The sharper, safer, newer E-Class is here. And there are three engine options on offer:the 280CDI is one the most frugal diesels, and certai...
The sharper, safer, newer E-Class is here. And there are three engine options on offer:the 280CDI is one the most frugal diesels, and certainly the one we'd go for. The 280 petrol is nice too, and the supercharged 200K has been retuned for more horses.It is a great all-round drive despite its size. It can handle urban conditions, highways and the twisties with similar ease. It offers a nice mix of sporty handling and comfortable ride with a decent steering feedback too.
The cabin is spacious and you sit in great comfort, as you would expect in a Merc.The cabin is not pretty traditional and not quite mind blowing, but you won't lack anything either. It's perfectly put together. Equipment levels are pretty decent,but just a bit behind the A6 and 5-Series in this department.Safety standards are as good as it gets with five Euro NCAP stars and scads of airbags with ABS (anti-lock brakes), ESP (electronic stability program) and the efficient BAS (brake-assist system). Merc has a pretty good sales and service network in India, but regular services and spares are obviously expensive, and there are a couple of question marks over reliability, although the new upgraded engines should take care of that aspect.
However, on the value front its is surprisingly a great car.The 200K starts at about Rs 35 lakh! Buy it and you won't regretit, because it does everything well. It has stopped feeling truly special but fresh from the face-lift, it still epitomises what Mercedes stands for.
