Introduction
Large luxury coupes are all about making a statement. To have one on your driveway signifies to the neighbours that you’re doing alright for yourself, and that your car isn’t a simple means of getting from point A to point B. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe aims to emulate its bigger S-Class brother.
| Bodystyle: Saloon | Seats: 4 | Price: From £40,180-£49,900 |
Did you know? The E-Class Coupe has no direct rivals.
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is somewhat in a class of its own at the moment. It’s larger than an a Lexus RC but smaller than an Audi A7, and until BMW decides if it will reinstate the 6 Series Coupe, the Merc is in no man’s land. A left-field alternative would be the equally fashion conscious Range Rover Evoque Coupe, but even that SUV has less space in the back.
A high quality interior will lure those seeking luxury, but also practicality with its ability to carry four adults. Impressive cabin design comes as standard, but the options list can be a costly affair indeed.
If you’re after a distinctive coupe shape, but want the practicality of usable rear seats, look no further. There are more involving three-door sports coupes out there, but none have the versatility of the E-Class Coupe. Merc has created something of a Goldilocks car as it’s proportions are just right.
We Like
| Lots of standard safety equipment |
| Plush interior |
| Elegant design |
We Don't Like
| Gruff diesel engines |
| Costly options |
| Numb steering |
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
There’s a fine line between being eye-catching and attention seeking. You want people to look in your direction, but not in disgust. Mercedes has successfully executed this delicate balance.
From a distance the E-Class Coupe is an elegant looking thing with its teardrop profile and soft character lines, but step closer and bolder features reveal themselves. An upright grille is branded with the three-pointed-star, it sports a pair of muscular creases along the bonnet and bold horizontal rear lights.
All cars receive sporty AMG Line body styling, LED lights and 19-inch alloy wheels. Optional 20-inch AMG alloys can be had for £595, a steal when compared to some of the other additional equipment.
The E-Class occupies the middle ground between the more brutish looking Audi A5 and softer BMW 6 Series.
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The interior shares much with the E-Class saloon, which itself is influenced by the flagship S-Class.
There’s a fantastic mix of plush materials and posh design work that really makes this interior feel classy. Add the Comand Online infotainment display and a 12.3-inch screen dominates the the sculpted dash. Contrasting elements continue onto the doors, cocooning occupants in high quality design. An art deco analogue clock is a nice touch, too.
A pair of supportive Artico man-made leather seats are standard and will be plenty supportive and comfortable for those cross-continental trips and during more spirited driving.
The cabin is reasonably well appointed, but if you wish to add a few toys you’re going to need to navigate Mercedes-Benz’s nauseating list of options, some of which require costly ‘option packs’ to be installed in the first place. Your best bet is to yield and go for the £4k Premium Plus package that gives you everything from the panoramic roof to premium audio.
Practicality
One of the benefits of large 2+2 coupes is the additional space they offer. Cars with less real estate will have their rear occupants folded into place like origami and half of their luggage in their lap. Not the case with the E-Class.
The E-Class Coupe is larger than its perceived rivals meaning that rear passengers enjoy a surprising amount of space for a coupe. Tall adults might struggle for headroom, but those of average proportions will fit nicely.
Open the tailgate to reveal a 425-litre boot – it’s a reasonable size and will happily carry a couple of cases, however, the Audi A5’s 465-litre boot makes it more practical.
Visibility is boosted by the lack of a B-pillar, but the coupe roofline makes for a shallow rear window. A reversing camera comes as standard, but we’d recommend the £335 360-degree camera to make life even easier when parking.
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The majority of cars receive an 8.4-inch touchscreen as standard, a system anyone familiar with the regular E-Class will recognise, but E350d and E400 models come as standard with Comand Online. The notably larger 12.3-inch display is straight out of the S-Class and its vast size certainly makes it easy to read at a glance. The system itself is easy to use once you learn your way around the menus, but its graphics are now beginning to look dated. Apple CarPlay integration and a wifi hotspot to entertain passengers comes bundled too. Cars missing Comand Online can have it fitted for an additional £1,495.
Something worth ticking the option box on if you’re going to be spending many hours behind the wheel is the Burmester surround sound system at £750 – 13 speakers deliver high quality noise in a manner that will please any audiophile. The upgraded sound system also comes as standard with the Premium Plus pack.
Drive Pilot is an advanced cruise control system that was originally introduced on the E-Class saloon. This system not only maintains speed and distance, but can also help you change lane. Additionally it allows the car to brake autonomously if it senses a pending collision and prevent the driver from overcorrecting when swerving to avoid something. It’s impressive, but will set you back £1,695.
You’re Mercedes E-Class Coupe can be loaded with plenty of fancy tech, you just have to be willing to pay for it.
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
Performance
The E-Class Coupe is available in four flavours in the UK, two petrol and two diesel. When it comes to transmissions, your only option is a nine-speed automatic regardless of which engine you pick.
The E220d marks the entry point with a 2-litre diesel; 295lb ft of torque makes it brisk enough, 0-62mph is done in 7.4 seconds, but the engine is gruff under load. Things settle down once up to speed, but its lack of refinement is at odds with the elegant nature of the E-Class.
If you’re after a diesel, your best bet is the E350d. This 3-litre V6 unit is much smoother and doesn’t have to work as hard as the 220d. There’s a little bit of lag as the turbo comes up to speed, but performance is strong thereafter. This model’s all-wheel drive also gives an added sense of security on greasy roads. It possesses a 457lb ft slug of torque making it ideal for disposing of those middle lane hoggers on the motorway.
The 2-litre petrol found in the E300 might lack the torque of diesel options, but it’s a full second quicker to 62mph than the E220d. Most of the power is to be found at the top of the rev range meaning that swift progress isn’t as sedate as you might expect.
An E400 might come with a notable price premium, but its combination of more powerful engine and standard all-wheel drive is well worth it. It’s 3-litre V6 produces 328bhp and a healthy 354lb ft of torque. In motion the engine is smooth and refined, but decide to push on and the performance is there to do so.
The nine-speed automatic used across the range proved competent and seamless. Requesting a cog manually via a set of wheel-mounted paddles is met with a near-immediate response — Audi take note.
Handling and comfort
The E Coupe is more about cruising to your destination than deviating onto more dynamic Tarmac. Keen drivers won’t take any pleasure from its numb steering or general lack of involvement, although it is impressively resistant to body roll through fast bends. Diesel options are more nose-heavy than the petrols meaning that the latter feel a bit lighter on their toes.
All variants feel planted on the road, but all-wheel drive cars even more so. The additional traction means that this Merc can take full advantage of its most powerful engines whilst adding some reassurance to those who regularly traverse treacherous roads.
This E-Class can be had with two different suspension options dependent upon how much money you want to spend. As standard you get a combination of springs and dampers, but hand over £1495 and you can have Air Body Control. It’s worth noting that if you opt for a car with all-wheel drive, the air suspension comes at no cost.
Is the air suspension worth the cash over the standard fit springs? In a word, yes. The E-Class’ ride can be brittle on less than perfect surfaces, especially with larger alloys fitted, and so the fancier option does make a difference. Comfort mode absorbs most imperfections, but the occasional pothole can send a thud through the cabin.
Engine choice: E400 3.0-litre V6
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The Coupe variant has yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, but the E-Class saloon scored the full five stars with particularly high marks given for adult and child protection.
Merc offers a pleasing amount of safety kit at no cost. Every E-Class Coupe comes with more airbags than a bouncy castle, active brake assist that can brake harder if you don’t, and a fatigue monitor.
Those strapping youngsters into the car will find Isofix points for the two rear seats, but none in the front.
Some items of optional safety tech you might want to spec include lane keeping assistance and blind spot monitoring — part of the lane tracking package costing £595. Or you could go the whole hog and get the £1,695 Driver Assistance Package that comes with all of the above as well as the car’s semi-autonomous features.
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
Colours
Being a level-headed German product you won’t find canary yellow or nuclear green in the E-Class colour pallet, but there’s some choice. Black or white won’t cost you a penny, metallic paints are an additional £685 and a pair of premium paints are a reasonable £895.
Trim Levels
It’s nice and simple with the E-Class Coupe as the only trim you can have is AMG Line. That means you get some sportier bodywork, flashy 19-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats and LED lights from the get-go. All you need to do is pick out what options you’d like.
As mentioned, it’s not as simple as picking your desired additional equipment from a list. Various options require other things, or sometimes a whole pack, to be added before the thing you really want can be fitted. This ethos makes the options list a dangerous place for those with a particular budget in mind.
Some options are sensibly priced, like the £335 360-degree camera, others are more costly such as £1,495 for the Comand Online infotainment system. The huge screen can be further upgraded to merge with the drivers display, although this costs and additional £495.
The most cost effective way of bagging a handful of options is via Merc's packs. The Premium Package adds things like memory seats and a glass panoramic roof at the cost of £2,795. However, if all you want are some heated rear seats for example, be prepared to spend an additional £3,895 on the Premium Plus package before you’re even allowed to tick that box.
Size and Dimensions
| Length | 4,846mm |
| Width | 2,065mm |
| Height | 1,431mm |
| Max towing weight unbraked - braked | 750kg - 1,800kg |
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The E-Class Coupe’s selection of engines offer a broad range of abilities. From the entry E220d to the potent E400 with all-wheel drive, there’s something for business car users looking for low CO2, and for those looking to indulge themselves.
The 2-litre diesel found in the E220d might be the least powerful option, but it’s the most efficient of the bunch. 61mpg combined is on par with the 2-litre TDI found in the Audi A5 and Lexus RC 300h, however, the hybrid Lexus’ low CO2 emissions means less tax.
A 3-litre V6 represents the performance diesel choice, but whilst more refined than the E220d, its economy is considerably lower at 43mpg.
Petrols kick off with the 40mpg E300, or you can have the top dog E400 which claims to return 33.6mpg.
The E-Class Coupe would make for a stylish company car and has a 27 percent 2018/19 BIK rate for an E220d. That’s just a fraction more than the 26 percent of the equivalent Audi. Paying monthly, that works out at about £360 per month on the 40 percent tax rate.
Reliability and servicing
Recent surveys have shown that Mercedes-Benz has slipped behind its fellow German brands in terms of reliability. The good news is that all E-Class Coupes come with a three year unlimited mileage warranty.
There are three grades of extended warranty: Driveline, Tier 1 and Tier 2. These range from basic cover of main components to labour costs. You have to get a quote from Mercedes-Benz for your particular car’s extended cover.
Servicing
Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe starts at £40k which is a little more than a 2-litre TDI Audi A5. The Mercedes is a slightly larger car and so the added practicality might justify the £2k price gap. Also the Merc comes as standard with larger alloy wheels and LED lights, things you have to step-up a trim for on an Audi.
The E-Class Coupe would make for a stylish company car and has a 27 percent 2018/19 BIK rate for an E220d. That’s just a fraction more than the 26 percent of the equivalent Audi. Paying monthly, that works out at about £360 per month on the 40 percent tax rate.
Mercedes has cleverly positioned the E-Class Coupe between the classes of its closest competitors. Larger than an A5 or BMW 4 Series, but smaller than an A7.
Recommendations
| Tech Junkie | You’re going to want the Comand Online infotainment system and Burmester speakers. Take a look at the car’s semi-autonomous features, too. |
| Cost Conscious | There’s a good level of standard equipment, but options can be pricey. Go for the 360-degree camera as it’s well priced, but leave the rest. |
| Luxury Seeker | It’s the Premium Plus package for you. Panoramic roof, top notch stereo and memory seats. A nice set of 20-inch alloys and the upgraded 12.3 infotainment screen should be on your shopping list. |
| Lexus RC | Distinctive looks set this car apart from the competition. Not the most involving thing to drive though. |
| Not a direct rival, but it does offer similar badge kudos and four seats. Rear space isn’t as generous though. | |
| A smaller car that isn’t as practice, but it can match the Merc on style. Build quality is equally as good. |