2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Road Test and Review

2018 Mercedes Benz E400 Coupe hero ・ Photo by Mercedes-Benz

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe might well be the world’s most intelligent coupe. After all, it’s based on the current generation of 4-door E-Class that debuted for 2017 and is described by the company as “the most intelligent sedan in the world.” The reasoning behind such an extravagant claim is in connection to a number of driving aids with which the E-Class may be equipped. When they’re all in one car, it’s about as close to a self-driving vehicle as it’s possible to get. Fortunately, the E400 Coupe is far more than a bunch of sensors, cameras, and computer-aided actuation. While there’s still some blood to be stirred, this car can stir it.

Pricing

Available from summer 2017, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe starts at $59,895. All-wheel drive (referred to by Mercedes-Benz as 4Matic) is an extra $2,500. It comes well stocked with standard equipment, including navigation, rearview camera, leather upholstery, and selectable driving modes. The clever driver aids are part of the Premium 3 package, costing $9,350. This brings active parking, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, active lane-change assistance, evasive steering-assistance, forward/rear collision-mitigation, and many other tech features. A buyer might also like the adaptive air suspension at $1,900 and massaging front seats for $950. Keep a calculator nearby. It isn’t hard to push the final price past $85,000.

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Equipment

In addition to the equipment mentioned in the Pricing section, the E400 Coupe comes standard with a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, memory settings for the power-adjustable front seats, full-LED lighting, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, driver-drowsiness monitor, and a plethora of other features. On the left and right steering-wheel spokes are small touchpads to control infotainment functions, operated by the driver’s thumbs. They’re like trackpads on a laptop computer, but smaller. This arrangement might seem daunting at first (who wants so many controls when you just want to drive?), but it only takes a short time to become acquainted. The air suspension has a greater range of comfort and control, but the standard setup works really well.

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Intelligentsia

We could compose a whole essay on the E400’s optional driver aids, the features that make it so intelligent, but it’s worth going into a little detail. The adaptive cruise control, for instance, can maintain a distance to the vehicle in front at speeds of up to 130 mph while also having the ability to bring the car to a complete halt. In stop/go traffic, it assumes the burden of accelerating and braking; all it takes is for a driver to trust it. Active lane-keeping puts a silicon hand on the steering and keeps a virtual eye on the mirrors, while Active Lane-Change carries out the task automatically once a turn signal has been engaged for a couple of seconds.

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Engine and Fuel Economy

A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 generates 329 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That’s more respectable than muscular but pushes the E400 at a sufficiently energetic rate when pushed. A smooth shifting 9-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles sends that power to either the rear wheels or the optional 4Matic system. There are no figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yet, but our two-day test drive saw an average of around 24 mpg without even thinking about being economical. Actually, we were concentrating more on how the car can take fast corners (great, as it happens). An engine stop/start feature helps save a little gas while the car is stationary.

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Interior Design

The cabin feels cozy without being claustrophobic (even with the sunroof’s shade in place). The essential thing is that it doesn’t merely look like the inside of an E-Class sedan minus a couple of doors. For example, it has its own design of air vents, described by the company as having a “turbine” look. The dashboard and door tops are covered in a simulated leather. The reality is much better than the idea and the stitching makes it even more convincing. But there’s also the option for a full leather makeover. Ergonomically, there are no wrong notes. The rear seats split and fold in a useful 40/20/40 fashion. And the standard LED cabin lighting offers the choice of 64 colors.

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Exterior Design

Gorden Wagener, chief designer at Mercedes-Benz, says “the time of creases is over.” For some companies, like Audi, the time of creases never began. Wagener’s intentions are made clear in the E-Class Coupe’s lack of character lines. It’s clean and unfussy. His approach was to get the basics right, the proportions and how the eye is drawn from the front to the back. Naturally, it’s unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz, with a strong family resemblance around the tail end to the company’s other coupes. And there’s still the hint of a character line on the lower flanks. That said, the E-Class Coupe looks classy and pretty, with the B-pillarless “half-moon” side-glass areas and “stardust-effect” LED taillights.

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Rear Seats and Trunk

Mercedes-Benz has not yet quoted rear leg room or trunk volume, but we have some real-world facts to share. With an adult male of average size sitting in the driver’s seat, a person of the same height will be just fine in the seat behind, with about an inch of clearance before touching the headliner. To access the rear, the front seats are motorized and remember their original position — just pull the smart aluminum handle to activate. Speaking of motorized, the E400 has a seat belt valet, always a useful feature. The trunk (with optional hands-free opening; just dance a foot under the rear bumper) can easily hold a couple of wheeled carry-on cases and two modest-sized backpacks.

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Safety

The E-Class Coupe has not been crash-tested in the United States, but there’s every reason to think it would earn full marks. Mercedes-Benz is always thinking of new ways to keep everyone safe. Clever technologies like pedestrian detection have become, um, pedestrian. Now there are things like forward cross-traffic assistance to prevent turning left at an intersection when there’s a vehicle approaching that may not be seen by the driver. Another example of attention to detail is the (standard) Pre Safe Sound function. If a collision is about to happen, it emits a short burst of pink noise through the stereo system’s speakers, protecting the occupants’ hearing from the inevitable crashing sounds and the airbags going off.

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Performance

Standstill to 60 mph is claimed to happen in 5.5 seconds for the rear-drive model, with the 4Matic version shaving off 0.3 of a second. That’s brisk, as opposed to breathtaking. But the E-Class Coupe is too sophisticated for a stoplight drag race. Power delivery is satisfyingly smooth and progressive, with maximum thrust coming in at a low 1,600 rpm. For long distances at quick but not manic speeds, the E400 Coupe excels. The quiet cabin can disguise the sensation of speed, which is when the optional head-up display becomes worthwhile. There are Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual (customizable) driving modes; Sport is sweetly responsive. The brakes feel calm and confident simultaneously. Top speed is limited electronically to 130 mph.

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Final Thoughts

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe is one of those cars that gets deeper under a driver’s skin as the miles accumulate. As more situations arise, the car demonstrates how easily it can deal with them. It would be too easy to dismiss the E-Class Coupe as a status symbol just because it’s so stylish. It has more substance than that. Luxury coupe buyers are not numerous, but the E400 doesn’t really have any direct competition, so at least it has a small niche to itself. This is also a true E-Class. The previous generation was actually based on the older C-Class platform. It was nice enough but didn’t really get the juices flowing. This model is much better realized and executed.

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