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Over the years, I've benefited greatly from this forum, so I hope to return the favor a bit by posting a detailed review of my 2015 E400 in four parts. I'll check in to answer questions for a few days, but apologies in advance for not being a frequent visitor/responder.


The Car:
2015 E400, Lunar Blue Metallic, Silk Beige Leather
Sport Package, Adaptive Lighting Package
Premium, Keyless Go
Ventilated Seats, Active Multi-contour Seats
Drive Assistance Package, Parking Assistance Package
Coming from a 2006 BMW 550i Sport with Active Roll Stabilization


Premium Package:

The navigation system has accurate maps, displays them clearly (once you change the settings to eliminate some of the POIs from the default display), directions are accurate and the re-routing for traffic conditions acceptable (not as good as Waze, though). Biggest annoyance: far too many re-routing suggestions, often to save only 1 or 2 minutes. Minor complaint: it takes too many clicks to get to some frequently used items, such as Home destination. Voice recognition for addresses is excellent, especially after using the “training” function available in the voice settings.

The HK Logic 7 audio system included in Premium is excellent. The quality of iPhone media and Satellite radio broadcasts really comes through. Adjustments (balance, fader, etc.) are easy to access and intuitive.

iPhone integration is works just fine but short of BMW’s: you can’t activate Siri via the steering wheel and incoming text messages are harder to get to. I will try to write a separate review. Phone calls / manual Siri activation works well via bluetooth. For best media access results, it helps to plug in the media cable rather than to use the Bluetooth Audio interface; plugging in also allows you to use “Hey Siri” fairly reliably if you leave the center console doors opens or, even better, if you buy an extension cord to allow your phone to sit in the cup holder area.

Less-than-intuitive is how various functions are broken down between the instrument cluster display (ICD), the dashboard screen (DS) and how they are accessible via various buttons. For example, cabin ambiance lighting adjustments are only accessible via the ICD, the clock settings only via the DS, and so on. Multi contour and massage settings are accessible via the DS, with a shortcut button by the COMAND controller (rather than by the seat adjustment buttons on the door). And so on. When you spend some time thinking about it, it makes some sense: things to do with driving are generally via the IC and entertainment via the DC, but counter-examples, some that I mentioned above, make it a bid odd.

Professional reviews of COMAND often complain about how slow the system it is. I don’t have a point of comparison with a recent model competitor, but I don’t find the system slow at all, except when accessing MB Apps, which are painfully slow to start up.

Miscellaneous Premium features: Voice control for general COMAND use is effective but you need to get used to “Global” versus “Local” commands; seats heat up rapidly; folding rear seat implementation is excellent with releases in the trunk; power window shade is good looking and operates smoothly but slowly.

KeyLess Go:

Works as similar systems do. Not much to report other than intuitive and reliable operation so far. For our E400, KeyLess Go does not include the Electronic Trunk Closer (it became a standard part of the package last week). We don’t have the ETC option but don’t miss it too much: the trunk door is light and very well balanced for easy manual operation.


Ventilated Seats / Active Multi-contour

All the functionality is meaningfully and unobtrusively implemented. You can’t really hear or feel the ventilation come on, but you can tell the seat is getting cooler. I’m guessing it would be able to reduce but not eliminate the side effects of hot/humid weather. The air bladders and massage functions are quite noticeable when adjusted/activated, with a wide degree of useful adjustability. The massage is two rollers that run up and down each side of your spine. I don’t have much experience with long distance driving with this vehicle yet (~ 2 hours max drive length) to vouch for the usefulness for that application, but it’s not obvious that these things will make a difference. Note the air bladder functions are not storable as part of the seat memory, and so less useful for situations like ours when multiple people use the same car. Also note both of these are only available for the driver.