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- you are disturbed if the music starts out automatically on medium sound level when you turn on the ignition regardless if you have turned it off when you left the car
- if you are 189cm long and want to use the seat behind you (not even a 10 year old child could seat there because of the small space)
- if you need luggage room - it is useless with this 340liter space
- if you are disturbed if the down shifts sound is coming purely from the speakers of the car
- if you are disturbed if the hybrid mode is terrible (switching on and off continuously on the highway if the battery is down)
- if you want a suspension which gives you either feedback from the road or old Mercedes style comfortable travel
- if you need good build quality and do not like if the dashboard and all the car is continuously clatter
....
if you would like to feel that you have spent your money well on something which is thoroughly tested and well designed and built with passion and love
Fair enough on some of your points, but on the first point that's not unique to the E53. There's no real way to turn off the radio in modern Infotainment systems. You can mute it, but can't turn it off. Are you saying if you mute it, it unmutes when the car is started? Haven't verified this with the latest MBUX system. Also, the Infotainment system as a whole can't really be turned off as pretty much everything is controlled through the touchscreen, and in the USA at least the backup camera is mandatory, so the system has to power on in order to show the camera when backing up. This is also what killed the short lived retractable displays that some manufacturers used.
On the second point, that's why different size vehicles exist. The E Class is midsize. For lanky people there are full-size vehicles such as the S Class.
Last edited by superswiss; Dec 14, 2024 at 02:52 PM.
Your profile says you drive a W206. What’s your experience with the 2025(?) E 53 that resulted in your post?
I was wondering the same and just assumed it was a test drive, which would be great because of the OP's conclusion that it wasn't a good fit for him. I would hate for someone to buy a car and come to these conclusions afterwards.
- you are disturbed if the music starts out automatically on medium sound level when you turn on the ignition regardless if you have turned it off when you left the car
- if you are 189cm long and want to use the seat behind you (not even a 10 year old child could seat there because of the small space)
- if you need luggage room - it is useless with this 340liter space
- if you are disturbed if the down shifts sound is coming purely from the speakers of the car
- if you are disturbed if the hybrid mode is terrible (switching on and off continuously on the highway if the battery is down)
- if you want a suspension which gives you either feedback from the road or old Mercedes style comfortable travel
- if you need good build quality and do not like if the dashboard and all the car is continuously clatter
....
if you would like to feel that you have spent your money well on something which is thoroughly tested and well designed and built with passion and love
I'm 180 cm and there is no room behind the driver's seat for a passenger. That's OK because I've never had anyone ride in the rear cabin.
I have a spare tire w/tools and room for 2 large suit cases and a duffle in the trunk.
The ride on the non-RF tires is as good as on my W208, W210 and W211 vehicles.
Build quality is very good as nothing has fallen off and I've never had a rattle, squeek or other such noise.
- you are disturbed if the music starts out automatically on medium sound level when you turn on the ignition regardless if you have turned it off when you left the car
-e
As a note....in my latest MB Purchase (of nearly $200k)....you can not turn off the radio...EVER. Then, when you put in a kill switch (so that you do not need to always charge the vehicle as to not kill the batteries) - well, the clock is never, not ever correct on the radio......so...you think you got it rough ;-P
Music doesn't start at medium level when you start the car, but rather at the level you left it at when you turn it off. I just turn it down before I turn it off. Problem solved.
Nop! I used to have W206 C43 but I sold 3 weeks ago because it was in the service in the first year 3 month out of the 12 month because of transmission and electrical issue and the service could not fix it at all.. Does it look like as a real W214 E53?! Please do not remarks if you do not have any experience with the car or cannot share your real experience with that.
Music doesn't start at medium level when you start the car, but rather at the level you left it at when you turn it off. I just turn it down before I turn it off. Problem solved.
It is good to hear. Than there might be a different version of the software than on mine. What is strange that I think my car is the newer one compared to yours so it must have the latest version of the software. Anyway thanks for the remark
It is good to hear. Than there might be a different version of the software than on mine. What is strange that I think my car is the newer one compared to yours so it must have the latest version of the software. Anyway thanks for the remark
The software version I have is E262.3-4975 and hasn't changed since I took delivery the end of August. Mine is a 2025 E450, so not exactly the same as yours, but I would think the software should be the same. I also do not have the noise from the dash that you mentioned above. I have the superscreen package.
Regarding your uncomfortable seats. Which seats did you get? I have the multicontour seats and find them very comfortable. I'm guessing you opted for the AMG Performance seats? If so, I would expect them to be less comfortable than the multicontour seats.
The software version I have is E262.3-4975 and hasn't changed since I took delivery the end of August. Mine is a 2025 E450, so not exactly the same as yours, but I would think the software should be the same. I also do not have the noise from the dash that you mentioned above. I have the superscreen package.
Regarding your uncomfortable seats. Which seats did you get? I have the multicontour seats and find them very comfortable. I'm guessing you opted for the AMG Performance seats? If so, I would expect them to be less comfortable than the multicontour seats.
My version is E267.0-5586 so I think it is not a matter of the software as it is newer than yours.
The seat is the standard seat not the performance one. The backrest is very good but the seating part is terrible without any real support for the upper leg either sideway or downside. It feels like that I am sitting in a wooden bench compared to the seat of the RS7 and M3 which I drove a lot.
The seat is the standard seat not the performance one. The backrest is very good but the seating part is terrible without any real support for the upper leg either sideway or downside. It feels like that I am sitting in a wooden bench compared to the seat of the RS7 and M3 which I drove a lot.
Should have optioned the AMG Performance Seats if you wanted better lateral support. Not sure which seats you had in the RS7, but even the standard seats in the M3 are sportier and have better support. The AMG Performance Seats are still very comfortable while providing excellent support. I've done 12 hour road trips in mine. Having said that, though, I didn't like the new design AMG Performance Seats as found in the E53 as much as the previous gen Recaro seats in my C63. I think the new design is no longer made by Recaro.
I appreciate this anecdotal cautionary tale from the Thread Starter: @oncsy.
I have a 2025 E53 on order. They are rare-ish in my area so getting a test drive has been non-trivial (most cars have owners before they arrive). As luck would have it an Edition 1 model arrived today without an owner. I took it for a test drive many hours ago.
Here is my experience (subjective):
I agree with all the positives about the looks, inside and out.
Because the bottom of all cabin windows start higher than on my current car, this E53 felt wider on the road than its actual size. And with noticeably less vision (not a deal breaker).
Cabin noise was impressively low - talking to sales person almost at a whisper. Impressive.
(Sport+) The braking felt consistent until you were about 1-2 seconds from a complete stop, where the braking rate suddenly reduced, giving you a weird feeling like you let off the pedal about 20-30%, but you didn't. It happened somewhat consistently and did erode a little braking confidence at intersections.
Steering seemed ok, but slightly disconnected which eroded confidence a bit. The cornering at speed was excellent, which brought the steering confidence back up.
Sadly, even in Comfort mode the incredibly stiff ride quality, which helps immensely during cornering, was not as comfortable as I had hoped for in a daily driver.
There has been a consistent theme in reviews of the W214: that the very smooth ride quality feels like a baby S-Class. While most to these reviews probably benefited from the AirMATIC suspension, I had heard the E53 suspension was also very versatile.
Maybe it was too much to hope that in Comfort mode this AMG would retain enough of the same ride comfort celebrated in those reviews.
The Edition 1 that I drove comes with the 21" wheels, so the sidewalls are 35 and 30% (front / rear). I had hoped (maybe ignorantly) that with the adaptive dampers the suspension might still feel comfortable.
I understand my current car (2014 C300 4MATIC) with higher profile All Seasons (40ZR18 & 35ZR18) is not 1:1 comparable, but in a Mercedes to Mercedes test, my 10 year old car is subjectively more comfortable - and this makes the E53EW4 feel like a confusing downgrade.
My custom build (on order) has the same 21" wheels as the Edition 1.
I wondered if simply changing from the 21" to the 20" wheels would make enough of a difference. I noticed the OP's car has 20" and that review cited the comfort being an issue.
Does anyone know what the smallest wheel size can be on an E53 with the AMG Performance Plus Package? The build options only offer 20" and 21", but maybe one of the E350, 450 OEM 19" wheels could still fit over the composite brakes?
The Performance Seats in the Edition 1 might have played a role, and my custom order has the more comfortable ones, so maybe that will help a lot. I noticed the OP's car has the same seats as I do and that review cited the comfort being an issue.
My current car is a C-Class so you can imagine a little surprise when an E-Class is less comfortable, but maybe all AMGs are so significantly stiffer that I am just calibrated all wrong here and maybe need to buy an E450 instead and suffer AirMATIC service fees to get a smooth ride in this handsome body style.
I appreciate this anecdotal cautionary tale from the Thread Starter: @oncsy.
I have a 2025 E53 on order. They are rare-ish in my area so getting a test drive has been non-trivial (most cars have owners before they arrive). As luck would have it an Edition 1 model arrived today without an owner. I took it for a test drive many hours ago.
Here is my experience (subjective):
I agree with all the positives about the looks, inside and out.
Because the bottom of all cabin windows start higher than on my current car, this E53 felt wider on the road than its actual size. And with noticeably less vision (not a deal breaker).
Cabin noise was impressively low - talking to sales person almost at a whisper. Impressive.
(Sport+) The braking felt consistent until you were about 1-2 seconds from a complete stop, where the braking rate suddenly reduced, giving you a weird feeling like you let off the pedal about 20-30%, but you didn't. It happened somewhat consistently and did erode a little braking confidence at intersections.
Steering seemed ok, but slightly disconnected which eroded confidence a bit. The cornering at speed was excellent, which brought the steering confidence back up.
Sadly, even in Comfort mode the incredibly stiff ride quality, which helps immensely during cornering, was not as comfortable as I had hoped for in a daily driver.
There has been a consistent theme in reviews of the W214: that the very smooth ride quality feels like a baby S-Class. While most to these reviews probably benefited from the AirMATIC suspension, I had heard the E53 suspension was also very versatile.
Maybe it was too much to hope that in Comfort mode this AMG would retain enough of the same ride comfort celebrated in those reviews.
The Edition 1 that I drove comes with the 21" wheels, so the sidewalls are 35 and 30% (front / rear). I had hoped (maybe ignorantly) that with the adaptive dampers the suspension might still feel comfortable.
I understand my current car (2014 C300 4MATIC) with higher profile All Seasons (40ZR18 & 35ZR18) is not 1:1 comparable, but in a Mercedes to Mercedes test, my 10 year old car is subjectively more comfortable - and this makes the E53EW4 feel like a confusing downgrade.
My custom build (on order) has the same 21" wheels as the Edition 1.
I wondered if simply changing from the 21" to the 20" wheels would make enough of a difference. I noticed the OP's car has 20" and that review cited the comfort being an issue.
Does anyone know what the smallest wheel size can be on an E53 with the AMG Performance Plus Package? The build options only offer 20" and 21", but maybe one of the E350, 450 OEM 19" wheels could still fit over the composite brakes?
The Performance Seats in the Edition 1 might have played a role, and my custom order has the more comfortable ones, so maybe that will help a lot. I noticed the OP's car has the same seats as I do and that review cited the comfort being an issue.
My current car is a C-Class so you can imagine a little surprise when an E-Class is less comfortable, but maybe all AMGs are so significantly stiffer that I am just calibrated all wrong here and maybe need to buy an E450 instead and suffer AirMATIC service fees to get a smooth ride in this handsome body style.
I had thought through the many reasons TO get a E53 (looks, performance, status...) - and balanced that with "will I actually drive that fast on a daily basis - or even At All!?". My answer was the E450 was the Goldilocks perfection. It seems that you probably are leaning that way now. Buy the right car for YOUR needs.
Can anyone who has already taken delivery confirm if the comfort / road noise is as bad as they are claiming it to be in the throttle house review? I placed an order for an e53 without driving one and I’m a little worried about an extremely harsh ride / road noise.
For what it’s worth I ordered the 20 inch wheels with the expectation the 21s would be a significantly poorer ride quality / cabin noise issue. I also got the pinnacle trim so it should have the sound insulated glass.
2025 AMG E 53; 2018 GLC300 4Matic; 2003 360 Modena
I caught that as well, and did exactly what you did. I chose the 20" for ride comfort, as the width are the same 20 or 21, along with the pinnacle package. I also chose R01 Summer tires over all season, which are presumably, louder. I have very limited driving time - however, tire noise was not something that crossed my mind. Chicago has so many different pavement types - that quiet ride / tires on one pavement is very noisy on another. I do agree that comfort mode is excellent and leave the other settings for very smooth pavement. My frame of reference is a 2005 C55 AMG and a 2016 E350 with sport suspension via the AMG styling package. The E 53 is better than both and I think tuned right for the mid-line car that it is, based on the expectation of an E63.
I caught that as well, and did exactly what you did. I chose the 20" for ride comfort, as the width are the same 20 or 21, along with the pinnacle package. I also chose R01 Summer tires over all season, which are presumably, louder. I have very limited driving time - however, tire noise was not something that crossed my mind. Chicago has so many different pavement types - that quiet ride / tires on one pavement is very noisy on another. I do agree that comfort mode is excellent and leave the other settings for very smooth pavement. My frame of reference is a 2005 C55 AMG and a 2016 E350 with sport suspension via the AMG styling package. The E 53 is better than both and I think tuned right for the mid-line car that it is, based on the expectation of an E63.
Thank you for your insights! I was a bit conflicted because in most reviews (written or video) half claim the ride is comfortable and quiet and the other half claim it is noisy and harsh.
It’s really quite polarizing - my suspicion is the 21 inch wheels combined with new cars that may not have the bushings broken in yet could be contributing to the reportedly negative ride quality.
I did a test drive (Edition One) a few weeks back and the 21" wheels made the ride a little too rough for me. That said, the road noise was lower than my current car, and the sales guy was almost at a whisper talking to me it was so quiet inside. The video above was way louder than my experience on Northern California highways and surface streets. I also did a test drive with a new E350 about 6 months ago and it was more comfortable (albeit without the beast mode power) than the E53, but also a bit soft in the corners (of course).
The original poster has 20" wheels on his E53 and still found it rough. I know much of this is subjective, or at least relative to what you currently drive or expect, but I am still a bit worried the 20" wheels might not allow enough sidewall, especially at the pressures needed, to counteract the very heavy car. I really appreciate the notes above about PSI. I drive alone 99% of the time so I can have the PSI in the mid-range. I have the wheel expert at my dealership looking to see if there are any attractive OEM wheels at 19" that will fit over the 390mm front brakes and 4MATIC bits on the E53. If so, I'm going that route on the one I ordered - and trading the 21" forged wheels I foolishly and ignorantly spec'd.
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