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Overview
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is almost entirely new. The 2010 Mercedes E350 and E550 sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons are a technological tour de force, yet none of the new technology is intrusive.
Though nearly everything about them is new, the essence of the E-Class cars hasn't changed. They retain the feeling of robustness and engineering excellence that has defined them for decades.
The E-Class sits in the middle of the Mercedes car line, between the compact C-Class and the big S-Class. Though it's no longer Mercedes' biggest seller in the United States, the E-Class remains the company's best-selling car worldwide, and as such it defines the brand's essence. Every E-Class model delivers an excellent balance of passenger space, luxury, style and impressive performance in a practical, manageably sized package.
The E-Class line has been expanded, with a two-door Coupe joining the familiar sedan. Wagon and convertible variants will be available across the United States by late spring 2010. The new E-Class looks more angular, perhaps more technical, than its predecessors, but it is quite pleasing to the eye. The underlying structure of all variants has been strengthened to improve crash protection, reduce vibration and sharpen handling, without adding weight. Yet if the new-generation E-Class cars have a theme, it might be their high-tech control and management systems. That's not surprising for a car that introduced a host of now-familiar features, from antilock brakes to airbags, to mass production.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class represents the most electronics-intensive model line Mercedes has offered to date, and most of the new computer-managed systems focus on safety. A new Attention Assist system that comes standard monitors up to 70 driving parameters to determine whether the driver is getting drowsy behind the wheel and uses both visual and auditory warnings to tell the driver to pull over for rest. The Distronic Plus cruise control option features both blind-spot warning and lane-departure warning technology, while automatic self-adjusting headlights automatically dim the brights. And those systems are just the start.
Beyond the technological wizardry, the E-Class remains what is has always been, only maybe a little bit nicer. Every model is smooth, quiet and appointed in elegant, understated fashion, with comfortable space for four or five passengers and a substantial load of luggage.
The new sedans are very attractive and the new two-door Coupe might be the sexiest E-Class car ever.
The standard gasoline V6 in the Mercedes E350 models is more than powerful enough for most drivers. The 382-horsepower V8 in the Mercedes E550 models delivers the turbine-like, overpowered feel that characterizes Germany's best autobahn blasters. The turbocharged engine in the Mercedes E350 BlueTEC sedan is the smoothest, quietest diesel available in the United States. It delivers amazing bursts of acceleration for passing, with mileage that surpasses most other cars in this class by about 30 percent. Those seeking help through the worst of a northern winter can choose the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system for the E-Class sedans and wagon.
The E-Class created a category of mid-sized luxury cars that has become one of the most competitive (and enjoyable) in today's automobile market. The 2010 E-Class models simply re-establish Mercedes credentials near the top of the class.
Model Lineup
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class includes four-door sedans, two-door coupes, convertibles, and a wagon, in 11 distinct models. E350 models come with a 3.5-liter V6. E350 BlueTEC models feature a 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel. E550 comes with a V8. All E-Class cars come with a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The E350 sedan ($48,600) comes with automatic dual-zone climate control, burl walnut trim, 14-way power front seats with position memory, an eight-speaker stereo with six-CD changer and Bluetooth interface, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The standard upholstery is cloth. The E350 BlueTEC sedan ($49,600) is equipped similarly. The E550 sedan ($56,300) comes standard with leather upholstery and a power sunroof.
4MATIC all-wheel drive ($2,500) is optional.
The 2011 E350 4Matic wagon (June 2010) comes only with all-wheel drive and the 3.5-liter gasoline V6.
The E350 Coupe ($48,050) and E550 Coupe are equipped comparably to the sedans.
The 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet (May 2010) resemble the two-door Coupe but feature a power-operated fabric convertible top and a number of features intended to allow open motoring year-round.
The E63 AMG sedan ($88,625) features a 6.2-liter V8 that generates 518 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. It adds a host of performance upgrades, including a seven-speed transmission with an automatic clutch rather than a conventional torque converter.
Options are clustered in two groupings. Premium Package I ($3,950-$4,400, depending on the model) adds a navigation system, premium harman/kardon audio with HD radio and Sirius satellite radio hardware, heated front seats, a back-up camera and rear-glass sunshade. Premium Package II ($6,350-$6,800) includes Package I plus ventilated front seats, a bi-xenon active light system with automatic high-beam control and headlight washers, and keyless entry. Standalone options include rear-seat DVD entertainment ($1,850), Panoramic Sunroof ($1,590), split folding rear seat ($430).
Safety features include advanced antilock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability program (ESP). Active safety systems include Attention Assist drowsiness monitor. Standard passive safety features include nine airbags: dual frontal, driver's knee-protection, front-passenger side-impact torso, front passenger side-impact pelvis, and full cabin head-protection curtains. Rear passenger side-impact airbags are optional.

Top 10 Little Things That Count

By Joe Bruzek, Cars.com
In the time our editors spend reviewing hundreds of cars a year, we run across features we simply can't live without. The features that make us whine when we don't have them aren't high-end, expensive gadgets but little conveniences that make a high impact on everyday usability and comfort. Here are our 10 favorites:

One-Touch Power Windows
Sure, one-touch up/down windows only save three seconds, but that's three seconds you can use to get out your checking deposit slip at the bank teller's window. And if there's a person you don't want to delay, it's the one who handles your money. The 2010 Toyota Camry has the one-touch up/down feature on all four windows.

USB Input
With a USB input, you can tuck the MP3 player out of the way, let it charge and control your 10,000 songs through the stereo, which is much better than the more common MP3 jack. Bonus points go to stereos that recognize older iPods — some won't — as well as searchable song lists. Interfaces that aren't alphabetically searchable make it agonizing to turn the dial a hundred times to get to your Weird Al Yankovic collection.

Telescoping Steering Wheel
Telescoping steering wheels not only give you more adjustability for finding a comfortable seating position, but they also help keep drivers in a safe position if the airbag deploys. The feature is available in every class of vehicle, so a model that doesn't have a telescoping steering wheel is at a competitive disadvantage.

Backup Camera
Backup cameras make navigating parking lots infinitely easier and can pay for themselves by preventing even one parking lot fender bender. Our favorites have lines on the screen that preview the vehicle's backup path. However, we'd still like to see more backup cameras as a stand-alone option rather than tied to an expensive navigation package.

Steering-Wheel Controls
There's probably nothing you have more interaction with in a car than the steering wheel and stereo, so having controls for both in the same place cuts down on the time your hands are off the wheel. Even better are steering wheels with cruise control buttons -- a separate cruise control stalk almost always gets mistaken for the turn signal at some point.

Trip Computer
A trip computer with mileage readouts can be an easy, no-cost way to improve fuel economy. By looking at the instant mileage, you can tailor your driving habits for the best results. Also included in some trip computers is an outside temperature gauge. Although we can't change the weather by looking at the gauge, it's quantitative proof that the weather forecaster is making stuff up.

Smart Cupholders
Fast-food drinks and jumbo-size coffees are more satisfying when they're not all over your car's carpet. The best cupholders are deep enough to keep cups from tipping over and accommodate different-sized drinks — from small coffees to Super Big Gulp Slurpees — using adjustable feelers and grips.

Heated Seats
This quintessential winter feature makes dealing with subfreezing temperatures as easy as hitting the heated seat button to "on." Heated seats start warming before the car's heat is able to blast at 90 degrees, and they can be fitted on cloth or leather seats.

Height-Adjustable Seats
Seats that adjust vertically are so critical to sitting comfortably that when a car doesn't have more than four-way adjustability, it seems grossly outdated. Six-way adjustable seats should be the bare minimum; anything less should have been left in 1996.

Three Sets of Latch Connectors
Just because a big SUV has three rows of seating doesn't guarantee there will be more than two sets of Latch connectors for child-safety seats. SUVs that have three sets of Latch anchors or more, like the 2010 Honda Pilot, offer more flexibility for larger families.

Ask the Car Doctor

Air Pressure - Correct, Underinflated and Overinflated

Advantages of Correct Tire Inflation
Maintaining correct tire inflation pressure helps optimize tire performance and fuel economy. Correct tire inflation pressure allows drivers to experience tire comfort, durability and performance designed to match the needs of their vehicles. Tire deflection (the tread and sidewall flexing where the tread comes into contact with the road) will remain as originally designed and excessive sidewall flexing and tread squirm will be avoided. Heat buildup will be managed and rolling resistance will be appropriate. Proper tire inflation pressure also stabilizes the tire's structure, blending the tire's responsiveness, traction and handling.

Tire pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection.

Disadvantages of Under inflation

An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance (causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular treadwear. Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.

Disadvantages of Over inflation

An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when encountering potholes or debris in the road, as well as experience irregular tread wear. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities as well causing the vehicle to ride harsher and transmit more noise into its interior. However, higher inflation pressures reduce rolling resistance slightly and typically provide a slight improvement in steering response and cornering stability. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures.