Road test: 2016 Mercedes E-Class

The latest E-Class usurps its S-Class big brother.

The new Mercedes E-Class has a raft of new semi-autonomous technology, including Evasive Steering Assist. Courtesy Mercedes-Benz

Remember the era when all other manufacturers looked to see what Mercedes was doing before designing their own new models? Obviously, there was good reason for this. The three-­pointed star was a true pioneer. Mercedes was the first to market with diesel passenger cars, anti-lock brakes, airbags and a host of other innovations.

After losing its way slightly in the 1990s and early noughties, the current-generation S-class that launched in 2013 was a resounding reminder that Merc was back to its best form, debuting a raft of cutting-edge safety tech, as well as the physics-­defying Magic Body Control that “flattens” (at least as far as the occupants are concerned) speed humps, potholes and other road-surface irregularities.

However, even the S-class has now been usurped, and this time it’s by its own lesser stablemate. Say hello to the all-new E-Class – a techno powerhouse that dispenses with the norm of Merc’s flagship sedan getting first dibs on significant new ­advancements.

One example: the latest E enables you to open the car via your mobile phone rather than a key; you can also use your phone to remotely park your car in tight spots where opening the door would be a squeeze or ­impossible.

Among the car’s vast array of semi-autonomous driving features is an active lane-change assistant that literally changes lanes for you. All you need to do is flick the indicator, and the car does the rest – obviously only when the adjacent lane is vacant, as the raft of cameras and sensors monitor other vehicles around you.

Then there’s Pre-Safe Impulse Side – a little pyrotechnic device integrated in the outer extremity of the upper seat bolsters. If the E-Class’s on-board sensors and cameras detect a side effect is imminent, Impulse Side fires up to give you a firm nudge in the shoulder to shift you a couple of inches closer to the centre of the car. This provides valuable extra space for the side airbags to deploy and gives you maximum crash protection.

Another tricky new feature is Evasive Steering Assist that, as the name suggests, adds extra steering assistance when the car’s electronic brain detects you’re swerving sharply to avoid an obstacle. What’s more, there’s Emergency Stop Assist that brakes the car to a standstill if you take your hands off the wheel for too long.

Inside, you will be greeted by a pair of optional new 12.3-inch high-resolution displays, housed within a large widescreen ­cockpit that seemingly hovers in thin air. As per the S-class, there are virtual dials facing the driver, and these can be displayed in three different modes – ­“Classic”, “Sport” and ­“Progressive” – and the whole display is infinitely ­configurable.

Another first is a steering wheel with touch controls, a feature that’s set up like a smartphone interface, enabling the driver to control the entire infotainment system using only their fingertips, and keep their hands on the steering wheel.

The headlights comprise no less than 84 LEDs, compared with 14 in the S-class. The ­lighting system is smart enough to dim the headlights slightly when reflective signs are ahead, so that you don’t get dazzled, and the brake lights dim when the car is stationary to avoid blinding the driver in the car ­behind.

I could ramble on about the new E’s techno arsenal, but what you want to know is how it drives. There’s good news here, too, because it’s no less accomplished across a variety of roads than its talented C- and S-class siblings. Our drive programme at the launch in Portugal comprises a mix of freeway schlepping and back-road blasting, as well as hot laps at the Autódromo do Estoril circuit that formerly hosted the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix.

The E-Class devoured it all with relish. It’s fast, sure-footed and supremely comfortable – and the E400 4Matic proves surprisingly nimble around the challenging track, monstering the rear bumper of the CLS 500 pace car that Merc’s factory driver was wrestling around the ­circuit.

The E400 4Matic’s 3.0L V6 turbo propels it from standstill to 100kph in 5.3 seconds, and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250kph. The 2.0L four-cylinder E300 is only a second slower to 100kph, so it’s no slouch either. The new E is practical and spacious, too, as a 66-millimetre stretch in wheelbase vis-à-vis its predecessor has freed up valuable extra legroom in the rear. Unless you’re a pro basketballer, you won’t be unhappy in the back.

The new E-Class ticks all the boxes, and it will be arguably the best offering in Merc’s sedan line-up when it launches here in June (only the E200 initially, with the E300 and E400 4Matic following in September).

My only criticism: the C, E and S all look like (different-sized) clones of each other. What happened to individuality?

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