1969 U.S. Open Moody’s biggest victory on the PGA Tour, it was the journeyman pro’s only victory in 266 Tour events.

I serve as my second example. I had just experienced some time in the latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class and came away impressed, so impressed that I called a Mercedes PR rep and asked him, “Why an S-Class when you have the E-Class to attract luxury shoppers?”

In my defense, the E-Class debuted in 1953 and does predate the S-Class by a couple of generations. Also, and more to the point here, this was near the beginning my career writing auto reviews and I had yet to have any time in the S-Class. Once I had gotten behind the wheel of one, I soon saw the extra goodies, including ground-breaking tech features, that come with  the top-of-the-line offering from the German automaker.

Thus I could later understand the PR rep’s somewhat stunned silence at my question. Fortunately, he didn’t deny me access to any more Mercedes models for such an impertinent inquiry.

Still, I still think that you can find just about everything and anything you might want in a premium luxury sedan in the 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and save some pretty big bucks over the S-Class.

It is offered in coupe, cabriolet, or station wagon form and there are even AMG versions available as well.

The E-Class comes in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive 4MATIC configurations staring with a turbo 4-cylinder engine in the E350. That engine puts out 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

This review is based on the 2022 Mercedes E450 4MATIC that features an inline turbo-charged 6-cylinder engine that gets a boost from a mild hybrid system for a total of 362 hp and 369 lb.-ft.

AMG versions up those numbers to 429/384, respectively, in E53 models and 603/627, respectively in the V8-powered E63 S.

A 9-speed automatic transmission is common throughout the E-Class portfolio.

The E350 4MATIC drinks premium fuel at the rate of 23 miles-per-gallon city, 30 highway, and 25 combined, which isn’t bad considering the webside zeroto60times.com puts it zero-to-60 clocking at 4.4 seconds.

While all those numbers are pretty impressive, the E-Class really is about more in comfort than it is in sporty performance.

There is where it really stands out with lots of premium leather and soft surfaces throughout the expansive cabin. Heated front seats are standard throughout the lineup, and you can get ventilated and massaging front seats in option packages.

Wind and road noise are hardly noticeable, and the 12.3-inch display for standard navigation is easy on the eyes. Dual-zone automatic climate control also is included as standard.

The numerous techno functions in the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) may operate off voice commands and some buttons, but most of the systems operate off an annoying touchpad on the console. Very much like a touchpad on a laptop, it not only can it be overly sensitive and activate commands at will, it also can be distracting to operate.

Pricing for the E-Class starts in the mid-$50K range and tops out at over $100,000 for the AMG 63 S sedan and wagon. My test 2022 Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC came with a starting price of $62,750 with option pacages running that up to $73,350 including the $1,050 destination and delivery charge.

What I liked about the 2022 Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC: The roomy interior is particularly classy with lots of soft surfaces and leather, and it is loaded with safety features. The cushy ride is very comfortable, and the inline-6 engine has good punch even when driving in Eco mode. It is also not as thirsty as one might expect.

What I didn’t like about the 2022 Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC: The touchpad for performing many of the infotainment functions is maddening. If I could find the guy who came up with this I would cut off the fingers of his right hand. It can be distracting for the driver to operate. The trunk is on the small side for its class.

Would I buy tme 2022 Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC? Frankly, the touchpad system for infotainment features gives me pause, but there is so much else to like about this car it would be foolish not to take a long look if you are shopping for a luxury sedan.