2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Review

The E-Class has a longstanding history of putting other large luxury sedans to shame, and the 2009 model carries on this proud tradition of excellence. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class handles confidently, accelerates well, and protects its passengers with an array of sophisticated safety equipment. Admittedly, the E-Class is pricey to maintain, but the vehicle also has one of the best resale values on the market. Read on to find out how the 2009 Mercedes E-Class performed in our road test.

Improvements from the 2008 E-Class

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is very similar to the 2008 model, but Mercedes has tweaked a few things for the new model year. The diesel E-Class, the E320 Bluetec, is now available in all 50 states. For 2009, all models of the E-class are now equipped with a new entertainment system and Bluetooth connectivity. In past years, buyers had to pay for Benz’s 4Matic All-Wheel Drive option, but the option is free for 2009. Lastly, the E-Class offers satellite radio for the first time.

Performance

Offered with four different engines, the performance of the 2009 E-Class ranges from fairly quick to exotic-sports-car fast. Although the E-Class’ ride is not as sporty as those of its rivals, auto reviews praise the competent handling of the large sedan. Car reviews point out that some luxury sedans are calibrated for athleticism, while others are designed for comfort. The 2009 Mercedes E-Class reaches a nice compromise between the two attributes, but fully masters neither. The base model E-Class, the E350, comes with a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 268 horsepower and sprints from 0-60 mph in about 6.5 seconds, which is remarkable for a car this heavy. On the other end of the spectrum, the high-performance E63 AMG packs a 6.2-liter V8 with 507 horsepower, completing 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds.

Exterior Features

The styling of the 2009 E-Class pays homage to decades of classic Mercedes-Benz designs. Although there is nothing earth-shattering about the design of the E-Class, its traditional Benz styling cues give it a suave, elegant, and dignified look. The 2009 Mercedes E-Class sports the iconic four round front headlamps that border a tall chrome grille with the recognizable raised Mercedes star hood ornament. Mercedes offers the E-Class in four trim levels: the E350, E550, E320 Bluetec (diesel), and E63 AMG.

Interior Features

With a stunning two-tone design, the interior of the E-Class has an unmistakably airy and elegant aura to it. The seats are supple and soft, and gorgeous wood inlays and chrome accents give the E-Class’ cabin strong aesthetic appeal. Photos of the interior of the Mercedes E-Class reveal a breathtaking cabin design in all trim levels. The instrumentation in the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is generally simple to read, but drivers may find that Benz’s COMAND interface takes some getting used to. In theory, the 2009 E-Class seats five, but the sedan’s cramped rear seat can only accommodate two adults. Even then, legroom is sparse. Some reviewers have also complained about the lack of trunk space in the E-Class, particularly because it is classified as a large vehicle.

Safety and Specifications

In car safety crash tests performed by the federal government, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class performed very well in side-impact crashes, earning five out of five stars, but received only four out of five stars in frontal-impact tests. Car insurance industry crash tests results indicated just the opposite—the E-Class received only an “acceptable” rating in side-impact tests but the highest rating of “good” in front-impact crashes. A summary of the specs of the 2009 Mercedes E-Class follows.

• Car pricing: $53,200 - $63,200 MSRP; $49,476 - $58,776 invoice
• Engine: E350 – 3.5-liter V6 with 268 hp; E550 – 5.5-liter V8 with 382 hp; E320 Bluetec – 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 with 210 hp; E63 AMG – 6.2-liter V8 with 507 hp
• Transmission: rear-wheel drive E-Classes come with seven-speed automatic transmissions; all-wheel drive 4Matic models come with a five-speed automatic
• Acceleration: E350: 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds; E550: 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds; E320 Bluetec: 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds; E63 AMG: 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds

Upgrade Options

For non-AMG E-Classes, options fall into two packages. The Premium 1 Package includes an iPod interface in the glove compartment, satellite radio, heated front seats, HD radio, and a hard-drive equipped navigation system with 4 GB of music storage. The Premium 2 Package includes everything in the first package as well as bi-Xenon headlights and keyless entry/ignition. Individual options available include park assist technology, a panorama sunroof, an electronic trunk closer, and split-folding rear seats.

How the 2009 E-Class Compares to Other Luxury Cars

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class essentially represents a class by itself, as few large luxury cars even come close to its power, class, and reputation. In fact, U.S. News and World Report ranked the 2009 Mercedes E-Class first of 13 luxury large cars. Fuel economy typically isn’t a pressing concern in this segment, but the E-class’ gas mileage is respectable for a large car, achieving 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

Relative to its competitors, the E-Class’ Achilles’ heel is its exorbitant cost of ownership. New car guide websites list the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class’s Intellichoice 5 year cost of ownership as $82,317. Although this figure is poor even for the costly luxury sedan segment, buyers should keep in mind that the E-Class also has one of the highest resale values of all vehicles. The E-Class’s expected cost of ownership includes auto insurance premiums, gas expenses, maintenance, depreciation, and other costs. This estimate can be driven down by searching for a more affordable auto insurance rate.

The 2009 E-Class delivers an average performance in the area of reliability, earning a score of 7.0 out of ten on the J.D. Power Quality Ratings for predicted reliability. Mercedes’ warranty also is not exactly class-leading—the basic warranty covers the car for 48 months or 50,000 miles with no additional powertrain coverage. Buyers can opt for an extended warranty for an additional charge.

Conclusion: Is the 2009 E-Class a Smart Buy?

If you have your heart set on the luxury large sedan segment, you can’t go wrong with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Although more athletic vehicles exist, no other cars strike a balance between comfort and sport like the Mercedes E-Class. The E-Class is safe, powerful, and elegant. As long as you have no qualms about the high cost of ownership, the E-Class will not let you down.