2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan test drive

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Mercedes mid-level E-Class is not only their best-selling model in the US, it's also one of my favorite luxury cars. The E350 and E550 sedans have been redesigned for 2010, complete with new styling and a host of new electronic gadgets. All impressive stuff -- but I wanted to see if the soul of the E-Class was still intact. Was it? Read on. $49,475 base, $56,815 as tested, EPA fuel economy estimates 15-18 MPG city, 23-26 MPG highway.

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I don't do well with change. I'm a bit like a two-year-old: Alter my routine, and I respond with a temper tantrum (which my wife finds more amusing than annoying). So I was not very happy when Mercedes announced that an all-new E-Class was coming for 2010.

See, I don't just like the E-Class -- I need the E-Class. I live in Los Angeles, where rush hour is like a road-going version of the Lebanese civil war. You know all those sunshiny happy Californians you see in the movies? We really are like that -- until you put us in a car and plant us on the 405 freeway at 5:07 pm, at which time we turn into bloodthirsty demons who will cheerfully run over our own children if it'll get us home one millisecond faster. To me, the E-Class is -- sorry, was -- the antidote for rush-hour traffic: A road-going cocoon of peace and tranquility. Just getting into an E-Class lowers my heart rate by ten beats per minute. The E-Class was the standard by which I judged $60,000-or-so luxury sedans, and I didn't want to see it change.

Mercedes certainly started out on the right foot: With a bribe. No, they didn't give me cash outright (although if you're thinking along those lines, Mercedes, you know where to find me). What they did is drop the price -- the 2010 E350 sedan now starts at $48,925, $5,150 less than last year, while the V8-powered E550 is $57,175, which is $5,400 less than 2009. Aside from metallic paint -- now a $720 option -- the new E comes with most of the same standard equipment as the old car, including a 6-disc CD changer and a sunroof.

Larger interior photo

Like the old E, the new E's cabin is a wood-trimmed oasis lined with soft, high-quality plastics. Genuine leather comes standard on the E550 and is a $1,590 option on the E350; otherwise you get MB-Tex -- vinyl -- which does a passable impression of real cowhide. The transmission shifter has moved to the steering column, freeing up space for two cupholders, a big center armrest, and the dial controller that runs many of the car's functions, including navigation, stereo and Bluetooth speakerphone.

The E provides plenty of room up front and quite a bit in the back, although rear legroom gets tight if the front seats are adjusted all the way aft. Trunk capacity is 15.9 cubic feet; you can expand that, but only if you pay $430 extra for a split-fold rear seat. Why Mercedes charges extra for this feature, when most cars under $20,000 have it for free, is beyond me.

The 2010 E is home to a host of new gadgets, including Attention Assist, which somehow deduces from steering inputs if the driver is falling asleep and sounds an alarm. Options include a night vision camera that highlights pedestrians ($1,750) and a parking assist system that tells you when to turn the steering wheel ($950). My test car had an optional driver's seat with active air bladders. If I turned hard right, the bolsters on the left side would inflate, prodding me in the back and butt. It felt as if the seat was alive, which I found hugely disturbing. The massage function was nice, but even so, I'd probably save the $650 and settle for the standard 14-way power seat.

I drove the V6-powered E350 sedan, and I can't imagine anyone needing any more power than its 268 horsepower engine delivers. For those people who live outside of my imagination, the E550 offers a 382 hp 5.5 liter V8 -- a lovely engine that delivers its power smoothly and gently, unless you floor the accelerator, in which case it rockets you into the sunset like the world's most elegant slingshot. The E550 also comes with air springs, which produce a seemingly impossible blend of sharp handling and a smooth ride.

My E350 was a Sport model -- as opposed to the identically-priced Luxury model -- and as such came with 5-spoke alloy wheels, fancier body trim, and a stiffer suspension. Not that "stiff" is a word one need to use to describe the E-Class. My test car was smooth, comfortable, and quiet -- so much so that I was surprised at how well it handled on the About.com Cars Top Secret Curvy Test Road. The E-Class doesn't approach the fun-to-drive factor of an Audi A6, an Infiniti M, or a BMW 5-series -- or, for that matter, Mercedes' smaller C-Class -- but that's not what it's designed to do. The E is a wonderful car for a cross-country cruise, and if the route happens to include a few twisty mountain roads, so be it.

Having concluded my test, I informed my wife that there was to be no temper tantrum. The new E-Class may have new styling and lots of new gadgets, but it's still the same cocoon of tranquility that I've come to love. And it's still the standard by which I judge $60,000 luxury sedans -- all the better since you can get one for as little as 50 grand.

As is the case with most cars, the E-Class isn't the best choice for everyone. While the lower base prices are a pleasant surprise, the E still isn't cheap, especially once you start adding in options. Bear in mind that a fully-equipped V8-powered Hyundai GenesisH can be had for less than $44,000, and while it lacks some of the Benz's high-end gadgets, it's just as smooth, quiet and luxurious as the E. The Infiniti M-series offers a racier driving experience for less money, while the Audi A6 is a bit more understated and a lot more interesting to drive. And then there's the E-Class' long-time rival, the BMW 5-series, which is more engaging to drive and offers the added value of 4 years of free maintenance.

Which would I pick? The value of the Hyundai is tempting, but if money was no object -- and if I had a proper sports car to drive on the weekend -- then I'd go for an E-Class. Matter of fact, I'd go for a lightly-optioned E350 just like the one I tested. I don't need extra power and I don't need extra gadgets. What I need is tranquility -- and few cars deliver like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. -- Aaron Gold

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