New-generation BMW 5 Series rival gets S-Class tech and longer plug-in hybrid ranges On sale Summer Price from £50,000 (est)
Doug Revolta doug.revolta@haymarket.com
IN THE 1990s, if you’d told a high-flying exec that one day they could own a car capable of parking itself with no one in it, or connecting them to worldwide video calls, they’d have thrown their Nokia at you.
Welcome to the future, and the latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class.This sixth-generation model features cutting-edge tech that first appeared in the S-Class flagship, plus a heavily reworked, BMW-beating plug-in hybrid (PHEV) set-up.The BMW reference is important, because since the E-Class first appeared in 1993, it’s been trading blows with the 5 Series.
Indeed, the 5 Series has had the upper hand for a while. Better to drive and sit in than the fifth-generation E-Class, it’s a more talented and polished product. So, is that superiority now under threat?
Well, let’s start with the exterior. Compared with the outgoing E-Class, the newest version has a longer bonnet, revised headlights and optional flush-fitting door handles.The front grille is bigger and has a surround that can be illuminated as an optional extra.
The new model is 28mm wider and 26mm longer than its predecessor, with 22mm added to the distance between the front and rear wheels.That should mean an improvement in rear seat space – an area in which the outgoing model was poor.The boot remains a generous 540 litres, or 370 in the PHEV version.
Inside, the changes are more significant. A comprehensive reworking has given the E-Class a snazzy, screen-filled interior.You get a 12.3in digital driver’s display, a 14.4in central infotainment screen and, if the option is ticked, a second 12.3in display for the front passenger to create a ‘Superscreen’.
Unfortunately, physical buttons are in short supply, so controlling many of the infotainment functions will need to be done using the voice command system, touchpads on the steering wheel or the screens themselves. Infotainment systems with more physical controls – the 5 Series’ BMW iDrive dial, for example – are less of a distraction to use when you’re driving.
Opting for the Superscreen also gets you a camera on the dashboard.That’s handy if you want to take selfies or (more usefully) join video meetings from the car when parked up. It works with third-party apps supported by the infotainment system, including Zoom.
Don’t worry, though: a selfie-cam isn’t the pinnacle of the new tech on offer here. There’s also an optional Intelligent Parking Pilot function
