Strong Points: A comfortable ride, a smooth, quiet and powerful engine and a beautiful interior with plenty of technology.
Cons: The styling is likely to be controversial, and options can get pricey quickly.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class follows its predecessor in being a classy, high-tech powerhouse that also feels great to drive. For now, there are four-cylinder and inline-six as powertrain options, but AMG may return in the future. Unlike BMW’s strategy of sharing a body between its EV and gasoline sedan, Mercedes has kept the E-Class as a traditional three-box sedan, and the EQE (electric vehicle) has adopted potato-like EQ styling for its EVs. It’s nice to see the E-Class sticking to tradition here. The flashy grille and three-star taillights are a bit over the top, but it’s still a sleek, beautifully proportioned luxury sedan.
If you were hoping for Mercedes’ latest and greatest technology, you’ll certainly get it in the E-Class. Perhaps that’s a drawback. The “Super Screen” turns the entire dashboard into a bright, colorful touchscreen, while touch controls replace the clicky, satisfying buttons of the previous generation. It’s a downgrade in some ways, but Mercedes is trying to make up for the loss of analog goodness with flashy lights, trick audio systems, and innovative features like video calling and artificial intelligence routines. It’s a last-ditch effort in the hopes of never having to even touch a button while the car carries out your instructions automatically. Mercedes isn’t the only one to focus on technology. BMW has similarly outlandish features in the 5 Series, but for those who don’t care about any of these “innovations,” rest assured that you can ignore them, turn them off, or don’t specify them at all. That way, you can enjoy the new E-Class driving and behaving as an E-Class was meant to.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
Driving feel | Price and grade | Crash rating and safety features
What’s new in 2024?
The E-Class will be in its sixth generation and will be all-new in 2024. The look will be familiar, but Mercedes has taken the technology to the highest level this time around.
The E 450 All-Terrain wagon will go on sale in 2024, but it’s still based on the previous generation and will be very different from the sedan. This review is long enough without cramming in a description of what’s essentially a completely different car. You can find our review here.
What is the E-Class’ interior and in-car technology like?
As with most modern Mercedes, the technology inside the car dictates the interior design. The E-Class has an optional ‘Superscreen’ (a sub-model of the EQ’s ‘Hyperscreen’), but it’s really just a questionable passenger-side screen in addition to the standard pair of screens. Frankly, I’d skip this one, especially as you’d miss out on the beautiful wood trim it comes with without a screen.
But there’s no avoiding the screen. The 14.4-inch central touchscreen display is big and vibrant, and it uses the same interface as other top-of-the-line Mercedes. You can default to a simple home screen of various icons, or go for the “Zero Layer,” with a vibrant navigation map and your choice of tiles (such as audio or phone) that run along the bottom. There’s a lot to take in, and the learning curve isn’t surprisingly steep, but once you’re used to it, I found it very easy to use. The navigation system is also excellent (and very easy to program, thanks to Mercedes’ above-average voice recognition system), limiting the need for Google Maps and perhaps even the still-included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can also fit a new dash-top camera that opens the door to video calling and TikTok video capture, but it seems more like a gimmick to me.
Needless to say, the E-Class’s seats, materials and general amenities are all appropriate for a car at its price point, and there are plenty of color and trim options to choose from. While it takes some getting used to, there’s no denying that the E-Class’s interior is state-of-the-art in terms of both new features and luxury.
How big is the E-Class?
This E-Class is just a little bit larger than the previous model, so there’s plenty of room for adults to sit in the back seat, although Mercedes has mounted the front seats quite low to the ground, so taller drivers in the front row may feel a bit cramped.Compared to other midsize luxury sedans like the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6, the E-Class is just about on par with the space you need, with all three German cars offering generous backseat space.
When it comes to trunk space, it’s best to take a look at our comprehensive luggage test, where we find that the E-Class’s 19 cubic feet of space is certainly large but a bit misleading from a pure numbers standpoint — though it will easily fit luggage for four people and still have a bit of room to spare.
What are the fuel economy and performance specs for the E-Class?
For the 2024 model year, customers can choose between the E 350 4Matic and the E 450 4Matic. As the “4Matic” lettering indicates, all-wheel drive is standard. The base model E 350 4Matic is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Both engines shift through a nine-speed automatic transmission and feature a mild-hybrid system. The base model’s 2.0-liter is good enough to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. It has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 24 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined.
The E 450 comes with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that makes 375 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of power, and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Fuel economy is rated at 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined.
Mercedes has announced the AMG E 53 Hybrid (PHEV) for 2025, but we haven’t driven the model yet. For more details, check out our announcement article here.
What is it like to drive an E-Class?
We haven’t tested the 2024 E-Class with the standard suspension and steering system, so we can only comment on the E 350 and E 450 equipped with the $3,200 Airmatic package. But it certainly seems worth the money, as it solidifies the E-Class’s status as a dual-threat. Not only does it pamper you with a plush ride thanks to the supple Airmatic air suspension, it also sharpens the response for fun and speed on mountain roads. The addition of rear-wheel steering brings many benefits, allowing 4.5 degrees of rear-wheel steering, which gives the E-Class more maneuverability on tight city streets and increased stability at high speeds.
Both the four-cylinder and inline-six have a super-smooth 48-volt mild-hybrid system that allows for seamless engine start-stop, even when stuck in traffic. Neither engine is loud inside the car, but the inline-six has a beautiful tune when you step on the gas. Just like we hoped it would. With the E-Class, Mercedes has once again created one of the best all-around daily driving luxury cars on the planet, from the noise isolation to the way it effortlessly navigates the road with near-S-Class comfort. We’re excited for the AMG version to join the lineup, making it even more exciting.
What other Mercedes-Benz E-Class reviews can you read?
2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class First Drive Review: Distracted Driving
We’ll tell you all about the new features of the next-gen E-Class and give you our first driving impressions.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class luggage test: How big is the trunk?
Here’s how much luggage you can fit in the trunk of an E-Class.
How much does the 2024 E-Class cost?
Pricing for the E-Class starts at $63,450 for the base E 350 4Matic Premium trim. The only other trim available is the Pinnacle, which starts at $66,000. For an extra cost, you get an illuminated grille, active ambient lighting, thermal and acoustic glass and a head-up display.
If you want an E 450 with an inline-six engine, prices start at $69,250, a reasonable price considering the extra power and superior engine, with the Pinnacle version of the E 450 bringing the top base price to $71,800.
Of course, you’ll want options. The snazzy Manufaktur Alpine Grey shown in the photo at the top of this article costs $1750, while the included 21-inch AMG wheels are $3050. Upgrading from MB-Tex to leather is $1620, while upgrading to top-of-the-line Nappa leather is $2990. The Super Screen is a separate $1500 option, but the $1950 Driver Assistance Package (featuring all of Mercedes’ excellent active assist systems) and the $3200 Airmatic Package (air suspension, adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering) are highly recommended. The $990 Digital Light and $1030 Burmester 4D sound system are nice touches too.
What are the E-Class’ safety ratings and driver assistance features?
The E-Class comes equipped with a host of standard (and optional) driver assistance features. Standard features include automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning with exit warning assist, automatic high beams, driver attention monitoring, and front and rear parking sensors. Notable optional features include adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, lane centering, automatic lane changing, automatic emergency braking when turning or in cross traffic, and digital light projection to warn of construction zones, following distances, and more.
Although the E-Class has not been crash-tested by a third party as of this writing, the previous-generation 2023 E-Class received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
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