Raymond Lee

Consumer Reports
"5. Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec

Base MSRP price range: $51,800 - $103,200

Looking for a luxury car that's super comfortable and cruises the highway for more than 800 miles without a fuel stop? What if it were the highest-rated luxury car in Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey and aced just about all of our tests? That car is the outstanding E-Class diesel."

Raymond Lee

Consumer Report On E250
5. Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec



Base MSRP price range: $51,800 - $103,200

Looking for a luxury car that's super comfortable and cruises the highway for more than 800 miles without a fuel stop? What if it were the highest-rated luxury car in Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey and aced just about all of our tests? That car is the outstanding E-Class diesel.

Not bad!

rediesel

$51800 is the base, but a LOADED E250 has an MSRP of $77000 not $103000.

DerekACS

The price range quoted by CR is for the entire E Class (E250 - E63).

rediesel

Ahh $103,200 is the base price of an E63s wagon. Amazingly it's possible to add another $30,000+ in options.

Raymond Lee

If Consumer Report says, " highest-rated luxury car in Consumer Reports’ owner satisfaction survey and aced just about all of our tests? That car is the outstanding E-Class diesel"
It can only be a good news to all our e250 owners. This car really loves to be driven. There have been no hills that I had problems with climbing. Trans indicates D7 and it just keeps climbing.

El Cid

Where did you find this? I remember reading something about it a while back, but can't locate it right now. The Tesla actually scored the highest as I recall - and it's a luxury car.
I am one of those CR surveys, but have always questioned the validity of the "owner satisfaction" surveys.
The question is: "Would you buy this car again?" It is not: Are you satisfied with this car? Or better: Considering your experiences with this car and the other cars available at time of purchase, do you think you made the best choice for yourself?
I seldom purchase the same make/model twice in a row. Often looking for something different. Also, a car purchased three years ago may have been surpassed by one that was weak at the time that car was purchased.
We could also get into the psychology/honesty of asking people to state: I made a bad decision when I purchased this car. Then there is always the person who wants to beef up the rating for his/her choice, so he/she says yes. Early adopters for electrics and hybrids may also do this.
IMO, it's a useless and misleading manner in which to rate cars. I have told the CEO of CU this.
Another question might be as to why does diesel rate so highly and gasoline versions with same body, chasis, features, ride, etc. do not rate highly?
CR also gives mediocre reliability and value ratings to the "E" Class compared to other luxury cars. In fact, they do not rate the diesel version at all. This usually means they have too few respondents, so how can they say it is "highest rated luxury car" if they have too few respondents? BTW, Tesla is number one per CR, so they are contradicting themselves.
Of course CR also gives terrible overall ratings to the CLA and S550.
Glad that you are enjoying your car and that MB is scoring well in something. But this "satisfaction" rating is the least valid of any that CR does.

DerekACS

It was published in the February online version. CR @ that time gave the E250BT 4Matic the highest ever rating, 98/100, for a car with an internal combustion engine. Only the Telsa scored one point higher in their computation.

The Owner satisfaction rating given by CR is a different measure altogether. They gave their highest rating of 88% to "E Class diesels", based on owners' responses.

As other owners of E250BT have stated, it's an amazing car that blends decent performance and handling, comfort, safety, and of course outstanding fuel efficiency.

Unfortunately, many would-be American buyers of luxury cars shun their noses @ diesel, preferring the more inefficient gas alternatives. Maybe some of them have read too many misleading ads by Toyota, who has run a relentless campaign against the German diesel competition to their Hybrid fleet ?

Pity that MBUSA and MB Canada have done so little to counteract such false advertising and to market the merits of the E250BT ! if only prospective MB buyers knew, as CR confirms, what an exceptional car the E250BT really is !

Raymond Lee

This e250 BT is as practical as it can be with passing power, ride quality, fuel mileage reaching 800 miles in a full tank and with all luxury features any car can offer.This is only 4 banger but it feels like V6. I am pretty impressed! You gents. will feel like I am soon.

El Cid

Other than the diesel engine, the E250BT and E350 V6 are the same car.
Since the E250BT does not have a spare and diesel costs 30-70 cents a gal. more than premium where I live, don't see one in my future.

Trancebolt

Its truly a different animal. The "250" (2.1) and the "350" (3.0). Diesel will stay the same price for ten years for sure, but gas will go down and up fast and hard and unexpectedly. Always has and always will. Plus, your not reliant on the desert warlords for gas. Electric and Diesel for the win. Its not really about the mpg anyhow. Its just fundamental. If my car can have enough power to throw it around when i want to and still be working away from gas dependancy im game. I picked the 3 for engine sound and higher hp/tq with tune box and i prefer the body style to the facelift. Also no start/stop.

The new corvette has an eco mode that changes the engine from its monster output to baby power and 30mpg, and thats also a good way to go... but its STILL gasoline, and its still only got one play mode = axemurderer.

The true performance diesel is the M550d xdrive. Mercedes could have topped it, but they dont want to race to performance. Theyve made the bluetec system, diesel cars in general first and overall a more enveloping interior. So BMW had to show them up. You want performance diesel all out? You go from 39MPG highway to 29 max... So, MBZ realized that would defeat the purpose almost. They dont offer a 420 cdi anymore even in europe i believe. Audi and BMW has 300+ hp. 700+ tq variants. Audi an SUV, and BMW that m550Xdrive (europe), 535d M xDrive america.

Still, with gas being 3 dollars for premium and between 280-340 for diesel, you still are achieving 25% higher AVERAGE mpg(over the gas base e class, 20avg (550/63=15avg), not to mention highway cruise of 40mpgs still in 6th gear. So the raw savings are there alone without the GUARANTEED gas price hike that IS coming again and again and forever.

My fuelly is less accurate than people say. my cars trip computer hasnt been reset since new. 33000=27.4 mpg, and city i get 22-27, hwy 30-42 (highest yet.) in as short as 20 miles on the hwy. So, its not 800 miles a tank I get 400-500... but still, for the fun you get to have in the city with the torque (I added a Kleeman tune box), and the potental to refine future natural stuff into diesel....

Many comedians will say if you see gas going down, some country is being exploited. =D

El Cid

Diesel prices go up and down just like gasoline prices. Also, if US imports crude for gasoline, it is also importing crude for diesel.
Today's prices here : Premium-2.09; Diesel-2.57. That differential has been pretty consistent for years.

pamiboy

Exactly, diesel prices also vary along with the entire petroleum industry. Many people buy gas versions not because of the mpg savings but the inherent smoothness and NVH levels of V6 compared with diesel models. Having said that we all agree that E 250 is a great car (after all it's an MB E class&#128525.

listerone

Although it's not really "apples to apples" my 2011 Bluetec didn't even break a sweat climbing Mt Evans (not far west of Denver) a couple of years ago.I just might do the trip again with my new "d" (270 ft lbs torque) and see what happens.

HAILERS2

What do you E250 guys get for gas mileage at interstate speeds. Interstate speeds are 70-75 mph where I come from. Lots of 75mph.

Raymond Lee

I get 49 to 51 at that speed. Hard to believe but it is what I get.

looney100

I've got about 7000KM on my E250 and haven't used any gas yet.

HAILERS2

Darn smarty. Ok, diesel instead of gas. I surrender. I do have a ML350 Bluetec and do know the difference b/t gas and diesel. I'll do better in the future.