2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC Sedan - Short Take Road Test

[Merc1]

Speedy, solid, and sumptuous, this Benz is all-weather sublime.


Highs: Mercedes solidity, a tuxedo on wheels, another chapter in the long history of performance meets luxury.

Lows: Split personality, bunching options together gets pricey.

On the shelf of those who worship at the altar of Mercedes-Benz, the E-class fits tidily between the ambition-bound-but-entry-level C-class and the Steven Seagal–sized S-class flagship. This E550 4Matic Sport model seems to hit the E sweet spot: its 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque, meticulously packed into a 5.5-liter 32-valve all-aluminum V-8 package, will hurl the 4238-pound sedan forward with impressive authority (0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and 0 to 100 in 12 flat) and the sticktuitiveness that comes with all-wheel drive. Having turned over all this firepower to ordinary investment bankers and movie accountants, Mercedes then goes in the other direction and bolts on a vast array of electronic safety bling to keep everyone from hurting themselves—drowsiness monitors, Pre-Safe systems, and so on.

Not Too Big, Not Too Small

The raked E550 4Matic feels right-sized (some see the S-class as boatishly swarthy, and at a glance the C can be mistaken for a European taxi). It has an interior aesthetic worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest, and a sticker price that won’t give you an instant wedgie ($56,300 to start). In an era of commonplace six-figure luxury cars, our test car was $66,825, owing to a $4400 nav/audio/electronic-mumbo-jumbo interface package with voice control, heated and cooled seats, a rearview camera, a $950 parking-assistance system you don’t need but the elderly wealthy will appreciate, a $720 paint job, and some other stuff.

If your utterly comfortable seat somehow isn’t, it adjusts electronically in 12 directions. Let’s pass on the cloying interior superlatives—just eyeball a photo of the interior and shrivel with envy. The fit and finish are unsurpassed, most of the materials are top-drawer. It’s a Mercedes-Benz.

Car and Driver - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC Sedan - Short Take Road Test




Interesting comments about the solidity, fit and finish, and the materials. I think this is what we've been talking about in other threads. Well put together, solid etc. but some of the materials used aren't the best. I still like the XF and A6 better, especially exterior wise.


M

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Interesting comments about the solidity, fit and finish, and the materials. I think this is what we've been talking about in other threads. Well put together, solid etc. but some of the materials used aren't the best. I still like the XF and A6 better, especially exterior wise.

But Marcus, that is not what they said. They said the materials are top drawer along with excellent fit and finish.

"Let’s pass on the cloying interior superlatives—just eyeball a photo of the interior and shrivel with envy. The fit and finish are unsurpassed, most of the materials are top-drawer. It’s a Mercedes-Benz."

In short they thought it fabulous.

 

[Merc1]

You didn't read the whole thing......they also said that:

"most of the materials are top-drawer"

That clearly means that some of the materials aren't up to par.

This goes back to what I said in the other thread where KA and Chris and others had this big debate going about the E's interior, that come facelift time some better materials will address some of the weaker spots of the interior. I personally don't have a problem with the design. I think a Benz sedan should be somewhat upright and formal, but the materials should still be luxurious. Like the old days.


M

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

You didn't read the whole thing......they also said that:





That clearly means that some of the materials aren't up to par.

This goes back to what I said in the other thread where KA and Chris and others had this big debate going about the E's interior, that come facelift time some better materials will address some of the weaker spots of the interior. I personally don't have a problem with the design. I think a Benz sedan should be somewhat upright and formal, but the materials should still be luxurious. Like the old days.


M

I think you're taking it out of context. The words 'shrivel with envy' would not be used if they felt it was sub par. I could moan endlessly about materials used in the W211, released at the height of MB's quality debacles.

Thought perhaps MB has become like Audi and has managed to fool everyone into thinking the interior is top shelf while implemented sub par materials.

 

[Merc1]

Honestly there is nothing to take out of context here, it really is quite simple. They're saying that the interior is for the most part great, but some of the materials aren't. Fit and finish are excellent, but some of the materials aren't exactly perfect.


That is exactly what they're saying. Now if you choose to gloss over the "most of" part then go ahead, but in reality they're saying that yes the interior is really good, but not perfect. The writing is as clear as day there.

Most of the materials, meaning not all. Simple as that.


M

 

[Nicks]

All materials don't supposed to be perfect. This is not S-class

 

[Merc1]

Right, they aren't supposed to be S-Class level, but should be best among the E-Class' competitive set, but they aren't.


M

 

[klier]

Looks like a damn fine machine to me. I'm growing to like the interior more and more in this car, but the double fog will forever look like a bad joke!

 

[Nicks]

Right, they aren't supposed to be S-Class level, but should be best among the E-Class' competitive set, but they aren't.
M

Can't see any of this in the review. Every car in this segment has minor fails in interior.

 

[Merc1]

Can't see any of what?


M

 

[Nicks]

Can't see any of what?


M

Of words telling that overall materials worse than segment standarts.

 

[adeel2010]

Looks like a damn fine machine to me. I'm growing to like the interior more and more in this car, but the double fog will forever look like a bad joke!

Yes, they do. That's exactly why you opt for the LEDs.

 

[coolraoul]

"Let’s pass on the cloying interior superlatives—just eyeball a photo of the interior and shrivel with envy. The fit and finish are unsurpassed, most of the materials are top-drawer"

If you study this text, you notice that the emphasis is clearly not on the fact that some materials are not good.

Rather, it means that the majority of the materials are excellent, which doesn't imply at all that the rest are poor. Nowhere is it mentionned that any material is bad or not up-to-par, or shocking in any way.

They considered the interior to be truly superlative.

BTW, the car looks amazingly good like that!! Stunning!

 

[klier]

Yes, they do. That's exactly why you opt for the LEDs.

LEDs should be standard. MB has 1 too many exterior packages with different looks. Elegance, AMG and Avantgarde (or whatever MB names it on your market). Elegance pack I believe has no visible tail pipes and those stupid double fogs (correct me if I'm wrong), so it has to go.

For BMW it's simple. Standard or M pack. Standard they all look the same; a 523i looks like the 550i (other than maybe different rims, and the exhaust). And with the M pack they all look the same too.
Wish MB would do this too. But for the rest, damn sweet car for sure. A little rough in the design details of the interior imo,but still beautiful. Just like the E60 5er imo. Beautiful interior for it's time but hatched prematurely or something...

BTW, the car looks amazingly good like that!! Stunning!

Well, it's pretty much the most high end E-class model, if we forget about the E63. So it better look good!!

But on my tiny little market, the LED lights are standard on the E500 for sure! Should've been standard on all the big engine U.S models too. Asking extra money for LEDs is stupid, when even an Audi A3 has them standard.

 

[Merc1]

Of words telling that overall materials worse than segment standarts.

Oh no one is saying that overall, the article said most of the materials were top drawer. In a Benz all the materials should be top drawer. Even in an E-Class, they don't have to be S-Class standards but still.


M

 

[Nicks]

LEDs should be standard. MB has 1 too many exterior packages with different looks. Elegance, AMG and Avantgarde (or whatever MB names it on your market). Elegance pack I believe has no visible tail pipes and those stupid double fogs (correct me if I'm wrong), so it has to go.

For BMW it's simple. Standard or M pack. Standard they all look the same; a 523i looks like the 550i (other than maybe different rims, and the exhaust). And with the M pack they all look the same too.
Wish MB would do this too. But for the rest, damn sweet car for sure. A little rough in the design details of the interior imo,but still beautiful. Just like the E60 5er imo. Beautiful interior for it's time but hatched prematurely or something...

LED's depend on "Intelligent Light System" option, which is standart on Avantgarde. You can have LED's as well on Elegance, and most of the people certainly will order them.
I just don't get why're they testing car without ILS

 

[coolraoul]

LEDs should be standard. MB has 1 too many exterior packages with different looks. Elegance, AMG and Avantgarde (or whatever MB names it on your market). Elegance pack I believe has no visible tail pipes and those stupid double fogs (correct me if I'm wrong), so it has to go.

For BMW it's simple. Standard or M pack. Standard they all look the same; a 523i looks like the 550i (other than maybe different rims, and the exhaust). And with the M pack they all look the same too.
Wish MB would do this too. But for the rest, damn sweet car for sure. A little rough in the design details of the interior imo,but still beautiful. Just like the E60 5er imo. Beautiful interior for it's time but hatched prematurely or something...

The dubious double fogs go with the lack of Xenon-ILS. Order Xenon and you ahve LEDs, regarless of the package; don't ordre it and you have double fogs.
The E550 pictured here has the AMG package, and the double fogs!

 

[klier]

Aaah, thanks guys. So it's works the same as on the new 5er, only it's much less visible on that car when you get halogen instead of xenon: you still get the corona rings (only not LED), and the fogs are the same no matter what...

It bothers me, because here most E are taxi, and they go for the cheapest option most of the time, so I see way too many double fogs on the road. Oh well...

Marcus, you're nitpicking and it almost looks like you want to read bad stuff about the interior, LOL! To me it looks like they were very happy with the quality.

 

[SKY]

This car has double fogs because is the elegance trim, on wich you have to pay for the Xenon-ILS. The avantgarde trim has them as standard, so no double fogs on it.

 

[PHYBENZ]

I'll tell you the interior of the E is truly stunning, the only problem I have it with, which also extends to the C, R, ML, GL, GLK are the door lock pins. There could not be a cheaper looking doorlock pin and in the US they don't hide when the doors are locked so they are always up and look extremely ugly. I'm sure they did away with the previous generation C & E pins (before their last years of production) for cost reasons but they were truly beautiful.