Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe

(page 2 of 2)

Yet the driver still feels a direct connection to the road and the new Es are very quick. Mercedes says the E350 Coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 in about six seconds (about the same as a BMW 328i) while the E550 does it in about five seconds (about the same as a BMW 335i). However, I consistently found my loaner E350 a bit slower than its rated time while the BMWs were faster.

Choosing a coupe over a sedan is a triumph of the heart over the head. The sedan accounts for about 85% of sales, Mercedes says, I suspect that most buyers figure it offers better value because it is roomier inside and has four doors instead of two. But the coupe has definite appeal. Fewer doors, lower weight, and smaller size make it nimbler and tighter than the sedan. The E350 coupe also comes standard with sport seats, leather upholstery, and a panoramic sunroof, while the E550 coupe has sport suspension, paddle shifters, and 18-inch wheels.

Surprisingly, the coupe actually has more headroom and legroom in its front seat than the E-Class sedan does, although hip and shoulder space are tighter. The front seats are narrower and more bolstered than the sedan's, but I found them very comfortable. Trunk space is equal to the sedan's—15.9 cu. ft., which is adequate for most purposes. In contrast to the fixed rear seats in many coupes, the E350's rear seats fold down in a 60/40 pattern, creating extra hauling space.

The painful aspect of owning just about any coupe is how bad you feel when adult passengers have to use the rear seat. The E350's front seats slide well forward, so getting into the back seat is fairly easy, but knee and head space in back are very tight. With the driver's seat set for my height (5 ft. 10 in.), I barely had enough leg space in the rear seat. Sitting back there and watching the front seat automatically move back into place was a little like being in one of those horror movies where a room's walls start to close in. A taller person would have been scrunched.

Like other Mercedes, the E-Class is heavy on standard safety gear. The new E350 hasn't yet been crash-tested in the U.S., but it comes standard with traction and stability control, an optional night vision system, and a full array of air bags, including both side and pelvis-protecting bags.

There are also "seat belt presenters," little arms that poke out from behind the driver's and front passenger's shoulder, bearing the seat belt and reminding them to buckle up. And there's an innovative monitor that sounds an alarm if the driver seems to be growing drowsy. The thing didn't seem to work very well. During more than an hour of evening driving, I repeatedly struggled with dozing off but the system never made a peep.

Buy it or Bag It?

Once you factor in options, the E350 sedan sells for an average of around $53,000, according to the Power Information Network, roughly the same range as the BMW 528i, Audi A6, and Jaguar XF. For me, it's a toss-up between the BMW and the Mercedes, with the BMW getting the nod for handling and the Mercedes for looks, interior quality, and comfort.

Less expensive alternatives include Honda's (HMC) new Acura TL (average price: $38,055), and Toyota's (TM) Lexus ES 350 ($37,397).

PIN doesn't have average price data for the E350 coupe, but it probably averages slightly less than the sedan. The main competitors include the BMW 328i and Audi A5 coupes, both of which are cheaper. The Bimmer, for instance, goes for an average of $41,275. I love the E350 coupe, but I'd have a hard time paying more for it than for a 328i, one of the all-time great models on the market.

The budget alterative is the Hyundai Genesis coupe, which sells for an average of just $26,722. Yup, a Hyundai, priced like a Hyundai—and it's a great little car. That's Mercedes' challenge. The E-Class is much improved and cheaper than before, but the competition just keeps getting tougher.

Click here to see more of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.

Business Exchange

Track and share business topics across the Web.