2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: First Impressions
CARS.COM — At a time when many luxury cars are using striking design to stand out — think Lexus GS and its massive spindle grille — Mercedes is going a different route with its redesigned-for-2017 E-Class midsize sedan, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It has a refined, stately appearance that doesn’t grab your attention like some midsize luxury cars, but its understated look appeals nonetheless.
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A choice of grilles — either a traditional-looking three-bar design with a Mercedes-star hood ornament or a two-bar design with a large star in the middle — change the E-Class’ front-end appearance, but not as much as you might expect.
The E-Class has a downward-sloping trunk lid, which is different than a lot of competitors that finish their cars with an upturned trunk lid. The design works well, but it cuts into overall trunk height — especially near the cargo area’s rear bumper.
The cabin draws heavily from Mercedes’ flagship S-Class sedan, both from a design standpoint and with regard to the materials quality, which is high. The configurable digital instrument panel looks great with its crisp, vibrant graphics. It’s positioned beside another large screen in the middle of the dashboard for the multimedia system, and together the two look like a wide tablet computer.
The front seats are comfortable with good space for taller adults (I’m 6-foot-1). The backseat, though, is less accommodating; it feels snug, and a large center floor hump and limited space for your feet underneath the front seats compromise foot space.
