The Mercedes-Benz E-class has a long and illustrious history, if you go by what you see on Wikipedia. But the first mention of the E-class name came with the boxy W124 of the 1990’s. Since then, it’s been the go-to car for businessmen who wanted a comfortable sedan or hooligans who wanted a V8 with AMG written on the trunk. Now, the E-class enters its 6th generation. So is this the best one yet?
Performance
Engine – The new E-class is available with a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, a turbocharged inline-6 engine, and a more powerful version of the inline-6 in the E53 AMG. Eventually, there will be an E63 AMG with, most likely, a bi-turbo V8.
But this E450 has a 3.0L turbocharged inline-6 that is aided by a 48-Volt mild-hybrid system. It develops 375 hp & 369 lb-ft of torque (280 kW & 500 Nm). This is enough to propel the E450 from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. The 2025 E450 tips the scales at almost 2 tonnes, 1,960 kg (4,321 lbs) to be exact, but the low-end grunt of the turbo engine is more than enough to get the E450 out of any hairy situation. The power delivery is smooth and almost electric.
Fuel Economy – With this inline-6 engine, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E450 is rated for 10.8 L/100km (21.8 MPG) in a city and 7.7 L/100km (30.5 MPG) on a highway. I averaged a very average 9.1 L/100km (25.8 MPG) during my time with the sedan.
With the aid of the mild-hybrid system, the E450 can momentarily shut off the engine while coasting when the car is in Eco mode. This not only doesn’t use any fuel, but it also allows the car to travel a little bit further without any loss in momentum from engine braking. When applying throttle again, the engine turns on immediately. This is a very smooth and unobtrusive system.
Transmission – Like almost all other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the E450 utilizes a 9-speed automatic transmission to distribute the engine’s power. This is a seamless transmission without any noticeable gear changes under normal driving conditions. This is exactly what you want from a luxury vehicle. When the car is in Sport mode and if you decide to use the paddle shifters on the steering wheel, there is a slight delay with each pull of a paddle. But otherwise, the transmission knows what to do in any given situation.
Braking – One area where Mercedes-Benz can’t seem to get it right is with the braking feel. This new generation E-class is no different. The brake pedal is not as artificial feeling as the one in the EQE SUV for example, but it’s still not as natural feeling as the one in the Acura MDX which also uses a brake-by-wire system. When initially putting a little bit of pressure on the brake pedal, it feels too light, as though there’s no resistance against your foot. The car does slow down but it’s not a great feeling under your foot. Under heavier applications, the brake pedal feels a bit more firm but it’s still artificial feeling.
Handling – Around twists and turns, the 2025 E450 displays a degree of composure. It doesn’t feel as athletic as an E-class with an AMG badge on the trunk but it doesn’t feel like a boat either. It has sharp steering and minimal body roll. It can be equipped with Airmatic suspension and 4.5 degrees of rear axle steering but this particular demo vehicle did not come equipped with that package.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Although this demo vehicle did not come equipped with the optional Airmatic suspension, the ride quality of the new E-class is superb. The car doesn’t quite glide over bumps like the S-class but the suspension effortlessly isolates occupants from rough roads. I would imagine with the air suspension, it would feel more like a “baby S-class”.
Interior Space – The Mercedes E-class has always been a spacious sedan with just the right amount of space for occupants in both the front and back rows of seats. Starting in the front, legroom and headroom is good for my above average height of 6’4”. Visibility is equally good with the b-pillars not impeding too much of the blind zone area. In the back seats, there’s just enough legroom behind my taller than average driving position. My knees brush the back of the front seat but they don’t feel squished at all. Headroom, however, is a bit tight in those back seats with my hair being right up against the headliner. If you do need to carry three individuals in the back, the person sitting in the middle will not have a whole lot of space as the center hump for the driveshaft and exhaust is quite tall.
In the trunk, the E450 has 540 L (19.1 cu-ft) of cargo space. The rear seats can be folded 40/20/40 with release buttons to either side of the trunk area. The trunk is power operated and it can be foot activated. Under the trunk floor, there is a little bit of space for small items but there is no spare wheel.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The 2025 Mercedes-Benz E450 is one of the quietest luxury sedans on sale right now. There are almost no outside noise intrusions into the cabin. What surprised me more is the fact that this demo vehicle came equipped with snow tires and yet the road noise was quieter in this car on highways than the more expensive GLS 580. The E-class has a serene and relaxing cabin.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Like many new vehicles today, the latest generation E-class has become more expensive than the last. It now starts at $83,900 CAD ($72,000 USD) with this demo vehicle costing $99,300 CAD ($89,760 USD) as it was equipped.
Gadgets – For the almost 6-figure price tag, the 2025 E450 is equipped like a proper luxury sedan. It has leather upholstery almost everywhere that you touch but unfortunately it’s not the softest leather out there. Nappa leather upholstery is available as an option. The front seats are heated, ventilated, & massaging with the center armrests and door armrests also being heated. There’s also a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats. The dual-pane sunroof lets in plenty of light and the 64-colour ambient lighting system dazzles at night. Other features on the E450 include a head-up display, three-zone automatic climate control, a power operated rear sunshade, soft-close doors, a wireless phone charging pad, in-car WiFi, and a selfie camera. I don’t really see the point of that last one because I doubt that too many business people will be taking selfies with it. It would be great for security if the E450 is being used as an Uber, but again, I don’t see many Uber drivers using a car like this.
Another interesting convenience feature is the Burmester 4D surround sound system. The 4D refers to the ability to “feel” the bass of a song. Depending on the set intensity, you can feel vibrations through the front seats everytime a deep note is hit when a song is being played.
This car also makes driving over long distances, and parking, a little bit more relaxing than other luxury sedans. Not only does it have adaptive cruise control with stop/go function along with lane centering, but it can also make change lanes at the push of the indicator stalk. In some instances, it can also make lane changes on its own. For example, if there’s a slower moving vehicle ahead, then it will scan the left lane for traffic. If there’s an open space, it will initiate a lane change without any input from the driver. Once you arrive at your destination, the car can detect parking spots and park in them either forwards, backwards, or perpendicularly if it’s on the side of a road. It will also pull out of a parking spot if you find it too difficult to perform the maneuver yourself.
Interior Design – The new Superscreen is the first feature that you’ll notice upon stepping inside the new generation E-class. It consists of a 14.4” infotainment screen and a 12.3” passenger screen. This is not to be confused with the Hyperscreen that is found in EQ vehicles such as the EQE SUV. The digital driver display is separated from the Superscren in the E-class and the main infotainment touchscreen is smaller. But just like in the EQ products, all of the physical buttons and toggle switches are gone. The only physical buttons in the E-class are the engine start /stop and the window controls. Everything else is either embedded into the touchscreen or is a capacitive touch control. I don’t like these new controls as I find them too finicky and distracting to use while driving.
Exterior Design – The exterior styling of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E-class remains elegant although not too dissimilar from the outgoing generation. The adaptive LED headlights have a single LED blade on top along with two LED lights under each LED projector. The grille is made up of little Mercedes-Benz logos and there’s more Mercedes-Benz stars in the taillights. The negative space in the center is the Mercedes logo. But the exhaust pipe surrounds are fake as the real exhaust pipes are hidden behind the bumper. Along the side, it has pop out door handles, which will presumably freeze in sub-zero temperatures, and the optional 20” AMG wheels add to the overall elegance of the E-class’ design.
Safety – The 2025 E450 comes equipped with a lot of basic safety & driver aids such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot sensors, lane departure warning, and adaptive high beam assist to name a few. It has an available Driver Assistance Package which adds more advanced versions of the standard safety systems such as evasive steering assist, active lane change assist, and route-based speed adaptation among many others.
Warranty – Just like every other Mercedes-Benz vehicle, the 2025 E450 comes with a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle warranty. It also comes with 4 years / unlimited km roadside assistance, 4 year / 80,000 km surface corrosion, and 8 year / 130,000 km warranty for certain emission parts. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For U.S.A. warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – In the end, this is the quietest, smoothest, and most technologically advanced version of the E-class yet. Of course, it also incorporates some of the horrible capacitive touch controls of the latest Mercedes design language but if you can look past that, this is arguably the best luxury sedan on sale right now.
Thank you to Mercedes-Benz Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Mercedes-Benz.ca
2025 Mercedes-Benz E450 Gallery
