2011 Mercedes Benz E350 BlueTEC Sedan
By Ming Tan
Wednesday June 1st, 2011 at 7:66 AM
Posted by: mtan
Pros:- Efficient – averaged over 34 actual mpg over the course of a week, with a boasted total range of about 600 miles per tank of diesel
- Quiet and smooth – great highway cruiser. Serene cockpit made for peaceful and pleasant road trips
- 400 lb-ft of torque – made virtually any maneuver seem easy for this relatively small 210hp 3.0 liter turbo diesel V6
- Hint of a 1978 Mercedes 240D diesel rasp at startup
- Somewhat flat seating surfaces
- More complicated SAT NAV unit that requires some playing around with before becoming fluent with the system
- Only 210 HP, considering this a 4,000 plus pound car
I remember as a young kid seeing and hearing those early diesel cars rattling down the road, usually closely followed by a plume of dark, smelly smoke. Diesel super duty trucks notwithstanding, the appeal for diesel cars remained slim for years. Not until recently has the clean diesel concept begun to take off. We’re now seeing even race cars like the Audi R18 TDI performing at extremely high levels in rigorous conditions. As a result, it only seems logical that the evolution of diesel performance trickles down to normal every day driving cars.
The true benefit of the new Mercedes E350 BlueTEC lies in both the pure efficiency of the car as well as the huge amount of very user friendly torque, which makes the vehicle very responsive in virtually any situation. In addition, Mercedes uses a special solution called AdBlue that is added to the exhaust gases which basically neutralizes the emissions to just nitrogen and water vapor. Not only is this car clean, it still provides enough get up and go to stimulate most luxury car aficionados.
The starting base price for the E350 BlueTEC is $50,900, but our test car also came equipped with the $6,450 Premium Package 2, the $115 115V AC power outlet, and the no charge option Sport Package.
Driving Impressions
“You’re going to love this one…” he smiled.
These were the first words out of the delivery driver’s mouth when I met him outside my home. Coming from a number of Audi cars in the past, I told myself that I would not get too wrapped up in the mystique of an E Class Mercedes. It’s just another car, I told myself. Plus, it’s a diesel. How much nicer could it be?
The following days of driving the E350 were telling. I like the convenience of proximity keys. My first experience was with a Lexus, and this one was no less convenient. The fob itself provided all the access necessary just in case, but the beauty of the proximity concept is the pure convenience of just walking up to the car, lifting the door handle and opening the door. Upon exiting, a simple light touch of a button on the handle locks the door.
Once in, your foot steps on the brake and you push the start button. An ever so faint diesel rattling sound emits from the engine bay, bringing me back to the late 70’s diesel car sounds. But once you get going, that faint rattle turns into a more normal, albeit quiet engine sound.
This car was equipped with Mercedes’ smooth seven speed transmission. The gears are set up to be responsive in around town traffic, with minimal shifting from gear to gear to find the right gear, and for fuel economizing low RPM traveling at highway speeds. Cruising at 70mph kept the engine speed down close to only about 2,000 RPM. That translated to a fuel sipping and quiet ride in virtually any condition. The car also came with slick black anodized paddle shifters on the steering wheel to allow for manual shifting whenever the mood required. I routinely found myself rowing down through the gears when slowing down especially. Rapid acceleration was equally as smooth, either letting the transmission shift on its own, or by manually clicking through all seven gears.
As for handling, the E350 came equipped with their Agility Control suspension system. This allows the computer to monitor both the driving style of the driver as well as the driving conditions of the road. The computer then adjusts each individual shock damper depending on that feedback. Admittedly, I used this car more as a luxury highway cruiser than a sports saloon, so I found the ride to be planted, yet compliant. It always provided me a comfortable sense of stability and control.
ABS is a given in today’s cars, but the more current cars are also offering additional safety features such as the brake assist in our test E350. Another set of sensors monitor the speed of the driver’s foot depressing the brake pedal and applies full pressure immediately if it senses an adverse situation. Fortunately I never had to use it, but given the heft of this car, it’s great for simple peace of mind.
All around, this car was a driving pleasure. It was smooth, comfortable, and provided all the luxury amenities one could realistically want in a daily driver. The BlueTEC engine was a great bonus. After five days of mixed city and highway driving on and around the coast of Northern California, my mileage impressively averaged over 34 miles per gallon.
Interior/Exterior Styling
In addition to the bevy of standard features, our test car came fully loaded with the optional Premium Package 2, which included the full featured Mercedes COMAND SAT NAV System, an audiophile’s Harman/Kardon Dolby digital surround sound system and iPod cable, a power rear window sunshade, Active Curve Bi-Xenon headlamps, the push button proximity key system, and an electronic trunk closing system. Along with such standard features as the power driver’s seat, power glass moonroof, and multifunction steering wheel, one added bonus is the interior ambient lighting. Not a very significant feature, but its one detail that is absolutely fitting for a $58,000 luxury car. It’s adds an air of softness and calm to night driving.
All the interior features were easy to reach and intuitive, save for the SAT NAV system. The rotary COMAND System took a few times to master its functionality, prompting a few miscues with the controls, but otherwise worked well. I had to resist reaching for the display screen considering many competitive SAT NAV units are touch screen instead.
The dash was managed well, providing an easy to read set of gauges that sandwiched a simple central display screen. It was easily toggled via intuitive steering wheel controls between various systems within the car, for example mileage, distance to empty, stereo settings, drive time, etc.
The outside is unmistakably Mercedes. From their trademark three pointed star emblem on the hood back, the lines have been modernized and have become very sleek and attractive. Aerodynamically, it’s a quiet car, with a .28 coefficient of drag to prove it.
There is more design consistency across the line of Mercedes cars today that have made them stand out more clearly among the tightly knit competitive trio they belong to with BMW and Audi.
Value/ Who Should Buy It?
This E350 BlueTEC is perfect for the small family looking for room for four wrapped in a very efficient and comfortable package. It’s not inexpensive, but for those with $60k to spare, it buys them a luxurious, environmentally friendly, and economical package. It has all the major amenities for daily driving and weekend cruising. Its size does not make it ideal for tight city driving, but once out in a more open environment, you’d appreciate its long legs.
| BUILD | INTERIOR | PERFORMANCE | HANDLING | STYLING | VALUE | OVERALL | |
| RATING | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.0/B |
- Engine: 3.0 Liter 24 Valve Turbo Diesel V6
- Power: 210 HP
- Torque: 400 lb-ft at 1500 to 2400 RPM
- Transmission: 7 speed Drive Adaptive Automatic Transmission
- MPG: 22 City / 33 Highway
- Price: $50,900 / $58,340 as tested
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