Drive Notes: 2024 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic
My most recent test mule was a silky smooth hybrid with an overly complicated infotainment system -- the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic sedan.
This one doesn't come cheap -- the base price was $62,300 and the as-tested price, including D and D, was $82,450.
Options that cost four figures included 21-inch AMG wheels, an infotainment-screen option that gives the passenger a screen, a Pinnacle trim (includes illuminate grille, head-up display, and ambient lighting), an Airmatic package (air suspension, rear-axle steering, adaptive damping), a leather package, and a winter package.
The powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that has a 48V mild-hybrid setup. System power is 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a nine-speed automatic and this one is all-wheel drive.
Let's get to it.
Pros
- The powertrain is so smooth that you don't often notice the mild hybrid assist, and it's so quiet that it can be tough to tell if it's running or if the auto stop/start has kicked in.
- While this car isn't light, it has plenty of thrust.
- Outside noise doesn't even come close to intruding.
- The seats are all-day comfortable.
- MBUX infotainment looks good, though it can be complicated (see: Cons).
- Haptic touch may be annoying, but MB makes it work better than most.
- The overall package does feel like a mid-size Mercedes should. Even if the price makes one's eyes pop.
Cons
- Some of the infotainment features required too much menu-diving.
- The car had a feature in which your seat could rock to the music's beat, and this continued to happen after I swore I turned it off. It was annoying.
- This is not a light car.
- Nor is it a small car -- parking could be challenging at times.
- Even with the seat adjusted properly I felt like I was riding a bit too low.
- Did I mention that price tag?
As per usual with Mercedes, you get a luxurious feel with some tech features that are there just for fun, for better or for worse. MBUX is good until it isn't, sound-deadening is great, and interior space is generous.
You also get to commute in comfort, and rear-seat passengers won't complain unless they have a possible career-path in the NBA.
I like this E Class well enough, even if some stuff is silly and other stuff is annoying. But, even accounting for the rise in average transaction prices, the price tag feels a tad dear.
Perhaps this car would shine with fewer options boxes checked.
[Images © 2024 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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