Sitting between the C-Class and S-Class, this premium sedan is a top-seller for the German brand.

It may be the middle child when it comes to Mercedes-Benz’s large sedan line-up, but the recently launched facelift E-Class proves it’s a stand-out on its own accord.

Competing with other midsize luxury sedans including the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6, the 2021 E-Class steps it up a notch thanks to its technology and refined interior.

Mercedes-Benz New Zealand has three variants of the new E-Class sedan available here; the E200 (from $106,600), the E300 e ($146,2100), and the $239,900 E63 AMG 4Matic.

There is also the E200 ($108,500) and E350 ($137,900) Coupés and a $149,000 E350 Cabriolet.

The E200 sedan has a 2-litre, four cylinder, turbo charge petrol engine producing 145kW of power and 320Nm of torque. The E300 e also has a 2litre engine (155kW/350Nm) but the plug-in electric vehicle gains an electric motor that ups the torque to 440Nm.

It has an electric range of 50km and has fuel consumption figures of an impressive 2.2l/100km compared with the E200’s 8l/100km.

The E63 has an AMG 4-litre, V8 bi-turbo engine producing 450kW and 850Nm of torque.

The E200 and E300e both sit on 19in AMG 10-spoke alloy wheels, while the E63 has 20-inch five Twin-spoke alloys. 

All are paired with the a 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission.

The new E-Class comes with updated technology, including the latest Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX), which can be activated via spoken commands (‘Hey Mercedes’), using the centre 12.3-inch digital touchscreen in the widescreen cockpit array, via a swipe-and-tap controller embedded in the steering wheel, or using the touchpad between the front seats.

Although it looks very much like a larger C-Class sedan or smaller S-Class, the E-Class is an important one of the German as it’s the top-selling model in the company’s history and perceived by many as  “the heart of the brand”. 

The new-look E-Class is fitted with sports-themed AMG Line exterior treatment featuring AMG-inspired  body styling as standard. Newly contoured headlights, plus a revised radiator grille and front bumper, announce a meaningful style  update.  The sedan also gets sleek new-generation taillights, a new rear bumper and new boot lid further enhance  the already dynamic stance.

It also gets a new, comprehensively digitalised generation of steering wheel, integrating an array of controllers.

Every E-Class model also comes with the Driving Assistance Package Plus as standard, including Active  Distance Assist DISTRONIC, which can maintain a steady distance behind the vehicle in front, and Active  Stop-and-Go Assist, which at speeds of up to 60 km/h can maintain a pre-set distance even in traffic that  comes to a stop and is stationary for up to 60 seconds. The comprehensive safety package also includes  Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic detection, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Evasive  Steering Assist and Route-Based Speed Adaptation. 

AutoMuse had the E200 as a test vehicle and it was specced up to $115,200 due to the inclusion of Graphite Grey Metallic Paint  ($2000) and the $6000 Vision Pack.

The Vision Pack includes a panoramic sunroof with roller sunblind & heat-insulating glass; Head-up display with virtual image windscreen projection and a Burmester surround sound system with 13 speakers and 590 watts output.

As standard in the E200 are a 360 degree camera, the Mercedes me  Connect app that enables a suite of functions to be activated or checked from a linked smartphone, smartphone integration, wireless phone charging for compatible devices, ambient interior lighting with 64 colours, and heated and electrically adjustable front seats with three memory settings in Artico.

The ambient lighting can be controlled via Hey Mercedes. After our sunset photoshoot at Parihoa, we had fun changing the colours by just asking for example “Hey Mercedes, change interior light to orange” and voila, it was done!

Also standard in the E200 is Agility Control suspension with passive selective damping system, this gives you optimum road holding without compromising on comfort. 

The passive selective damping system ensures a superior driving experience on any road surface because it automatically optimises the ride characteristics, damping effect and stabilisation.

It also has dark-tinted privacy glass from the B-pillar to the rear, keyless entry, hands-free access to the boot, and LED high-performance headlights with Adaptive High-Beam Assist. 

I’ve always been a fan of the E-Class cabriolet, so stepping into the sedan, I was impressed with the finishings with the interior; there’s not one element out of place.

Being in the E-Class is like driving a smaller, more “affordable” version of the S-Class. The cabin is a step up again when it comes to styling and finishings. I loved the long instrument and infotainment screens while the aluminum vents create a tactile appeal to the dash. 

When it comes to that long screen, there’s no fingerprints on the infotainment side thanks to using “Hey Mercedes” to change radio stations. 

The seats are particularly comfortable – so much so that I used any excuse to drive the E-Class. Nearly out of milk but could last until tomorrow? Nope, I’ll nip down to the diary. A podcast to listen to? Forget my headphones, I’d rather hop in the E-Class and via Apple CarPlay listen to it while driving.

The E-Class is a comfort-biased car, its handling is competent in comfort mode, neither not too heavy nor too light in the steering. It glides over rough patches on the road but change to Sport and the handling firms up, something I appreciate when on the motorway and needing to change lanes frequently as it gives me better control.

On the gravel road to Parihoa, the E-Class handled the bumps and ruts easily, but it is a long vehicle at 4935mm in length so you’re not zipping around tight corners.

I’m a fan of using ‘Hey Mercedes’ for most functions as it keeps my eyes on the road, not looking at the screen to change stations or changing the temperature via a switch.

The E-Class is a great car for cruising, with plenty of rear leg- and headroom for passengers and am amply boot. But due to its weight of 2041kg, the E200 struggles when pushed to overtake when you need to quickly and you’d not going to be first out of the gate and on-ramps controlled by traffic lights. 

I’d opt for either the E300e due to more power and the benefit of the electric range, or the E350 cabriolet. And I’d definitely add the massaging seat option (that my press car didn’t have).

But whichever variant you’d opt for, the E-Class has shown it’s ahead of the competition when its refinement, class-leading technology, and incredible interior quality.