The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 is a leading light in the charge toward electrified vehicles. The redesigned and re-engineered E-Class sedan and wagon are now the most advanced vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, the carmaker says. Compared with its predecessor, the new E-Class is longer by 1.7 inches, with a wheelbase that is longer by 2.6 inches (115.7 inches total).
The layering of technologies in this 10th-generation E-Class could make driving a no-brainer. Actually, the car is smarter than most humans behind the wheel, and it will do its best to protect its occupants and its body. Most of the technologies are a sensor away from those of a self-driven car, but people who enjoy driving can still engage quite a bit. The E300 was the most technologically advanced gasoline-powered car I've driven to date, and it was an awakening experience.
I cannot imagine cruising in (autobahn) traffic at 130 mph just a second or two behind the car ahead. But Mercedes' Distance Pilot DISTRONIC function allows the car to caravan safely at high speeds. The system is just as valuable for a daily commute at 30 mph.
The Steering Pilot system works with Distance Pilot and, in ideal conditions, can actively make corrections if road lines are unclear or nonexistent at speeds up to 81 mph. But the system functions at speeds up to 130 mph.
Active Lane-Change Assist is a radar- and camera-based system that can help the driver cut into the adjacent lane if space allows. And Evasive Steering Assist can help when a driver is in a panic maneuver, adding some measured force to sharpen steering input.
In the event of a potential T-bone collision, PRE-SAFE Impulse Side will shift the driver or front passenger up to 2.75-inches away from the impact zone by inflating the side bolster of the seat.
Later this year, the E-Class models will be able to communicate with other cars along the way. The so-called Car-to-X communication acts as a receiver and transmitter to send warning messages and evaluate driving conditions. It helps the driver "see around corners" and "through obstacles," Mercedes says. Those elements of artificial intelligence are just the tip of the e-berg. But during my test week, all of the number crunching, calibrations and computer communications were direct without being intrusive or alarming.
The engine and transmission are also benchmarks of progress. The turbocharged 241-horsepower four-cylinder engine and nine-speed automatic transmission are a vast change from the previous V-6 and V-8 choices. But if you didn't know there's a four-cylinder engine under the hood, you'd think it was a V-6. Mercedes cites 6.3 seconds for acceleration from zero to 60 mph. Fuel economy ratings are 22 mpg city and 30 highway on the required premium fuel.
It is the engineering that takes this powertrain where others have failed. Some small, turbocharged four-cylinder power plants with multispeed transmissions can be hesitant and slow to perform and have an artificial engine tone that still sounds wheezy.
The E300 power package gives strong accelerator response and no delay in downshifts, and it has a hefty engine note. The Dynamic Select system gives four performance modes for Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport Plus. I preferred the more immediate response in Sport mode. Sport Plus is very aggressive, sharpening the suspension and all aspects of performance driving. The immediate adjustments from the optional air-ride suspension (over the standard steel springs), which costs $1,900, will benefit daily ride comfort.
The high-performance Dunlop SportMaxx runflat tires are not necessary for how most E300 owners drive, but they are part of the $650 AMG 19-inch wheel upgrade. It also includes sport brakes and a black headliner. The tires are attractive on the car, but they can add some whirring noise at high speeds and will be pricier to replace than a premium all-season touring tire.
Quiet luxury and graceful and elegant interiors are hallmarks of the E-Class, not sportiness. As maddening as electronic touch controls can be, those in the E-300 are straightforward, even the touch-and-swipe buttons on the steering wheel. Buttons, knobs and switches are still present for simple adjustments to fan, volume-audio and temperature.
A 38.1-foot turning circle lets the sedan tool easily in close quarters, but there is a wide blind spot at the base of the side mirrors. A multi-angle rearview camera helps in parking, but look twice for pedestrians in crosswalks.
The short seat bottom and tall center tunnel in the back-seat area make it not quite as elegant as the front.
Learning about the technologies in the E-Class can be as intensive as school. But for most owners, the learning process will be a natural evolution to a new skill set.
2017 Mercedes-Benz E300
—Body style: large, five-passenger, RWD sedan
—Engine: 241-horsepower, turbocharged and direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder; 273 foot-pounds torque from 1,300-4,000 rpm
—Transmission: nine-speed automatic
—Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 seconds
—Fuel economy: 22/30 mpg city/hwy on premium fuel
SPECIFICATIONS
—Fuel tank: 17.4 gallons
—Trunk space: 13.1 cubic feet
—Front head/leg/shoulder room: 41.4/41.7/57.8 inches
—Rear head/leg/shoulder room: 38.2/36.2/57.1 inches
—Length/wheelbase: 193.8/115.7 inches
—Curb weight: 3,902 pounds
—Turning circle: 38.1 feet
FEATURES
—Standard equipment includes smart-key locking and push-button ignition, power sunroof, Bluetooth phone and music, navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto infotainment apps, LED headlights and running lights, LED taillights, 12.3-inch Command display
—Safety features include: 11 air bags (including optional rear side and seat-belt bags), Attention Assist, active brake assist and crosswind assist.
PRICING
—Base price: $53,075, including $925 freight charge; price as tested $72,355.
—Options on test vehicle: Iridium Silver paint, $720; Nut Brown/black leather, $1,620.
—Assembled in Sindelfingen, Germany.
—Warranty: four years/50,000 miles basic with roadside assistance
Mark Maynard is online at mark.maynard@sduniontribune.com. Find photo galleries and more news at Facebook.com/MaynardsGarage. To find out more about Mark Maynard and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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