Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi of Melbourne

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Driving Impressions

All of the 2007 Mercedes E-Class cars are enjoyable to drive. Smooth, serene and quiet are the dominant impressions at the wheel of any E-Class, unless you have the accelerator floored. There's very little vibration anywhere in the cabin, and almost no wind noise.

Improvements to the geometry of the front suspension for 2007 give the E-Class a crisper, quicker turn-in while cornering, perceptibly increasing the sporty nature of the car's handling. All of the E-Class cars corner responsively and provide a smooth, if slightly firm, ride, a balance we like in luxury sedans. The four-link front suspension is similar to that under the expensive S-Class models, and the five-link rear suspension does a superb job of controlling unwanted wheel movement, which is crucial to handling and ride quality.

The Sport models are tuned for those who like to feel in closer touch to the pavement, as it's fitted with shorter springs for a slightly lower ride height, stiffer shocks and low-profile performance tires on 18-inch wheels.

The available Airmatic Dual Control suspension replaces the standard steel coil springs with air springs. This computer-managed system adjusts the air pressure to the spring at each wheel, based on road conditions or driving style, to slightly soften or firm the ride and to add or decrease body roll (lean) in corners. In combination with electronically adjusted shock absorbers, the air suspension can automatically improve ride quality or handling or optimize the balance of the two, depending on where the car is traveling and whether the driver is cruising or driving quickly. The system works automatically, without switching suspension settings between sport and comfort.

The variable-power steering system was improved for 2007 with a 10-percent quicker ratio for more precise control of front wheel direction. The system provides more boost for easy turning at low speeds and less for more progressive steering response and feedback at higher speeds. With 2.6 turns lock-to-lock compared to the previous system's 3.3 turns, we found the new steering makes maneuvering through crowded parking lots easier and more pleasant, and far more responsive in the corners.

One of our gripes with the 2006 models was the braking system. All of the E-Class cars came with Sensotronic Brake Control, commonly called brake-by-wire, because the connection between the brake pedal and reservoir of brake fluid is electronic, not mechanical. Although we found them to be excellent in terms of performance, with stops straight, true and short, repeatedly, with virtually no brake fade, we didn't care for the way they engaged, which we felt was too abrupt, especially in commuter crawl mode. They do, however, have their advantages. The electronic system can apply brake force to each wheel independently, helping to keep the car traveling straight and true during panic stops, even on bumpy, uneven roads. It will also keep the brakes on full in an emergency situation, as measured by sensors, even if a driver inadvertently eases off the brake pedal. And if it's raining, the system periodically, lightly, applies the brakes to sweep them dry. Still, the brake-by-wire had its quirks. Several testers found them difficult to modulate in everyday driving, making smooth braking around town a challenge. In short, we didn't really like them.

For 2007, the Sensotronic control has been removed from the brake system, which is essentially unchanged except for the now ultra-smooth grasp of the binders, even at slow speeds. Each E-Class model has progressively larger brake rotors and more complex piston designs to complement the engine's power and corresponding speed potential.

The E-Class wagons give up almost nothing to the sedans in performance, fuel economy or handling dynamics.

The E350 comes with a 3.5-liter engine introduced for 2006, which was the first Mercedes V6 with dual overhead cams and four valves per cyl

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