2017 Mercedes-Benz E220d Review

Mercedes-Benz have created a new niche within the luxury sedan segment by launching the all new E-Class. Suddenly the mid-size luxury car segment feels refreshed completely. Mercedes had surprised everyone with this all new version of the E-Class. Earlier this year, we saw the E200 and the E350d. This time they have launched yet another variant which is the Mercedes-Benz E220d. We drive this new car and bring you all the details. Read on for the review.

Design

Visually there is hardly any difference in the exteriors of the Mercedes-Benz E220d. The car looks identical to its other variants and the new S-Class type looks have gone down well with customers. This pushes the E-Class towards more luxury, that customers demand in this segment. The grille and the full LED headlamps with the twin LED DRLs all look dipped in sophistication. This is the long wheelbase version so it is appears very long when you view it from the side and this ads much more class to the car. The rear again is identical and reminds you of the S-Class. There is the E220d batch on the boot lid that conveys its identity. The 17-inch five spoke alloy wheels also are classy.

Also Read: 2017 Mercedes-Benz E350d Review

Interiors

The interiors are the best part of the E-class. They are outstanding and set this car apart from the others in the segment and even some above it. The car we drove was white in colour so it gets light beige and black interiors,  whereas the E350d that we have reviewed earlier was silver in colour and had all black interiors.

The light interior theme makes the car look bright inside and also roomier. The layered dashboard is a treat to the eyes and the 12.3-inch full HD screen looks incredible. The dashboard has wood inserts which have a raw feel but look extremely plush. The instrument cluster is not a TFT screen here but gets regular dials and the driver information is also very detailed. The steering wheel is similar to what you have seen in Mercedes-Benz cars, but now it gets tiny touch pads on it that is a world first feature.

The seats are superb, extremely comfortable ones with excellent under thigh support and lumbar support. All four seats have electric adjustment the best this is that the co-driver seat can be adjusted from the driver side too. The rear is where all the money that you would put in to buy this car would payback. You get rear AC vents with climate control and there’s a panoramic sunroof as well.

Talking about the rear legroom in this car would be like telling Aishwarya Rai that she’s beautiful. Well, this car has amazing legroom, knee room and also head room. The rear seats are reclining ones and get a soft pillow on the head restraints that actually induces you to fall asleep and release all stress. The ambient light options are present here but the Mercedes-Benz E220d misses out on the amazing Burmester audio system that comes in the E350d.

Also Read: 2017 Jaguar XF Review 

Engine

The Mercedes-Benz E220d has an all aluminum 2.0-litre diesel engine. This unit develops 195bhp of power and has an excellent torque of 400Nm. Now, 195bhp may sound average, but this car has the vigour to surge ahead and surprise you. Its quite a fun motor and very responsive to throttle inputs. However, what we loved was its refinement, which is not very different from petrol engines. There is barely any noise intruding the cabin, even when revved hard. Excellent NVH management also is party to this quietude.

The top speed of this car is limited to 250km/h and it can reach triple digit speed in under 8 seconds. Isn’t that fast enough? Also the nine-speed G-tronic transmission makes life easier. There are different driving modes which are also present in the other variants, like Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus.

Also Read: Honda Accord Hybrid Price and Review

Ride and Handling

Where The E220d excels is the ride quality, which is a clean cut above its competitors. A soft and cushioned ride which takes most bad things on the road in its stride and keeps you pampered, is brilliant. It feels so close to the S-Class. The Mercedes E220d handles well, despite the long wheelbase. As I mentioned earlier, the rear seat takes the cake. Offering supreme ride comfort, something that you will absolutely admire about the E-Class. Clearly, nothing in the segment comes even close. In fact, even though the wheelbase is long, it hardly ever scraped any speed breakers.

Verdict 

The Mercedes-Benz E220d comes as a fresh entrant in the segment and the more economical E-Class. But despite that it doesn’t feel like an entry level variant at all, with all that refinement and specially the brilliant performance from a 2.0-litre engine. Priced at around INR 62 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai), we reckon that this will be the best selling variant. It offers almost everything that its pricier sibling does and the performance isn’t bad either. The main draw towards the E-Class is its rear seat comfort and majority of buyers would value this aspect and hence prefer the E220d for its economy. By making a purchase of the Mercedes-Benz E220d, you would have made the best choice for the money you are spending, unless you prefer and more hard-core driver focussed car, that you wanna keep chucking around town. The Mercedes-Benz E220d will keep you happy for a long time.