2020 Mercedes-Benz E450 4MATIC Sedan Review

Intro
The Mercedes-Benz E class has defined the world "Luxury" in the mid-size luxury car segment. It comes in sedan, coupe, convertible, and wagon. With so many body styles, engine choices, and trim levels, potential buyers will most likely find exactly what they are looking for under the budget.

Among them, the Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic catches my eyes the most. The powerful Biturbo V6 engine is not only fun to drive, but also not as thirsty as a V8. The price is not significantly more than its smaller sibling, the E350. Adding all the available packages, the E450 becomes a mini S Class with all the bells and whistles at a more affordable price.

Thanks to Mercedes-Benz Canada, I was given the chance to test drive the 2020 Mercedes-Benz E450 for one week. Below is my unbiased review.

Exterior
The exterior of the 10th generation E class is longer and wider than the previous generation. The long, streamlined profile looks well proportioned, and classy. While the muted design can be on the conservative side, Mercedez calls it the "sensual purity" design. Its understated luxurious exterior is matched with a sporty stance and 19" AMG 5-Twin Spoke Wheels. Our tester comes with AMG style lower bodywork that carves in to the side door panels to give the side profile a lighter look. It also comes with power folding side mirrors and integrated turn signal lights.

The front facia consists of an array of wide air intakes. The LED headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights flow seamlessly into the side profile. Of course, the most important feature is the iconic star that sits in the center of the front grille. With the luxury package, you can choose to have the three pointed star standing on the hood for that classic Mercedes look. 

From the back, the butterfly wing style LED taillamps stands out at night. The rear valance consists of chrome outlined air diffuser and chrome twin exhausts. The illuminated entry system lights up the exterior when you unlock the E450 in the dark, guiding you to the vehicle doors.

The exterior of the E450 isn't trying too hard to stand out, but it is a elegant design that should stand the test of time. The longer I spend with the car, the more I admire its look.

 

Interior
While the exterior might be slightly understated, the interior is not. The flowly, three dimensional deck is covered with real Brown Ash Wood and sculpted metal trims for a stunningly luxurious look. The 64 color led ambient lighting system emit mood lighting from under the waveform dash trim and door armrests.

The front seats are covered with Two-Tone Nut Brown/Black Nappa Leather. They feature seat warmers, pneumatically adjustable lumbar, side, and shoulder supports, and drive dynamic active side bolsters. The active side bolsters works well at compensating the lateral force acted upon the passengers in tight corners to hold them in place. With the comfort package, you also get seat ventilations and integrated massagers. These are among the most comfortable seats I have been in. Mercedes-Benz event implemented heated center and door armrests for added comfort.

The rear seats are covered in the same comfortable Nappa leather. There is plenty of head and legroom in the back. With the premium package, the rear passengers also get heated seats.

The 3 zone automatic climate control system gets its own buttons. There is an integrated cabin air purifier. With the comfort package, you also get cabin fragrance atomizer. The fragrance cartridge is located in the glove compartment and can be easily swapped.

Other thoughtful features include soft close doors, which automatically pull the door in after the door latch is engaged, heated front windshield to prevent frost and fog, and illuminated front door sills. Mercedes-Benz does luxury like no others in the business, and the new E450 showcases that perfectly. The attention to details, and the innovative comfort features certainly sets the new E Class apart from the rest.

Infotainment
The 2020 E class now comes with the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system that we first saw in the new A Class. It features an integrated dual screen design. On the right hand side is a 12.3" high resolution display that is crisp and responsive. It displays an array of vehicle, audio, and navigation information. The right screen can be controlled visa the touchpad controller on the center console or the right hand touch control buttons on the steering wheel. On the left hand side is another 12.3" color display that focuses more on vehicle information, settings, and driver assist features. It is controlled by the left hand touch control buttons on the steering wheel. The MBUX system also features linguatronic voice control to activate some non-safety related functions.

The command style controller in the center console includes a touch pad and a rotary diode. In front of it is a wireless phone charger. A head-up display in included with the technology package. It is full color, high resolution, and display a full range of information to help you keep you eyes on the road.

Apple Carplay and Android Auto are standard, as well as Mercedes' Connect Me system. It allows you to remotely access your vehicle via a smartphone app. The functions it can access include remote start, door lock, vehicle monitoring, and parking locator.

The optional Burmester surround sound system with 13 high quality speakers and two digital amplifiers output 590w of sound through nine different channels. Audio engineers utilize the rigid front frame members as resonance chambers for front under dash subwoofers. The audio system sounds fantastic, especially with the active noise control system to make the already very quiet cabin even quieter.

Safety and Driver Assistance
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E450 comes with the following standard safety features:

• Car-to-X Communication
• In-vehicle, one-touch calling features
• Active Brake Assist
• ATTENTION ASSIST
• Blind Spot Assist
• Traffic Sign Assist
• Active Parking Assist
• Rearview camera
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• PRE-SAFE
• PRE-SAFE Sound
• Adaptive braking technology
• Tire Pressure Loss Warning System

This is quite an extensive list and some features deserves more explanations:

• The Cart-to-X system allows different E class vehicles to automatically alert one another about road dangers through a central notification system. 
• In vehicle one touch SOS system automatically contact first responders with GPS locational information when it senses that the car is in a crash.  One can also access roadside assistance through the button.
• Pre-Safe system tighten seat belts when the car senses that an impact is imminent. The Pre-Safe Sound system also emits a special "pink noise" to condition passenger's ears for the loud noises that follow after the crash. 

On top of the ones already listed, the following features are optionals:

• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Active Steering Assist
• Active MULTIBEAM LED Lighting System
• Adaptive Highbeam Assist
• Evasive Steering Assist
• Active Blind Spot Assist
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• Active Lane Change Assist
• Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
• Congestion Emergency Braking
• Active Emergency Stop Assist
• 360 camera
• PRE-SAFE Impulse Side
• PRE-SAFE PLUS
• Route-based Speed Adaptation
• Enhanced Stop-and-Go

Many of the safety features are so innovative that they are not yet widespread in the industry. It is no wonder that the E450 earns Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS. The top safety rating available for the institute.

Driving
The E450 is powered by a biturbo 3.0L V6 engine that produces 362hp of power and 369 lb.ft. of torque. It uses a rapid-multispark ignition system that fires up to four times per millisecond for more power and increased fuel efficiency. The transmission that pairs with the powerful engine is a excellent 9 speed automatic. The E450 also comes with a 4Matic all wheel drive system. The potent drivetrain is able to propel the 1875kg car from 0-100km/hr in 5.0 seconds. If that is still not fast enough for you, there is always the E63S. With 603hp of horsepower, the E63S goes from 0-100km/hr in only 3.2 seconds.

For me, the E450 is more than fast enough on the street. More importantly, the car handles superbly on the road. The 4matic system incorporates 4-wheel electronic traction controls to ensure engine torque is sent to the wheels with the best drip. The independent 4-wheel multi-link suspension is further enhanced by the optional air suspension system. The suspension system can be tuned to provide cloud like soft rides or stiffens up to attack tight corners.

The eco start/stop system is more responsive than the other ones I have experienced. The engine instantly restarts as soon as your foot left the brake for immediate acceleration. Even so, I still prefer to have the start/stop system off when I drive.

The fuel economy rating of the 2020 E450 is not yet rated, but my spirited city test drive returns a fuel economy rating figure of 12.6 L/100km.

Cargo Space & Storage
The trunk cargo space of the E450 is slightly smaller than what I expected. At 530L, it is still a very usable space. The 40/20/40 split seats can be folded flat to provide more room. The trunk lift gate is electric. A foot activated hands free system is included with the premium package. There is a red warning light on the inside of the trunk lid for rear-approaching cars to see. Under the cargo floor is a collapsible storage bin and a tire repair kit.

Inside the cabin, there are plenty of storage options for smaller items. The center console storage bin is deep, and so are the door pockets. There are storage pockets behind the front seatbacks, and an additional storage bin inside the rear folding armrest.

Verdict
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz E450 truly defines what a luxury vehicle is. While the new A-class and C-class both trending up, the 10th generation E-Class sets itself apart by offering rich cabin materials, powerful engines, thoughtful high tech features, and comfortable rides. Our E450 sedan tester with all the available packages showcases what a fully loaded E-Class feels like. It is an all around great car that has a stunning cockpit to highlight its superiority. While all the upgrades do add another 18k to the sticker price, it is still cheaper than the S-Class. For buyers who care about the finer things in life, I highly recommend the E450.

Test Vehicle
2020 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan
MSRP
Base $72,300CAD, Price as tested $90,700CAD
Color
Obsidian Black Metallic