Music_Lover

Front is uglier than the current, but a LOT better from behind as I never liked the small rear lights on the current.
Still prefer the 2011 design!

jhpmbusa

around here nobody bats an eye for an e class, especially once they started looking like the c class... haha after this round it will mistaken for an A class instead.

Once you get to the E class, its really hard to move upwards in this brand, you are kind of stuck, I've been looking into the AMGs to try something different as I am in the current E, but they are just way too stiff for me. so the next two options for me are the CLS and the S class. S is way too big and the CLS from the inside is exactly the same as an E class at twice the payment... can't do suvs as I just don't like their driving positions... so ultimately, i think i'll just end up with another E class. Whether I like the exterior or not, the interior is top notch and the ride is good enough. Interior matters more to me as I drive from the inside of the car and not on the outside haha.

jhpmbusa

even in this video, at 21 seconds - looks like i can shove my fist between the rear tire and the car? looks like the car is lifted....

Music_Lover

Why the 18” wheels?
19” AMG is the sweet spot

Music_Lover

Yeah, strange

And the watch is gone. Is it possible to get it as an option?

Cao Black

Really curious why they took time and trouble to remove the (somewhat elegant looking) clock and leave the space void.

jhpmbusa

i think its because they are trying to look modern and move towards the future. analog < digital. I prefer it as well, but as some has stated, there is time on the dash as well as the infotainment system. I think its one of those things that you never use/appreciate until now they take it away...

Streamliner

Yeah, like the beautiful, little star that’s supposed to sit on top of the hood!

Music_Lover

However, you can buy that star and mount it on the hood.
Is that possible with the watch?
It look SOO elegant imho, and I’m using it often in my car.

Streamliner

I really mean no offense, but mounting the upright star on a car already sporting the star in the grille is tacky. The terms “Mickey Mouse” and “gauche” also come to mind.

190Efan

The star emblem in the center of the grill is where it is on the original Gullwing. That's not bad company to be in IMHO.

Streamliner

The big star in the center of the grille on MB automobiles traditionally announced that you were looking at a sporting or competition car. It was that way for 30 or 40 years and seeing it on a car was a big deal. Then, MB started to dilute the meaning of the star-in-grille, by putting on much more pedestrian vehicles. Can anyone say “CLA?” The big star in the grille is now meaningless. It is just another way MB is dumping tradition, dumping ON their traditional customers and focusing entirely on the youth market. As an old guy, I love the big star in the grille of my SL, but think it looks ridiculous on sedans, wagons, etc. Of course, this is just my opinion.

Hundens

Stream your points are very well taken. The star with single bar on the SL is attractive and I like the vertical AMG Grill which is evocative of the 1930 race cars. For me the SUVs with the double bars and plastic inlays don’t make it. But Benz has always been about engineering not styling, just the reverse of Jaguar.

Streamliner

Those fake, plastic, “air intake” inserts on the current GLE are astonishingly bad. They have that sort of diamond design relief to them and I can’t even imagine what it’s like to clean the dead bugs out of all those crevices.

Music_Lover

Really interesting resent posts, I learn a lot.
Thanks!

Lanzz

Streamliner, yes - once those fake plastic "air inserts" are filled with bugs and crud, I may just look to trade, LOL.

190Efan

The star emblem in the center of the grill for the newer MBs started with the W204 C class. I guess that MB was looking at their buyers demographics and realized they need to do something to lower the average age of their buyers or they would eventually be out of business. The star emblem in the center of the grill was seen as a more youthful attribute. This trend actually started with the W204 c class which is before the CLA. It seems like all of the manufacturers are moving towards 1 style for their entire line ups with size being the only differentiating characteristic.

ua549

Your comment reminds me of a similar quote about full ashtrays.

jumpman726

Here's a new 1-hour review and test drive of the E-Class sedan that was posted last night by Autogefuhl.

As a W212 owner, I am considering the new E-Class. I'm not a big fan of the new headlights, especially when the DRL are off. They're smaller and more rounded making the car look weak. The AMG exterior package helps with that and it would be a must for me. I like the new gray matte wood trim option with the Saddle Brown interior. I hated the Nut Brown color on the prefacelift.

Streamliner

Well, you’re in luck, as the AMG Line exterior is the ONLY model that will be available in the USA. The brilliant minds at MBUSA will not allow Americans to have the option of the Luxury models anymore, which I feel is a ridiculous, crying shame. Love the traditional, Luxury look!

190Efan

I have to agree with you Streamliner as the luxury look is my personal preference as well. Unfortunately, the bean counters now run MB and they probably looked at the sales of the luxury version vs the cost of making the luxury version available and decided that the sales were too low to justify the cost. This is why I have no plans to get rid of my much loved W201.

Cao Black

Yeah, it's a tough call. Modern designers missed the mark completely about knobs.
I personally have never seen a digital clock that looked more elegant or luxurious than anlalog.

Grant Hummel

The tester is an Air Body Control equipped vehicle. In comfort mode, there is decent wheel gap.

I had an Airmatic equipped 2015 C-class that looked a little goofy in comfort mode--as soon as it was switched over to Sport/Sport + the ride height was much better.

But the ride was pretty cush in Comfort...worth the extra wheel gap, IMO.

Hundens

An unnecessarily long review if there ever was one. I like Thomas find little to like in the Facelift. MBUX is nice but what else other than that. It was good to see the Burmeister upgrade. It must be the silliest way to spend 4Gs in the automotive world.

Music_Lover

Agree!