2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

This sector of the automotive world is hardly overpopulated, yet the competition remains intense. Lucky us, the car-buying public, because the result is a selection of absolutely superb machines.

If we had the budget, though, we would probably head straight to a Mercedes-Benz dealership and drive away with a new E-Class. As good as those rivals are, we’ve been so impressed by the E-Class and its combination of qualities.

It’s comfortable yet wonderfully composed, offers great tech, and exhibits an intense attention to detail. Even things like the feel of the switches signify the substance that permeates throughout the entire car. Now in only its third model year, this generation of E-Class retains the many and varied talents that make it such a first-rate choice.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize luxury cars, including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

A fingerprint sensor becomes standard across the 2026 E-Class lineup. This is a good extra layer of security.

The 2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a starting sticker price of $65,150, with the range-topping E 450 4Matic All Terrain kicking off in the region of $78,000 (our estimate).

So far, the E 350 4Matic has proved most popular, and we’re happy to recommend it. It’s fairly muscular and comes with a lot of equipment.

Out of its rivals, the new-for-2026 Audi A6 is in a similar financial ballpark, while the BMW 5 Series and Genesis G80 start slightly lower. The also-new-for-2026 Lexus ES is considerably more affordable than anything else in this class.

Before buying a new E-Class luxury car, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values-wise, there isn’t much difference between any of these contenders, apart from the Lexus ES having the edge. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

Mercedes-Benz knows exactly what works in this sector. The 2026 E 350 drivetrain makes 255 horsepower, the same output as the BMW 530i. Not the most muscular in the class (the Genesis G80 starts out with 300 hp), but we wouldn’t say either model was underpowered. Both E 350 cars accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, close enough to rivals for any tenths of a second either way not to matter much.

The E 450 4Matic enjoys 375 hp. Funnily enough, the same as the BMW 540i. And close enough to the rest of the contenders. The sprint to 60 mph is a sweetly quick 4.4 seconds, a whisker brisker than most.

An adaptive air suspension — for a spectrum of settings from comfort to sport — is optional in all three 2026 E-Class sedan variants (standard in the All Terrain wagon). We’ve tried this suspension and found that every bump is neutralized, even with 20-inch wheels. It delivers that smooth ride quality for which Mercedes-Benz is renowned. It also keeps body roll in check going through the turns. We’re sure the standard setup won’t disappoint either.

Whenever we wanted to get more involved, we’d just switch the car into Sport mode. Or we could click it into Comfort mode for a relaxed trip home. The differences are clearly perceptible. This package also includes rear-wheel steering that enhances both agility and maneuverability. We love this setup — it works exceptionally well, and the car seems to pour itself around corners. Overall, we find the E-Class easy to drive and wonderfully quiet.

Fuel Economy

Pretty good on gas. That’s our verdict on the E-Class. The E 350 4Matic achieves 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving, while the E 450 4Matic runs to 25 mpg combined (in sedan and All Terrain wagon form) — both figures are perfectly bearable and compare well against most of the competition. The BMW 5 Series does better, providing another three miles of travel for each gallon used.

Mercedes-Benz offers the Hyperscreen with its electric vehicles. A variation is available in the E-Class, known as the Superscreen. Taking up most of the center console (the driver has a separate 12-inch information display), this infotainment touchscreen offers an extra optional display for front passengers. Cameras watch the driver’s eyes to see if they stray from the road ahead, and the system can make that screen visible only to the front passenger.

A couple of our reviewers thought all this was approaching screen overkill. Perhaps this feeling might fade with greater familiarity. The cabin also offers an ambient lighting system that responds to the music being played. Upbeat stuff results in pulsating light patterns, while soothing sounds are matched with gentle transitions.

The E-Class is close to the roomy BMW 5 Series in terms of occupant area. We’ve sat in the rear seats and found there’s enough space for 6-footers. In the driver’s seat, we’ve enjoyed how comfortable and well-shaped it is, the range of adjustment, soft touch points (and their ideal placement) under our elbows, and how outward vision is excellent.

Naturally, the materials and build quality in the E-Class are all at the usual high Mercedes-Benz levels. We’re impressed by the classy feel and action of the switchgear. We also like the open-pore wood in the center console instead of the ubiquitous piano black. A first in an E-Class, Mercedes-Benz is using recycled materials for the seats’ foam cushioning.

Trunk space of 19.1 cubic feet is one of the largest in this sector. The E-Class All-Terrain wagon has a luggage area of 33.1 cubic feet behind its rear seats. Fold those down for a maximum of 64.6 cubic feet.

In terms of aerodynamics, the E-Class is pretty much as efficient as a Toyota Prius. As far as design goes, this latest generation definitely has its own look, just as other versions have. And it works for us. One nice detail is that the LED taillights have 3-pointed star designs set into them.

As well as the E-Class sedan, the All-Terrain model is an E-Class wagon with a raised ride height and a little SUV attitude.

Infotainment system
The Mercedes-Benz User Experience, or MBUX, offers a huge Superscreen across the dash. Augmented reality for the navigation system is standard. Voice recognition tech has progressed to where it can take two orders at a time, like “turn on the heated seats and raise the cabin temperature by five degrees.”

Third-party apps
As well as phone integration for Apple and Android devices, the MBUX system in the E-Class also offers Zoom video conferencing (while stationary), the Webex online collaboration app, TikTok, and the Vivaldi web browser. We have to admit, our immediate reaction when learning that the E-Class also offers the Angry Birds video game was: “Has Mercedes-Benz never heard of Roblox?” But that feathered franchise is still going strong. We checked.

Burmester audio
Part of the Pinnacle trim, this is an excellent 17-speaker/750-watt surround-sound system. There are speakers in the driver’s headrest and in the ceiling. Dolby Atmos is also part of the package, bringing phenomenal clarity and a wonderfully immersive listening experience. After spending some time with this setup, we usually don’t want to listen to anything else.

Active Parking Assist
This standard feature is accessed in an intuitive manner using the touchscreen. Its speed is 2.5 mph, so it can execute self-parking maneuvers a little faster than the previous generation.

Artificial intelligence
It’s all about routines — getting into the car in the morning and tuning to a news station, calling the same person on the drive home on Friday, etc. These kinds of things are learned by the optional artificial intelligence system in the E-Class. However, users can set up their own routines as well.

Energizing Comfort
This is an optional program of soothing lights and sounds with seat massaging functions.

A quick word about the mild hybrid system and its Integrated Starter Generator (ISG). Basically, this means a smooth engine stop/restart action when idling in traffic. And since the ISG is an electric motor, it helps the engine reach its peak a little quicker and more efficiently. The driver doesn’t have to do anything more than usual. Both engines in the E-Class employ this mild hybrid setup.

The E 350 drivetrain has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The entry-level E 350 comes with a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) configuration, while the E 350 4Matic has all-wheel drive.

The E 450 4Matic uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, putting out 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels as standard.

A slick-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission is in every E-Class.

The high-performance Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid and the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan are both reviewed separately.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-vehicle warranty offered by Mercedes-Benz lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This covers the drivetrain as well. Many luxury car companies have the same terms. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t offer any free scheduled maintenance.

Safety Ratings

This latest generation of E-Class was named a 2024 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the agency’s second-highest accolade. It also took a maximum overall score of five stars from a European safety program: Euro NCAP.