I don't mind most things being on the touch screen. What annoys me the most is buttons that aren't really separate buttons. The feeling of clicking the whole panel with multiple buttons on it isn't as nice as clicking separate buttons. Also the seat adjustment buttons don't move, that's much less pleasant than the version on older Mercedes models where they did move. This I think they actually brought back on the new CLA.

 

Agree, 100%!

 

Haptic touch can only do so much as well.

 

That is an important term, again, I am happy that they started bringing some back in the facelift W223 S-Class (as per spyshots), I am not saying to go back to analogue but like you said, a good balance. I will add good balance of wood as well.

 

The good news is, there are some more buttons on the facelift W223, as per the spyshots so I am hopeful MB is bringing at least some back across the lineup.

 

Yes, sounds promising for a future E-class. Probably in a refresh a couple of years down the line. Too late of course for the “early adopters” like myself.

 

Maybe some software updates will be made for early adopters so that things like the volume work better.

 

I don’t want to be a constant negative Tommy here, but even in case of the headlights, they have dumped down the hardware a bit, in the 214s, from my observation.

In the 214s, technology wise, the upgraded lights are digital lights (which add the animations etc to the underlying Multi-beam LEDs), which in theory are an upgrade over the “Multi-beam LEDs” from the prior year. I am not talking about the base lights at all of the 214 E-class, since they got switched to “High performance LEDs”, which is a euphemism for Honda Accord quality reflector LEDs, which are a shameful addition to an E-class level 95K$ product.

When they introduced the 213 refresh in 2021, they were super proud of the fact that the Multi-beam LED lights (high beams) had a throw that went well beyond the 1600 feet allowed by law, but they restricted the throw to 1600 feet, to stay compliant with the maximum throw allowed by law. Absolutely phenomenal lights, by any measure.

In the 214s, I believe they dumped down the lighting hardware a bit, to the point where the lights are certainly impressive by measuring it against other such cars on the road, but a notch below, hardware-wise, when compared to the 213 Multi-beam LED lights. These will not need any “restricting to 1600feet” to stay compliant, since these don’t have any innate ability to go to the maximum allowed by law (as per my observation).

To me, it looks like when it came to the 214 redesign, they analysed the car top-to-down, and figured out the areas within the car that they could bring the costs down (eliminate the vast real-wood within the interior from the 213s, bring down the camera quality, bring down the lighting hardware, removal of the top-quality aluminum Buttons/switches/knobs from all over the car and moving them into screen-based controls etc) and still pass off the product as meeting the standards of an E-class. They obviously did not factor for keen-eyed observers, who have owned the prior-gen E-class, noticing all of these cheapening of the interior/exterior right away.

They however, did some improvements to the chassis dynamics, which is certainly a plus (probably where a bunch of the engineering dollars went). And I truly hope they did not compromise on the other aspects of the car, like say the painting process etc., which could be trouble spots a few years down the line. Of course if you are leasing, you would not care, but as a car owner, I really do care about the 15+ years’ longevity of the product.

 

Here are a couple of comparison pictures of the lights in question.


The Multi-beam LEDs from the 213 E-class (actual picture from my own car)

The Digital lights (Multi-beam LEDs) from the current generation E-class

 

The W214 has more updated tech than the W223 pre-facelift, the design language as well, I would say the W214 is a preview of the S-Class facelift (except the buttons I guess) in a smaller form factor. You still got a nice car, enjoy it.

 

Yes hopefully.

 

Th/e headlights, the standard LED's, are a definite disappointment. They're not horrible, but not as bright as in my 2019 SL or in my traded 2018 V90. The cutoff for low beams is too sharp so if you're going down a road with lots of ups and downs (welcome to Maine), going down the hill you completely lose sight of the deer/moose/bear that's standing in the middle of the road on the uphill side (welcome to Maine). The high beams help but are still not as good as in the older vehicles. The Volvo lit up the road like 747 land lights.

As for the haptic controls, I have a constant problem with the controls on the left side spoke of the steering wheel. The driver''s display control is too sensitive and when I'm turning a corner, apparently the proximiity of my hand is sufficient to change the disiplay from the map to showing what's playing on the radio, or what my mileage is. Happens at least once during every drive. I'm thinking of taking the tube from a roll of toilet paper, slicing it open, and placing it around the spoke. Will really look classy.....

 

Hopefully when the digital lights get full functionality again, it can be better.

 

Did someone actually measured the lumens of the two lights, the beaming angle (I understand this can be adjusted) compared to previous gen E-Class mutlbeam? Did some compare both in both EU (full) vs US (partial) spec.

 

I did not compare the lumens, but basing my assessment on the seat-of-the-pants feel. The new Digital Lights have undergone some dumbing down, from a hardware perspective. Just like the cameras went through the same dumbing down. Just like the interior quality went through some dumbing down. And so on.

 

I see, I wonder if the US spec W214 is still dimmer than W214 European spec and is it dimmer than the European spec W213.

 

I'm not doubting you, but curious how you can tell? Is it the amount of light, the distance they travel, or something you see with the physical light?

Coming from a W212 with halogens i find the W214 to have far brighter lights and a much wider and farther beam projection, but that's an apples to orange comparison. I've never driven the W213 so hard for me to compare. My only complaint is the auto high/low is too sensitive and will drop to low when it should not. Otherwise they light up the road very well.

 

I guess you can also share your perspective of it compared to other makes and models you driven, the digital light should be brighter I would at least hope.

 

Yes, the W214 is far brighter than all the cars I've owned or driven. I don't modify my lights to some obnoxiously bright light as many of my fellow drivers do though. In particular, pickup trucks, but I digress. All of my prior cars besides the W212 have been GM, Dodge, and Chrysler so also not apples to apples.

 

 

The same "wow factor" aspect when driving the W213 at night, and the "great but no wow" aspect with the W214, when driving at night. I think I should stop pointing the negatives of the car, since the car is otherwise fantastic, and I am truly pleased with it overall.

I personally do not leave the lights on auto, after encountering the exact same situation you mention above. I switch the lights to stay on (dial all the way to the right), and switch to high-beam and low-beam, on an as needed basis. I did this with the W213, and continue to do that with the W214.


Car sitting outside my gate, in my long rural driveway

 

Hopefully they start coding W214 soon and we can enable the full functionality of the digital lights.

 

[QUOTE=Roweraay;9141925]The same "wow factor" aspect when driving the W213 at night, and the "great but no wow" aspect with the W214, when driving at night. I think I should stop pointing the negatives of the car, since the car is otherwise fantastic, and I am truly pleased with it overall.

I personally do not leave the lights on auto, after encountering the exact same situation you mention above. I switch the lights to stay on (dial all the way to the right), and switch to high-beam and low-beam, on an as needed basis. I did this with the W213, and continue to do that with the W214.

• Great photo of a great looking car!

 

This is akin to watching Mike Tyson in his prime, sparring with his training partners, and then watching a local club level boxer doing his sparring.

And then determining that yes, there’s a stark difference between Tyson and the Club-level boxer. You just know that there’s a difference, without actually instrumentally measuring the power and speed of Tyson (in his prime) !