I'll start off this long review by saying that my original thoughts of the front end were "putrid", "terrible joke". The new fronts actually look pretty nice, so yes it seems better in person than in photos (which some make the new Star-grill front appear very unflattering, not sure how it'll play out to me on the roads, so the jury is still out on that). I still do think that the "Star grill" on the E looks unfit, desperate and awkward when taken into full perspective, but on its own it's definitely got its nice points as well. Another criticism I had was that the car looks disjointed, unbalanced, that it looks like a bunch of random bits tossed together, no harmony, no singular vision, etc. That couldn't be more true, IMO. The car comes off like a mash-up, the new smoother fronts really make the sides appear almost stodgily upright, square, boxy, angular, noticeably "old language" in comparison. I think this has less to do with how the sides are designed, and more to do with what happens when designers piece things together with no intent on harmony and cohesion. The front of the car paints the sides, greenhouse, rear and overall proportions unflatteringly, the execution is almost "clunky". In some ways the design just seems busy and frustrated almost. Like they put bandaids all over it. Something as simple as the rocker panels on the Sport model seem overdesigned, not complimenting the holistic view of the car, nor does moving the chrome strip to the bottom of the doors so it now goes straight (as if they think it'll distract you from the exaggerated wedginess of everything else about the car, realistically it looks like they're *trying* to distract from that, as if they didn't like that they did that in the first place). Don't get me started on the superfluously "tacked-on" (literally) tiny chrome strips running along the bottom of the Luxury models rear bumper sides.

However, if you just look at the fronts next to each other, the new design is really much smoother. From straight-on front angle, I think the pre-facelift is hard to beat. But when rotated is where the W212's original "4 eyes" start to look clumsy, and in the following photos, you can see how much easier on the eyes the new headlights shapes are, when at rotated angles. What I don't like so much is the new Sport front bumper. It's too bubbly, soft, and lacks the aggression and sharpness of the pre-facelift front bumper (though at the same time much smoother flowing). Not to mention, again, not matching at all with the rest of the cars angular design. On the luxury bumper, one thing I liked is the glossy black vents-trim inside of the air-dams, fittingly tasteful for that designation. M-B is also really going ***** out with the added chrome detailing on this car to convey a sense of prestige, which IMO is a love or hate, as trends have shifted to where chrome doesn't spell "prestige" to the younger generations as it did to the older. On a Benz, though, chrome is the brands fitting image, so it doesn't bother me and seems to work.... if not teetering the edge of looking desperate to convey that classically prestigious "Mercedes" image.

The rear I think is a downgrade, however not bad nor good enough to make much of a different impression. The taillights are NOT "slimmer" as M-B's marketing said, that's total BS. The new rear looks really boring, IMO, like a "Taxi Cab" look, yet at the same time even more understated and sophisticated than the pre-facelifts rear. The original W212's rear was always the most plain, letdown angle of the car, however I think the taillights design with the white strip along the middle was "sportier" than the new, more humbled look.

The one part of the new car which I think is a massive downgrade from the pre-facelift is the elimination of the "Ponton Fender swoosh". The new straight line just makes absolutely no sense. The whole purpose of that line coming from the rear taillight was to go "around" the whole fender. Now, they straightened it so it has absolutely no place. Completely further superfluous, nonsensical, which to me are things that were once "anti-Mercedes". If someone never saw the pre-facelift before, to understand the origins of such a line, I'd think that they'd think: "Why the hell did the designers run a random line under the big character line? Why does it run parallel to it, and then just end/disappear into nowhereville?". The way it looks gives it a "broken line" look, where the rear line starts lower than where the top line ends. It makes the rear look saggier, and doesn't allow the car to appear as long and slender, nor as muscular or low as if the line was one whole connected piece. It's a compromised "solution" to what they clearly deemed a self-inflicted "problem", which isn't a good situation.

As for interior: Pretty much the same idea as the pre-facelift, and the materials appear to be the exact same. I was hoping for some plusher and more "softened" materials, but the way they cleaned things up in there gives it a slightly richer experience nonetheless (at the cost of somewhat invading on the CLS's turf now, thus eliminating some parts that initially gave that interior some supremacy over the E's). The interior cleanups do what I wish the exterior did, which is refine things and make it appear enhanced, not about-faced. The aluminum bits running alongside the lower console are nice, the new silver bits here and there are either too flashy-gaudy in an "old-timey" way or simply more elegant.... depending on your tastes. The screen I don't like. it's the same size as the original one, however it looks like they tried to make it look like the original iPhone or something. IMO not as well implemented as the pre-facelifts screen. The white contrast stitching to the MB Tex seats ads some needed pizazz and interesting bits. I do wish M-B's paddles weren't so dainty, or all plastic as they feel kind of cheap.

As for drive (drove the Sport Package): I feel it drove identical to the pre-facelift. I didn't notice much difference in steering or chassis composure, as one of the magazine articles claimed. I will say it drove as well as any E I've ever driven, which means it certainly isn't worse. Everything felt dialed in and appropriate for the car. Typically floaty yet solid, luxury tuned drive. I didn't get a chance to experience too many rough patches, as they ruined the drive in my pre-facelift W212's (both of them), as they just got clumsy and very rough and loud over rough patches. However the roads I did experience, it handled them well.

What I didn't like was the brakes. Not sure at this point if they felt different from my W212's, but they didn't feel all that strong nor great.

Performance wise, the engine feels strong and actually sounds nice and throaty when you give it some gas, though I was surprised at just how much engine noise gets let into the cabin in those circumstances (good or bad thing, I guess, depending on how you look at it or who you are). What really hampers this engine is the mid-range I found. It gets going nice, and seems to want to get to higher RPM's, but the "mid range" seems to be the dullest area of the RPM band, where torque seems to diminish. Like it just kind of bogs down around there. I've never been in love with the 7G Tranny, regardless of how many times M-B has had to try and "correct" it, and I feel it's perhaps helping holding the engine back. I drove a CLS550 recently and feel the tranny literally is killing the potential especially that engine has, in terms of squeezing out max efficiency and power/performance. I'll also throw another jab at M-B's "Sport Mode". It's really too minimal of a change for what you'd expect from a "Sport" Mode.

Other General Dislikes: Extremely cheap feeling gear-shift stalk. They took the more elegant piece the original W212's had which was originally from the W221 S-Class, to this new, dull, cheap piece from the new ML, extra long and simply unattractive, which would turn anyone who hates the "steering wheel gear stalk" off from it even more. It looks like something that belongs in a Bus or something. Also having reflector headlights as the base (most common) headlight option on a car that is supposed to be priced and presented as such a premium-segmented choice is simply unacceptable and frankly hideous. It looks like 1980's "technology" either at day and especially at night with how horribly the lighting comes across from it. In a day and age where $15K cars come with at least projector halogens. Oh, and the new "Sport" Steering Wheel is surprisingly thin and dainty, which I noticed when I drove the new CLS, but didn't realize actually IS a different rim from my old version of the "AMG Wheel Package" wheel. Big downgrade from said previous wheel with the flat bottom and much beefier grip. Most people are beefing up their steering wheels, while M-B thinned theirs out. The addition of the two faux-aluminum "borders" they clearly hope distracts people away from a lesser actual steering wheel. Or maybe too many of their customers complained about "too thick" of steering wheels before? It could make sense considering M-B's more Luxury-oriented base.

As for general likes, it coincides with my personal conclusion of the car: Mercedes made the car fundamentally as refined as they could from the W212 chassis and basis. I just wish the whole thing flowed as one harmonious vision and whole, it would have been the perfect E-Class to me. To many, this will no doubt be a catch and should at least temporarily re-ignite whatever it is M-B felt their original design couldn't hold, hence such a drastic and about-face, sudden uncharacteristic change.

As a whole, I prefer the pre-facelift. When looked at in a "parted out" view, the facelift is certainly superior. When looked at as a fundamental device, the facelift is simply the same tool, further refined and honed. I guess my true conclusion is that I'm indifferent/unsure on various changes right now, which makes sense considering how altered and confusing they are to the base/core of this model.

Some pics:

This first one is of an odd gap I noticed in the Luxury grille to hood. The pre-facelfits gaps were much tighter up there:


More:

 

Not a big fan of the 2014 E class, looks like a puffed up C class. :/

 

K-A is back in fashion & style
Well, I mostly concur with his reviews namely on interior plus I prefer pre fl model's gauge panel over W212 FL
I was looking for some input on the new gear stalk as well . Thanks K-A , I assumed newer ones had better more quality feeling

I like quad lights but at some angles , I must admit,however, these lights look weird , funny , angry . Newer FL has nothing to do with these marks

 

Thanks bud.

Yeah, the new gear level is atrocious. I hated it in the ML, and hate that it made its way to the E. The previous one is much classier and simply feels better.

Yeah, the quad lights I maintain my feelings that they look better from a full-frontal view. I think if M-B put those glitzy new graphics from the new ones, into what were very basic internals on the "4 eyes", it would have been the perfect combo.

 

Wow. K-A, thanks for the great write up and your time that you put into this review. Very insightful and unbiased. I was toying around with the purchase of a '14 but, I am not so sure now.

 

No prob, and thanks.

I'm sure lots of people will draw much different conclusions than I did. I just feel like I saw through a lot of the "fluff" Mercedes is trying to [trick] people into, with this kind of "facelift redesign", per-se on what is fundamentally the same car (obviously). You may really like it more than the pre-facelift, but IMO the pre-facelift still "works" better, in a holistic view. The pre-facelift with some light exterior freshening (instead of the reconstructive surgery it actually got) with the facelifts interior slight bits and pieces' refinements would have been the perfect, IMO.

On a positive note, one big takeaway from this for me was that as putrid as I thought the Sport front looked via pics, it actually on its own looks nice in person (unfortunately when taken into context with the rest of the car, I'm not so positive about it). Though a little "hard to pick which Benz it is" generic in how reminiscent of about any other M-B with that front, namely the C, it is. Hate or love the W212's original front, you instantly can tell which M-B it is.

 

In that last pic, it looks like the grille sticks out farther than the bumper

 

It does. Terrible functionality (imagine how fragile if you even unluckily bump something). I think M-B is going too far with "pointy" fronts. The grille protruding out further than the bumper itself starts to look almost like it's broken, i.e hanging off.

 

Thanks for the review. Apparently they no longer have the four bar grille on the luxury version? Appears they are using the three bar from the former sport version. Not sure I like the way bumper cover flares out at the bottom around the DRL's.
Apparently moved the "chrome" trim piece on side to bottom of doors instead of along the crease in sides. Prefer it along the crease where it appears natural.
Overall, still prefer my 2010 luxury version with four bar grille, hood ornament and four lights on front.

 

So they have reflector headlights on a E class now I thought it was bad that they had it with the c class. MB is making some bad mistakes here . Did you get any pics of the led equipped models? btw those are some ugly wheels, I hope they have better options.

 

Wow, the pics of the white car from the side on flat ground makes it look terrible. I took a brief look at the cars while they were on a raised mound at my local dealer. Wow, that pic kinda sums up what K-A is saying about the disjointed front to back look and transition. Looks like MB is gonna have to keep working on it. It kinda looks unfinished thoughts went into the facelift. I do think the sport looks better though in black, and darker colors. I would like to see one in white too.

 

Yeah I have some pics of the front end from a "looking down" perspective and that nose is way out there, and yes it is too far out there. I can see some expensive repairs coming down on these models due to the protruding "nose"

 

Unfortunately no pics of the LED lighting car. Those reflectors are indeed a BAD JOKE! Can't believe it, on an E-Class. Maybe if M-B stops slashing prices 20+% they could keep projector headlights on the cars! Lol.

Nuru: Yeah, the nose being the first point-of-contact is something I just don't get. I mean, on a plus side, it's gotta be easier to replace, but you can't really fix blemishes on it. Therefore, any even slight bump to the front will force one to pay out hundreds for a brand new grille. Form over Function is M-B's new trend and it's against everything the brand used to stand for. I agree, "unfinished thoughts" is a good word. I just don't get why they tried to make it 2 cars in one, instead of honing the original W212's design and simply refining it.

BTW, about the interior, I think what they did was mostly mind trickery. I.e it has a higher "perceived quality", which is a good thing in itself, and certainly better than nothing. However, ACTUAL quality hasn't changed, save for some nicer (or flashier, one could say) bits here and there (aluminum pieces replacing plastic ones in some areas). The technical feel of the interior, materials, etc. are the same.

 

Yeah the more I see that front-end, it reminds me of a cross between the old Volvo P1800 front-end and a Japanese car front-end See pic

I think I will get a chance to take another look at the cars at the lot on Saturday. hopefully I can get a chance to see the interior with the doors open.

 

Is that a Kia?

 

Nice review KA. I will going to look at the new W212's soon myself. I can tell you one thing I am not a fan of the luxury trim looks at all. It looks like a C Class and Kia mixed and to be honest it looks kind of small as where the AMG Package makes the car appear larger for some reason. I also do not like the wheels on the sport package at all. Reminds me of a new toyota. I am glad the interior did not get many changes as I do enjoy the cabin of the W212.

 

Holy crap, the white one does have a certain "Kia-ness" to it. Those little pasted on chrome "strips" at the bottom of the rear bumper just look soooooo lousy, unrefined, cheap, tacky, etc. Like something you'd get at Pep Boys. C'mon M-B.

I can't stand the Sport wheels either. They just don't look very thrilling or good, nor minimalistic. IMO the best wheels the W212 ever came with are the non AMG wheels found on the 10 and 11 models. My '10 had those and I think they were nicer than my 11's AMG Wheel Package wheels. Namely because they have nice clean thick 5 spokes which work with the W212 body which has lots of cuts and creases, i.e it really balances out the design by being so clean and simple. And namely because of how the spokes extend all the way out to the rim, and are flat and uncluttered, they hide the fact that they're "only" 18's really well.

 

Wheels should not be a factor when determining which car to buy (or discussing cars' design for this matter).

IMHO, all W212/C207 OEM wheels, with (as mentioned above) exception of 18" sport (non-AMG) from 2010-2012 (standard on all 2010-12 "sport" package cars) should be replaced (all 3 of my Es were equipped with them and were sold immediately). The after market is huge: from cheap but still well made Chinese to ultra expensive HREs and everything in between.

I have a hard time naming a single OEM wheel regardless of marque I would keep. I.E.: even OEM Aston (and most of the rest of the exotic crowd) wheels must go.

 

I agree about those wide 5 spoke non-AMG wheels, the match the styling of the car. I remain unsure about this facelift, soft details with an angular profile looks disjointed. I'd want a sport trim car, but would want a hood ornament. And I actually kind of liked the weird ponton rear quarter line. Maybe the cool thing is a more ala carte option selection. Lighting package would be a 100% definite! My local dealer apparently has a couple in today, will try to get a peek later on.

I wonder how a W212 would look with Aero II Monoblocks, the wheel that looks good on almost anything. Dunno if there would be fitment issues, though.

 

IMHO, it would look great if 19" from W140/W220). However, fitment could be a problems. If those Aero II are from W140 or W220 S-class, then its a straight bolt on. If they're from W210 E-class - they fill not fit (wheels' holes are only 12mm while W212 cars use 14mm bolts).

 

I don't know and I lost the page where I got the pic

 

A'la carte option selection is indeed a HUGE improvement. The W212 I always criticized for MBUSA being "lazy" with it, i.e not pushing for individuality and diversity, free Sports Package, bunched/limited packages (therefore no one gets them), etc. The buying and choosing experience of BMW was much more fun for me as I could pick different ways to individualize my car, different packages to mix together, and when doing so, seeing cars that are equipped exactly as mine is generally rare. This is what a Premium manufacturer needs to be about, and it's one thing that makes them look like a "Premium manufacturer", i.e one that takes measures to show care for enthusiasts who take spending the pricing premium seriously. Mercedes has really let go of this, namely after the W211's production run. However, it's exciting to hopefully see it coming back. I think the a'la carte selections can be a great thing for the W212's going forward, whether you get one yourself, or just want to feel continuously interested when seeing them out and about.

 

I have told my opinion before in this forum but here it goes again: MB has made a major mistake with the new E front. Getting rid of the quat light setup is just stupid. The front for the lights is made to look like the S-glass but then the "alien eye" fog or DRL at the bottom corners makes it to its own glass, which I would not know what to call it...

But it makes my 2010 Avant Garde look evebn better...

 

Yeah the quads were an individual trademark that IMO worked. Here are some more comprehensive comparison pics, courtesy of "BenzBlogger". Interestingly, to show how little reviewers know their material, you keep hearing them say that the facelift is "sleeker", total hook, line and sinker in falling for the mind-play of facelift changes. The pre-facelfits front actually seems to sit lower and rake more, when you see them at an angle.

 

And some more I screenshot off of a Youtube vid: