2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 Vs. Competition

A 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 Vs. 2014 Cadillac CTS 3.6 Vs. 2014 Audi A6 3.0T Vs. 2014 BMW 535i xDrive

A 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350, a 2014 Cadillac CTS 3.6, a 2014 Audi A6 3.0T, and a 2014 BMW 535i xDrive, all midsize luxury sedans vying for the top spot.  Car and Driver put the four lux sedans, all ranging price from $62,745 for the Audi to $76,600 for the BMW.  Check below for a brief overview of each car as well as Car and Driver’s thoughts on the Mercedes E350.  Don’t want to spend that much time reading?  Skip to the end for their conclusion.

The rear-wheel-drive CTS receives its power from a mid-level engine, a 321-hp 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V-6. It’s the slightly up-powered version of the previous CTS’ 3.6.  The test car was dressed in Premium-level trim, which gives you a huge load of both useful and frivolous features, so much so that it is priced at $67,075, when the less-opulent CTS with the same engine can be had for about $55,000.

Then there’s the Audi A6, also fitted with a mid-level engine option, the 310-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6. The Audi is the only  vehicle in this test not significantly changed from last year. It carries the comparo’s lowest as-tested price of $62,745, even while equipped with optional adaptive cruise control and a sport package among other less costly stuff.

The BMW 5-series tested was the four-wheel-drive 535i, powered by the 302-hp, turbocharged inline-six. Thanks to its M Sport package ($3150) and a couple of expensive convenience bundles, the 535i rang in as the priciest candidate at $67,600.

Not to be forgotten , the Mercedes-Benz E350 Sport.  With leather seating and loads of infotainment features, the E350 arrived with a comparatively reasonable $63,490 price tag. It is powered by a 302-hp 3.5-liter V-6.

Mercedes E350 Review

Car and Driver’s senior editor Tony Quiroga reckoned that if we swapped out the “fun to drive” category from our scoring chart with “gratifying to drive,” the Mercedes E350 would have aced that cell.  And he’s right.

Mercedes has been building large, satisfying luxury sedans for longer than just about any carmaker, and it shows in the E350’s air of cool imperturbability. It pours down the road fluidly. It shelters its occupants from the nastier bits of the world without completely isolating them from the experience of driving.

The basics are so very right. The dash is low and the windows are tall, providing excellent visibility. Its straightforward rectilinear instrument panel implies quality, solidity, and durability. And the apparent quality of the materials and finish is impeccable, with just the right amount of gleam. Its infotainment controls are even sensibly designed—no small accomplishment these days.  And the E350 has the second-roomiest and most comfortable back seat of the bunch.

The E350 encourages you to drive it as you would a Mercedes. This is to say, at a reasonable pace with none of that high-school nonsense. Should you choose to push it further—and we did—the seemingly imperturbable car becomes perturbed. Its seven-speed transmission gets confused in hard running (even in its sport setting), delivering shifts at odd, inopportune times. The big-displacement V-6 gets loud and gritty-sounding. And the suspension stops bothering to control body motions. The Mercedes was the only car without a selectable sport setting for its suspension.

Cool down a bit and the E350 eases back into its happy place and, frankly, so does the driver.

The E-class is a car that nails one side of the luxury-sport equation and disregards the other. If that’s the kind of car you’re looking for, stop looking.

And the winner is:

The Audi with 206 points, followed by the Cadillac with 201, the Mercedes with 200 with the BMW bringing up the rear with 192 points.

VEHICLE Max Pts. Available 2014 Audi A6 3.0T 2014 Cadillac CTS 3.6 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 2014 BMW 535i xDrive
DRIVER COMFORT 10 9 8 10 8
ERGONOMICS 10 9 7 9 8
REAR-SEAT COMFORT 5 4 2 5 3
REAR-SEAT SPACE* 5 5 4 5 4
TRUNK SPACE* 5 3 3 4 5
FEATURES/AMENITIES* 10 8 10 10 9
FIT AND FINISH 10 9 8 10 8
INTERIOR STYLING 10 9 7 10 7
EXTERIOR STYLING 10 9 9 7 8
REBATES/EXTRAS* 5 0 0 0 0
AS-TESTED PRICE* 20 20 19 20 18
SUBTOTAL 100 85 77 90 78

POWERTRAIN
1/4-MILE ACCELERATION* 20 20 17 17 20
FLEXIBILITY* 5 4 4 4 3
FUEL ECONOMY* 10 9 7 10 8
ENGINE NVH 10 9 7 7 10
TRANSMISSION 10 9 8 7 10
SUBTOTAL 55 51 43 45 51

CHASSIS
PERFORMANCE* 20 19 18 17 18
STEERING FEEL 10 7 10 7 7
BRAKE FEEL 10 7 10 7 8
HANDLING 10 8 10 6 7
RIDE 10 8 8 10 6
SUBTOTAL 60 49 56 47 46

EXPERIENCE
FUN TO DRIVE 25 21 25 18 17

GRAND TOTAL 240 206 201 200 192

2014 Mercedes E-Class Wagon and Sedan

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan & Wagon have several engine options & price points, from $51,400 to $61,400

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan and Wagon have several different engine options and price points, ranging from $51,400 to $61,400 (not including the AMG models). The 2014 E-Class offers the perfect combination of brains and brawn with it’s unrivaled intelligence and great performance numbers.  Combine this with leading safety and assistance systems and a plethora of engine options and you have a model range that will easily outperform and outsell it’s main competitors – the BMW 5-Series, the Audi A6 and the Lexus GS.

To make it easier on you, we’ve broken down the different E-Class Sedan and Wagon models by engine (not including AMG models).  In addition, we’ve also included a complete photo gallery and list of features that come both standard and optionally.  If you’re more of a two-door or topless kind of driver, check out the new E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.

Date Available to Customer:

  • Model Year 2014 E250 BlueTEC Sedan (Sport and Luxury) – September 2013
  • Model Year 2014 E250 BlueTEC 4MATIC Sedan (Sport and Luxury) – September 2013
  • Model Year 2014 E350 Sedan (Sport and Luxury) – April 18, 2013
  • Model Year 2014 E350 4MATIC Sedan/Wagon (Sport and Luxury) – April 18, 2013
  • Model Year 2014 E550 4MATIC Sedan (Sport) – April 18, 2013
  • Model Year 2014 E400 HYBRID Sedan (Sport) – June 2013

New Standard Feature Highlights:

  • COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
  • ATTENTION ASSIST
  • ECO Start/Stop
  • Sport models feature integrated star in grille
  • Media interface
  • Static LED headlights
  • LED tail lamps

New Optional Feature Highlights:

  • 4-cylinder diesel powertrain
  • 4MATIC all-wheel drive on BlueTEC
  • Full-LED lighting
  • Surround View Camera
  • Parking Assist Package
  • New generation Driver Assistance Package featuring new Intelligent Drive suit of technologies:
    • DISTRONIC PLUS® with Steering Assist
    • Optimized Active Lane Keeping Assist
    • BAS PLUS® with Cross-Traffic Assist
    • PRE-SAFE PLUS® for rear-end collision
    • PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian recognition

    Safety Features

    • mbrace2
    • Rearview camera
    • New Vehicle 4 Year/50,000 Mile Warranty
    • 24-Hour Roadside Assistance Program
    • Steel Reinforced Cabin w/front & rear crumple zones
    • 3-point seatbelts w/pre-tensioners & force limiters
    • Front dual-stage airbags
    • Front and Rear Side Window Airbags
    • Front side airbags
    • Driver & front passenger pelvic airbags
    • Driver knee airbag
    • NECK-PRO® active head restraints
    • ISOFIX Anchor & Tether system
    • 4-wheel disc brakes w/ABS & BAS
    • Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
    • PRE-SAFE® (Predictive Protection System)
    • ATTENTION ASSIST® Driver Drowsiness Monitor
    • Roll-Over Sensor
    • Anti-theft alarm w/engine immobilizer
    • Night Security Illumination

    At a Glance:

    E250 BlueTEC
    Sedan
    (Sport and
    Luxury)
    E250 BlueTEC
    4MATIC Sedan
    (Sport and
    Luxury)
    E350 Sedan
    (Sport and
    Luxury)
    E350 4MATIC
    Sedan/Wagon
    (Sport and
    Luxury)
    E400 HYBRID
    Sedan
    (Sport)
    E550 4MATIC
    Sedan
    (Sport)
    MSRP $51,400 $53,900 $51,900 $54,400 $56,700 $61,400
    Fuel
    Economy
    City: TBA
    Hwy: TBA
    City: TBA
    Hwy: TBA
    City: 21 mpg
    Hwy: 30 mpg
    City: 19
    Hwy: 29
    sedan
    City: 24 mpg
    Hwy: 30 mpg
    City: 17
    Hwy: 26
    Engine 2.1-liter 4-
    cylinder
    turbodiesel
    2.1-liter 4-
    cylinder
    turbodiesel
    3.5-liter V6
    w/ direct
    injection
    3.5-liter V6
    w/ direct
    injection
    3.5-liter V6
    HYBRID
    4.6L Bi-Turbo V8
    with direct
    injection
    Performance 195 hp
    369 lb.-ft
    torque
    195 hp
    369 lb.-ft
    torque
    302 hp
    273 lb.-ft.
    torque
    302 hp
    273 lb.-ft.
    torque
    302 hp (+27 hp
    electric)
    273 lb-ft (+184 lbft
    electric)
    torque
    402 hp
    443 lb.-ft.
    torque
    0-60 (sec.) TBA TBA 6.5 6.6 TBA 5.2