That said, the central 12.3-inch dashboard screen does look great, with
rich colors and crisp graphics, and the map view for the standard
navigation system or Apple Maps (through CarPlay) is impressive; the
screen's extra-large size is especially noticeable. A 12.3-inch
configurable instrument panel screen that replaces analog gauges is
optional and looks just as nice.
The E-Class also has touch-sensitive control pads on the steering
wheel. The one on the left controls the instrument panel's multifunction
computer, while the one on the right controls the dashboard screen.
They work better than expected, letting you quickly flip through trip
computer settings or scroll through radio stations, and they even work
when wearing gloves, which is a usual nemesis of these types of
controls. Traditional steering-wheel buttons have been retained for
certain audio and phone functions.
One interface that didn't work well for me was the touchpad atop the
Comand controller knob — specifically its handwriting recognition
capability. The system had a hard time interpreting letters and numbers,
so much so that I had to use the rotary knob to enter my destination.
Cargo
The coupe's trunk is deep but not that tall, measuring 10 cubic feet. A
standard 40/20/40-split folding backseat lends additional utility, and
the seat sections fold flat with the trunk floor. A powered trunk lid is
optional.
It's been two years since Mercedes-Benz debuted the redesigned E-Class
sedan, and since then additional variants and body styles have joined
the lineup, including the coupe. The base engine for both the coupe and
convertible is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 instead of the sedan's base
turbo four-cylinder engine.
We tested an E400 coupe with Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
The base price for this car is $62,395, including a $995 destination
charge. A lengthy list of optional features bumped our test car's
as-tested price to a heady $86,685. We drove it in the winter, and the
standard all-season tires had been swapped for winter tires.
Exterior and Styling
The E-Class coupe features Mercedes' new design language, and it wears
that language well. The coupe's smooth-yet-taut overall shape is a
departure from the luxury-class norm, where aggressive designs with
sharp lines are common. Mercedes has taken a different path with the
E-Class and other models, and the resulting look is elegant, timeless
and appealing.
The two-door E-Class forgoes traditional B-pillars, which gives it an
uninterrupted expanse of side-window glass. Once common, this pillarless
design is now a rarity. Not only does it look good, it's also
practical; without a B-pillar to block your sight lines, over-shoulder
visibility is excellent. The only thing that's a little odd about the
E-Class' design is the small, fixed rear-quarter windows, which mar an
otherwise graceful look.
How It Drives
We've liked Mercedes' renewed focus on the driving experience in cars
like the C-Class sedan, and it's carried over to the E-Class coupe. It
won't be mistaken for a sports car, but the E400 coupe has a light,
eager feel that makes it one of the more enjoyable mid-size luxury cars
to drive.
One reason for this is that the car gets the little things right — like
immediate gas-pedal response, an obedient automatic transmission and
good brake-pedal feel — at a time when more than a few cars, luxury or
otherwise, are getting tripped up by these aspects of the driving
experience that were once a given.
But it also gets the big things right. Power from the twin-turbocharged
3.0-liter V-6 comes on in an effortless wave when you press the gas
pedal, with plenty in reserve for passing slower-moving highway traffic.
Mercedes will eventually come out with a high-performance AMG version
of the E-Class coupe with what will likely be stupefying performance,
but I was completely happy slashing past traffic in the E400. The car's EPA-estimated gas mileage of 20/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined is average among competitors.
Even though our test car had a $1,900 Air Body Control adaptive air
suspension, ride quality was far from pillowy; even in the Dynamic
Select system's Comfort mode, the ride is firm, and body motions are
even more controlled in the car's Sport and Sport Plus settings. That
said, the suspension tuning doesn't feel out of character considering
the coupe's precise steering and responsive automatic transmission. For a
more relaxed driving experience, check out Mercedes' S-Class coupe.
The Inside
Mercedes has been creating some beautiful interiors lately, and the
E-Class coupe's is no exception. Blending first-rate craftsmanship,
unique details and high-end technology, the cabin is nicer than anything
else in the mid-size luxury class.
If you're looking for a place to get a little me-time, this space fits
the bill nicely. Our test car had $950 multicontour front seats with
power-adjustable lumbar, side bolsters and seat-cushion length, as well
as a selection of massage modes. Want to perfume the cabin? Feel free to
do so with the optional Air Balance cabin fragrance system, maybe while
listening to your favorite song on the $5,400 Burmester 3-D Surround
Sound audio system. (Hey, I never said this automotive me-time would be
cheap.)
If you want to share the interior with a few friends, the E-Class coupe
can do that, too. As is often the case with coupes, getting in and out
of the backseat isn't a particularly graceful exercise, but the front
seats motor forward to make the process easier. Once you're settled, the
rear seat is reasonably comfortable, with decent legroom and passable
headroom.
Ergonomics and Electronics
Mercedes' rotary-controller-based multimedia system, Comand, has a new
on-screen interface in the E-Class that's a big departure from previous
versions. Instead of the menu bars that lined the top and bottom of the
screen in earlier Mercedes models, the new design groups menus on the
right side of the screen. It's easy enough to learn, but the system
isn't as intuitive as BMW's latest iDrive system. And unlike newer
iDrive screens, the dashboard screen for Comand isn't a touchscreen even
though it's within reach of the driver and front passenger. The lack of
a touchscreen means you have to use the Comand controller for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are optimized for touchscreens.
Safety
The 2018 E-Class coupe hadn't been crash-tested by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration as of publication. It is, however, packed with advanced
safety technology.
One of these features is Car-to-X communication,
which is standard on the E-Class. The system monitors things like
wheelspin, hazard-flasher use and windshield-wiper activation to intuit
potential driving dangers. This info is then sent to a central system
and delivered as alerts to other cars equipped with this technology to
inform drivers about problems on their route. Not many cars, however,
have this technology right now.
Our test car had the Premium 3 Package, and in addition to convenience
functions, it adds a lot of advanced safety features. These include
adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, steering assist,
automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot
monitoring and a 360-degree camera system.
When active, these systems can handle basic driving tasks for you: The
E-Class will steer itself to follow not just gradual turns but tighter
ones, too, and it stays reasonably centered in its lane. You can also
use the turn-signal stalk to change lanes — the car will steer itself
when there's an opening — but this last feature seems a little
unnecessary given you must keep a hand on the steering wheel or the car
will sense it and deactivate the driver-assist systems.
