My Diamond White E350 4Matic arrived yesterday to replace my black sapphire 535i xDrive. I thought I would share my initial thoughts.

Diamond White - Not sure this was worth the $1500. In the dull grey skies of Chicago it looks the same as Polar White. I imagine is must sparkle in the Sun.

Distronic Plus - Unbelievable. I can take my hand off the wheel and the car really does track and steer into curves. After 20 seconds, it beeps once and displays a steering wheel with two red hands on the steering wheel begging me to take control. I needed to change widen the gap distance as if you keep it short it does too much accelerate and brake busy work. I got the luxury trim and this equipment puts a not very attractive square box plastic in the grill center.

Parking Assistance - It does work and it does a great job. But there is some finesse in helping it ID a spot. You need to have your signal on and drive just the right speed and distance to parked cars. It's very simple to engage and very intuitive. The BMW only has this option on RWD models as it requires electric steering that is not available on AWD models.

360 View - I had this the BMW and it quickly became a must have. The Benz version shows the front of the car. The BMW did not. The display shows both the 360 view and the rear camera view. I wish it were one or the other like the BMW allows. Why? Because the Benz screen is smaller. I think the MB screen appeared to give more detail, but that may have been because the screen was smaller.

Lighting Package - It works very well. A very white light. This is more than an automatic high/low or curve system. Everything you want to see is well illuminated and there is no perception of changes. It is just always right. I really like it.

COMAND - Have to say the BMW system is more intuitive. I didn't need the manual for that system. I am going to spend some time with COMAND. I'm not worried about it, but I can see how some people might get frustrated. I was worried I'd miss the massive screen I had on the BMW, but so far I'm fine with it.

NAVIGATION - Once under route, I was pleased with the clarity of the instructions. It was easier to follow than the BMW.

CLIMATE CONTROLS - They are very easy to use and well placed. Easier than the BMW.

VOICE - Not impressed at all so far, but I haven't done the voice initialization training nor read the manual. My 2011 BMW wasn't very good either. It understood my voice, but it required a lengthy dialog to complete a function. My KIA SOUL is great by comparison to these two expensive German cars.

PHONE APP - Well at least they have one. My BMW had nothing. I can work the locks or send an address. Cadillac and Infinity are light years ahead in that department. You can start the car, see tire pressure, oil life and other stuff.

4MATIC - Haven't tried it in snow yet. The BMW AWD system was absolutely stunning. I'll be impressed if 4MATIC is as good.

RIDE - I got the luxury trim because I wanted the cossetting planted ride that only Benz understands. I love it and don't miss the sportier ride at all as it was my primary complaint about the BMW.

MBRACE - Not much functionality and the data side car apps are too slow to be useful.

BLUETOOTH - Great integration and very fast downloading. I'm told my text messages will appear in the car. Haven't received any so I don't know if that works.

Overall, I am sure my switch the E-Class for 2014 was a good one. Back in 2011 the BMW had the lead and it held it IMO until the latest rev of the E-Class came arrived.

 

Great write-up of all the features and options. Sounds like you got one pretty loaded up.

 

BM W has volume control on left side of steering wheel I consider more convenient.
However BMW doesn't have full 10 keys phone dialer, when MB has. I use it a lot, since I memorize phones easily.
Trunk opening with knee kick is also sweet. I use it lot since always full hands.
Distronic is funny, it just follows a car in front so if there some drank or mentally challenged driver, then my car starts jerking in line. It also follows a car in front if it changes lane slowly, so I need to grab a wheel and align a car back in lane.
I like MB column shifter, than BMW in center console. Otherwise both cars are equal

 

you forget one main thing
you will never worry about BMW failed transmission which is the main + here

 

Thanks for the write up , very useful .One of our members samking also uses fave button to assign 360 view ,I don't have it but can take a pic of it how it would be useful to avoid anything that crosses your path during tight narrow parking maneuvers

Happy pleasant driving with your ride

 

You have experienced this as well? My 650 convert had this issue twice. Not a pleasant thing to have your trans slip into 3rd gear limp mode all the way to the dealer...

 

Great review and I would agree with most of your points.

 

So u r saying the E blows the BMW out of the water? Can't wait for KA to insert his dissertation!!!

 

Not at all. The BMW is better is some areas, but I would not say it blows the BMW out of the water. BMW does beat the E in several categories. I find iDrive much more intuitive then COMAND.

For voice rec, I give the BMW a C grade and the E a D grade. KIA gets an A and most American cars get a B or better. In 2014 you really should be able to simply say "Call Mary Jones on Mobile".

I miss the BMW soft close doors and the doors feel more substantial.

 

nice write up edspider, enjoy the car

 

What's "soft close doors"? I have a feature in Lexus as power door close, it means I do not need to slam a door to close, I just leave it ajar and a car tightly closes it automatically. S class has the feature but E. I am glad to know that 5 series has it as well.

Regarding more intuitive iDrive, it is questionable. You should get used to the system.
For both you feel hopeless until gained some experience. I liked more iPod control of BMW since it memorized current navigation position when you need to start from beginning in MB. Since I switched to Bluetooth streaming where navigation is much better anyway, iPod integration doesn't bother me anymore.

 

Yes, soft close is when it finishes closing the door for you. Just as you described.

 

is soft close something that can be turned off or is it on for good?

 

On for good. In fact, even when you close the door completely. It will move out and then come back in. As if it wants to make sure it is perfectly closed. It's really a great feature and an option I would order on the E were it available.

The USA E doesn't offer power mirrors which I also miss, but not as much.

 

I have to say 2012+ BMW has a revised system aka NBT which addressed most of the issues on 2011 CIC system

BMW Assist is free during warranty period unlike mBRACE which is only 6 months only.
BMWConnect (works on iOS and Android) is like basically the Drive Kit Plus that we have to pay extra for.

 

Out of curiosity, have you tried a 2013 or better yet, 2014 5 Series iDrive? They're really huge improvements over the early F10 5er iDrives. The one in my '13 is really remarkably fast and fluid, yet I recently was playing around with a 2014, and was pleasantly surprised at how much faster it was over what I consider an already super fast '13 unit, and even the resolution seemed improved again ('13's got nicely improved resolution over earlier models). Of course the '14's get the touch-pad as well as other various improvements to the unit.

I ask because I notice lots of early F10 drivers complain about the voice recognition in their cars, but by '13+ I find the voice recognition almost PERFECT in my car, really the best I've used in a car yet. The one in my E Classes was unusably bad to me as well so it appears they didn't modify it by 2014.

IMO BMW kind of screwed early F10 buyers, as I think the car had so many improvements by 2013 and more-so 2014 that it seems a little "incomplete" in its earliest iterations. It doesn't give much confidence in BMW's first year attempts, i.e I hate to say it but I'd probably second guess getting a first or second year BMW going forward.

Anyway, congrats and enjoy the new whip. You and I did a cross move in the opposite directions.

 

Even though I loathe BMW, I feel that the 5 series has a better interface (idrive) and navigation system/voice command. My voice command has never worked in my car to find an address lol.


Driving wise, the E-class even though 'sport' is still a luxury ride where as the 5 series is def. sportier.



My biggest downside is the safety technology (you know how they advertise the commercial where it stops before the kid?) yeah I wouldn't bet anyones life on that! A car came jetting out in front of my and the sensors didn't even react, I had to slam the brakes and dive into the over lane with on coming traffic........

then when a car slows down to make a turn no where near me the thing beeps/goes crazy.......


either than that its a great car just wish they allowed to make it more luxurious but then you are infringing on the s-class

 

You really need to take the time to train Linguatronic to make it work well. Untrained, mine is awful - trained, it rarely misses a beat - and I use it all of the time.

 

that's a good point, although I never use mine, I remember when the dealer made me sit there on my delivery night going through the voice rec......all I wanted to do was bolt! haha.......that sh$t took like 20 minutes!

and still....never use it.......seems so silly, but I could see how people like it I guess

 

I think you will find that Diamond White is an amazing color. It is roughly the same "whiteness" but there is a depth to it you just cant get with a non-metallic solid color. I really notice the depth under streetlights, in the sun, and in just about any reflective light. I was not sure about it either, but, I am already thinking about my next MB and it will likely be Diamond White as well. Simply cant say enough about how pleased I am with the color.

 

I keep my center display set on the instantaneous fuel economy graph, so other than volume the other media controls are not immediately available. I mainly use mine to switch between sources, tune to different Sirius channels, make phone calls and navigation stuff.

I thought it was silly at first, and felt strange talking to the car - now it is one of those things that really I miss when I don't have it - it's second nature now.

 

well there might be my problem! thanks

 

I trained it. My complaint is when I say "CALL NAME" and then speak a name in my contacts, it can't find it if I speak the full name. But if I speak just a first or last name, I get a list of names.

Nothing beats my KIA. "Call Mary Jones at Home" from any screen. The KIA nails it. The KIA had also does voice training, but the real kind where you speak random words. The E350 is just asking for commands and digits.