Used 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is what every other midsize luxury sedan aspires to be. Is it perfect? No; however, it’s darn close. The E-Class leads the pack by every measure — elegance, space, performance, and styling. Pricing starts at $56,750.

One clue the E-Class is a top-tier luxury performer is its many derivatives. Coupe, convertible (cabriolet), wagon, and AMG-tuned versions line up behind the core sedan. Keeping track of all its variants is an exercise in cat herding. There are a bunch of them. Although we’ll mention them all here, we’ll primarily concentrate on the foundational E-Class sedan. With so many body styles and configurations, the good news is that there’s an E-Class to fill every need.

The E-Class brings to the table a quiet, buttery-smooth ride and a selection of turbocharged engines. Its AMG-tweaked members notwithstanding, the E-Class family is more about comfortable, elegant transportation than it is about straightening out the curves. Every second we spend behind the wheel of an E-Class, we think of as an investment in peace, quiet, and mental well-being. It’s almost enough to make us change our tune about hating being stuck in traffic.

For the most part, the E-Class mission statement is to move you and yours safely and comfortably. Don’t get us wrong; even in its E 350 guise, the E-Class is no slug. For a sedan that emphasizes ride comfort, the E-Class provides more than a dollop of performance. However, in general, poise and balance rule the day.

While the Audi A6 leans more toward the E-Class in its driving civility, the BMW 5 Series takes a more enthusiast-pleasing tack. If that’s more your wheelhouse, we suggest an E-Class with “AMG” in its name, or at least go with an E 450 model and its turbo 6-cylinder. Some of the E-Class driving magic is produced by its suspension. We made good use of the optional adaptive air suspension in one of our test models. The difference between Comfort and Sport modes is noteworthy.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current E-Class and its competitors.

Quality is everywhere you glance in the cabin, where soft-touch surfaces abound. While certainly upscale, the interior isn’t overdone. The easy-to-use-size touchscreen is 12.3 inches, dominating the center of the instrument panel. We like the feel and appearance of the little touchpad controls on the steering wheel.

Both the Audi A6 and the BMW 5 Series sedans provide an inch or so more rear-seat legroom than the E-Class (36.2 inches), yet, there is still plenty of space for five adults. The Lexus ES has more than 39 inches of second-row legroom, putting it among the best in class. A little smaller than that of the 5 Series, the E-Class trunk space is about average for the segment. If you require more cargo space, we suggest the E 450 4Matic All Terrain Wagon.

Sedans at this price point should display timeless exterior styling, and the E-Class does exactly that. We think E-Class styling from 20 years ago still holds up well. Other than the badging, the E 350 and E 450 are indistinguishable. However, that doesn’t hold true for the AMG versions. Mercedes gives them unique front-end designs with a giant 3-pointed star in the grille’s center.

12.3-Inch Displays
Twin side-by-side 12.3-inch displays dominate the E-Class instrument panel. The one in front of the driver is a digital gauge display, while the other is the touchscreen overseeing the infotainment system.

MBUX Infotainment System
MBUX is short for Mercedes-Benz User Experience. This user-friendly infotainment setup is one-half of the vast display unit on the dashboard. It responds well to voice commands in natural speech and can act like a digital assistant. Just say, “Hey, Mercedes,” then ask things like, “find the nearest coffee shop.”

Air Body Control
An adaptive air suspension is optional in the E 350 and E 450 models (the exception being the All-Terrain wagon, which has it as standard), with a sport-tuned version included with every AMG version. It does nearly everything: enhancing comfort, virtually eliminating body lean through corners, and adjusting ride height. All these things are accomplished in milliseconds and vary according to the conditions of the moment.

Hands-Free Power Trunk Lid
This feature made our life easier on a shopping run when we returned to the E-Class with arms full of goodies. If the key fob is on your person, kick one of your feet beneath the center of the rear bumper to engage the trunk lid, which opens automatically.

Remote Start
This allows you to start your car remotely with the key fob as long as you are within range. We liked being able to warm up the cabin before we entered the car.

Surround-View Camera
Using a series of cameras around the E-Class exterior and special software, this feature weaves together a 360-degree bird’s-eye-view image of the E-Class and the area immediately around it.

No matter which model or body configuration you choose, you will wind up with a turbocharged engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission. E 350 models use a turbocharged 4-cylinder, while E 450 models get a turbocharged mild-hybrid (MHEV) 6-cylinder engine. This is very much in line with the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series, which take a similar approach to powertrains with eerily similar output numbers.

We prefer the turbo 6-cylinder with its 48-volt MHEV system. It delivered enough thrust to keep us interested but, at the same time, wasn’t stupid quick or AMG expensive. We think its 0–60 time of 4.9 seconds is sufficiently quick. We include the E 53 and E 63 mills below in our list of engines, even though we are limiting our discussion of the AMG models.

E 350, E 350 4Matic
2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
255 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
273 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,000 rpm
Fuel economy: 26 mpg (23 city, 31 highway) RWD; 24 mpg (21 city, 30 highway) AWD

E 450 Sedan, E 450 4Matic All-Terrain, E 450 Coupe & Cabriolet
3.0-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine
362 horsepower @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,500 rpm
Fuel economy: 26 mpg (23 city, 31 highway) sedan; 24 mpg (21 city, 28 highway) wagon; 25 mpg (23 city, 30 highway) coupe, RWD; 25 mpg (22 city, 29 highway) cabriolet, RWD; 24 mpg (21 city, 30 highway) coupe, AWD; 24 mpg (22 city, 29 highway) cabriolet, AWD

E 53 AMG Sedan, Coupe & Cabriolet
3.0-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine
429 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm
384 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,800 rpm
Fuel economy: 24 mpg (21 city, 29 highway) sedan; 23 mpg (20 city, 28 highway) coupe; 23 mpg (20 city, 27 highway) cabriolet

E 63 AMG Sedan & Wagon
4.0-liter Biturbo V8
603 horsepower @ 5,750-6,500 rpm
627 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-4,500 rpm
Fuel economy: TBA

You can find more E-Class fuel economy information at the EPA’s website.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Fairly typical for this segment, Mercedes protects the E-Class with a 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, which covers the powertrain, as well.

Also Available: Wagon, Coupe, and Cabriolet

We glossed over the wagon, coupe, and cabriolet models. Although we like the extra choice these other body styles provide, the E-Class sedan is the big mover. We have driven them all. Call us old-fashioned, but we do like station wagons. Although the E 63 S Wagon is a brute, there’s just something about a go-fast wagon that seems particularly decadent.

Choosing the sedan over the coupe or cabriolet is simply a matter of taste and utility. They perform every bit as gracefully as the sedan. We like the intimacy of the coupe, which somehow feels more personal than the sedan. Let’s face it; either you are or aren’t a convertible person. We like the open-air option when the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold. It’s a profound sense of freedom. You lose a little space thanks to the folding soft-top, but for many, the tradeoff is well worth it.

And AMG Models

A tiny portion of E-Class sales, we chose to invest only a little space to the AMG variants. Adding the AMG touch to any E-Class sends the bottom line skyward. Of course, you get some unique styling touches, as well as an AMG suspension and engine. Where the standard E-Class is engineered for smooth sailing, the AMG versions target enthusiasts looking for a splash of hot sauce in their midsize luxury ride. In that regard, AMG doesn’t disappoint.