2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Episode 2849
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With the economy still in question, car sales continue to suffer, no matter what the brand, or how well-heeled the customer. So as Mercedes-Benz prepared the launch of their all-new E-class, they made the decision to hold nothing back. They wanted to make their mid-size sedan and coupe as appealing as the flagship S-Class, but for a lot less money. Now it’s time to see if they’ve succeeded.

The E-Class is the proverbial backbone of Mercedes-Benz, and the all-new 2010 edition arrives with an edgier look and more techno-goodies than we can count. 

Joining the classic sedan is a new E-Class Coupe, replacing the CLK.

We tested both the sedan and coupe side by side. While our duo shared the same deep black finish, and crease styling theme, each body style has plenty of unique details.

Let’s dissect the sedan first. Both in Luxury and Sport forms, it is more aggressively-styled, borrowing elements from the ConceptFASCINATION show car. 

Oval front lamps have given way to wedgy housings, with hockey-stick LED driving lamps below. Still, our Sport model’s tri-bar grille is most familiar, as is the standup three-pointed star. 

Strong fender flares and brawny character lines lead back to a thick rear also decorated with LEDs, along with dual exhaust cutouts. 

The 5-passenger interior is less dramatic, defined by lots of wood and fine grained upholstery, but now filled with S-Class like luxury and technology.

Our sedan’s multicontoured seats look flat, but use active bolsters to help maintain body position during cornering.

Much of the new technology is for safety’s sake.  Standouts include Nightview Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist, and Lane Keep Assist.  There’s even standard Attention Assist that monitors your inputs and will alert you if it thinks you’re falling asleep at the wheel.

And in addition to the normal front and side impact airbags, there are now two front pelvic airbags and one for the driver’s knees.

In the center of it all is Mercedes’ latest, and now standard COMAND interface, it governs the sound system, Bluetooth interface, and available navigation.

The sedan’s rear seat is both comfortable and spacious, and the low lip trunk provides a sizeable 19.1 cubic feet of space. 

The E-Class coupe sheds both wheelbase and length, for an even more athletic shape. 

You instantly think it’s capable thanks to a more open, twin-bar grille that surrounds an oversized star logo.

From there, lines flow pass its clamshell hood and along frameless doors and a pillarless greenhouse for a true two-door hardtop design.

Taillights and rear deck treatments are also sharper, for a nicely dynamic rear-view. 

The Coupe’s interior is a more intimate, four-seat layout, but the standard panoramic sunroof keeps it from feeling confined. 

Other differences include less wood and chrome, a dark surround to the five-gauge cluster, sportier bucket seats, plus steering wheel and console mounted shifters compared to the sedan’s column mounted flip switch. 

The rear seat is expectedly tighter than that of the sedan, especially in legroom. The 15.9 cubic foot trunk is also smaller, but still accommodating. 

Power for the E-Class is carryover. The E350 is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 with 268-horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque; with the E550’s 5.5-liter V8 doling out 382-horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. 

Both tied to a 7-speed automatic which feeds the rear wheels for now. 

A 4MATIC all-wheel drive sedan will be available later in the model year, along with the road-scorching E63 AMG, and a super thrifty E350 BlueTech clean diesel. 

At the track, the E350 sedan will trot from 0 to 60 in 7.0 seconds, with a quarter mile of 15.5 seconds at 92 miles per hour.  The 3.5 seven-speed combo isn’t a powerhouse, but it’s a decent performer with quick shifts.

The multi-link suspension with standard Agility Control yields a very nimble response without a harsh ride. Throughout our test the sedan remained firmly planted with plenty of grip.

Brakes were impressively solid too, with virtually no dive and minimal fade. Our 124 foot average from 60 to 0 rates great. 

The E550 Coupe conquered our 0 to 60 run in just 5.6 seconds, with a fast quarter mile of 14.1 seconds at 105 miles per hour. Power never stopped building, with the deep and throaty exhaust note just egging us on.

Through the cones, our E550 Coupe felt a good bit stiffer than the E350 Sedan thanks to the standard Dynamic Handling Suspension’s adjustable shocks and modified throttle response.  It was actually a little twitchy, especially at lower speeds.  But the faster we went, the more precise it became. 

Our only disappointment were the brakes. Stops were solid, but at 135 feet from 60 to 0, a tad long with noticeable fade.

Mercedes-Benz has honed E-Class aerodynamics to make them sip fuel like smaller rivals. Our slippery E350 Sedan has Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 17 city/24 highway on Premium gas, with a 23.6 miles per gallon test loop.

Ditto the E550 Coupe with 15 city/23 highway, and 21.5 miles per gallon on mixed roads.

Pricewise, the E-Class is also a better value than last year.  The Sedan starts are $49,475. That’s a drop of about $4,800.  The Coupe begins at $48,925, or about the same as the less well equipped CLK.

So competitors beware.  The new 2010 E-Class is even more formidable than before. With artistic styling, top drawer luxury and technology, and the addition of a new coupe, the “E-Class” remains the spear carrier of the Mercedes-Benz lineup.

Specifications

  • E350:
  • Engine: 5.5-Liter V8
  • Horsepower: 382
  • Torque: 391 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 5.6 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 14.1 Seconds @ 105 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 135 Feet
  • EPA: 15 MPG City/ 23 MPG Highway
  • Mixed Loop: 21.5 MPG
  • E550:
Honda Prologue Reinvigorates Brand’s Electric Efforts

2024 Honda Prologue

Honda Shows Up Late To EV Party, Brings Best Appetizer

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Except for some very limited run vehicles over the years, Honda has largely been sitting out the EV revolution. But that all changes now their first high volume effort, the Prologue. So, let’s find out if it is indeed the start of a great run for Honda.

The 2024 Honda Prologue is not only the brand’s first serious battery electric effort, but it’s also a substantial midsize five-passenger SUV, coming in about 3-inches longer than the internal combustion Passport. Though it’s worth noting, they got here with the help of General Motors and their Ultium EV platform.

So, Honda came to play, both with ultra-competitive pricing and segment leading 296 miles of range. That’s with the standard single-motor front-wheel drive EX rated for 212 horsepower, but top Elite doesn’t sacrifice all that much, coming in at 273 miles. The additional rear motor raises total output to 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft torque.

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Relatively low output numbers in the EV game, but the Elite’s all-wheel drive setup delivered plenty enough acceleration to get our blood pumping during some early and very wet drive time through the recent historic downpours in Northern California.

And while Honda did get here with the help of GM and their Ultium chassis, the multi-link suspension bolted to it has been optimized by Honda for a “dynamic driving experience.” It was indeed plenty of fun to drive, nimble for its size with responsive steering, though we were also happy to find it comfortable and safe feeling in those weather conditions. It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

Comprehensive drive modes address just about every aspect of the driving experience, from power delivery to steering response and even braking power; but also changes things up inside with lighting and displays as well as active sound control.

For now, all Prologues come with an 85-kWh battery that will accept up to 150-kW fast charging for 65 miles of range for every 10 minutes on charge.

It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

As we’ve come to expect from Honda, the Prologue’s interior is minimalistic and practical, though not fully simplistic as there is plenty of tech on display, including the very high-mounted 11.3-inch touchscreen display. It has a Google-based operating system built into it like in the latest Accord Touring, and you can still use your Apple Carplay and Android Auto phones, both of which connect wirelessly.

Just below that display is some refreshingly easy to use traditional climate controls, and behind the steering wheel is a hoodless 11-inch tablet-style gauge display. Honda worked with Bose to develop an EV-specific sound system with 12 speakers. The standard EX’s system works with six speakers.

Being an EV means more space inside for both front and rear passengers than a vehicle built around a conventional drivetrain. Though with a substantial dual-level center console it doesn’t have the open floorplan of some EVs. The top layer of that console houses dedicated cell phone storage, mega-sized cupholders and Honda’s first use of a pocket-type wireless phone charger, which is standard. There’s space in back for 23.7 cubic-feet of cargo; 54.5 cubic-feet with the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded; plus, more space under the cargo floor.

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And while length and ground clearance are in the ballpark with the Passport, the Prologue’s wheelbase is nearly a foot longer, and it sits much lower, with a design theme that Honda calls “neo-rugged.” Its slick shape and smooth body panels are clearly designed for enhancing aerodynamics, yet the overall design doesn’t necessarily shout it from the rooftops. Aero-optimized 19-inch wheels are standard, with Elite rolling on 21s, a first for Honda. Roof rails, panoramic roof, and power liftgate are standard on all but the base EX.
With the launch of this new generation of Honda comes new badging that looks to the past with throwback-looking Honda script now spelled out across the back. The Prologue and future Honda EVs also get a new “e” series logo.

Comprehensive Honda Sensing safety features are included on most Prologues, with just rear pedestrian alert and a Surround Vision camera system reserved for Elite.

Pricing starts, before incentives, at just $48,795 for a front-wheel-drive EX, top Elite comes with all-wheel drive and starts at $59,295.

Like most brands, Honda has big plans to deliver a full array of battery electrics in the near future, making significant investments here in the U.S. to make it happen. It may have taken a little help from General Motors to get them started, but Honda is in the EV game for real now, and it arrives at a great time when competition in the midsize SUV EV ranks is getting serious. So, the 2024 Honda Prologue does indeed look like the start of something special for Honda, and for all of us.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Horsepower: 288
  • Range: 273 miles
  • Battery Size: 85-kWh
  • Torque: 333 lb-ft
  • Peak Charging Rate: 150-kW