2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Begins New Chapter, Misses a Few Characters
The sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class was unveiled today in a world premiere and will launch in North America by the end of this year as a 2024 model.
This is the four-door sedan we’re talking about. The E-Class Wagon will follow at a later date, but we don’t know when exactly. As for the coupe and convertible, neither of them will return. They will be replaced by new models from the upcoming CLE-Class.
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All About the Details
Unsurprisingly, the 2024 E-Class retains a familiar silhouette and focuses on the details. Consider the new lines on the hood and front fascia, the redesigned high-performance LED headlights (which look a bit like BMW’s, ironically) and the newly styled grille (two variants available) with an illuminated contour as an option. The gloss black insert around it is visually reminiscent of electric Mercedes-Benz models.
New alloy wheels and available flush-fitting door handles highlight the side view. In the rear, the car boasts cleaner surfaces and new LED taillights with a star motif similar to the brand’s logo.
By the way, the exterior dimensions of the E-Class have grown marginally. Length and width are increased by less than 10 mm, the wheelbase is 22 mm longer, and height is unchanged. Mercedes-Benz insists on the more spacious cabin which offers 25 mm of extra elbow room in the rear, nearly matching the S-Class. Meanwhile, trunk capacity is now set at 540 litres.
Superscreen and Artificial Intelligence
Inside the 2024 E-Class, the most striking change is the available Superscreen combining a 14.4-inch centre touchscreen with a 12.3-inch passenger-side display (which the driver can’t see while driving) into a large glass surface. Unlike the Hyperscreen in Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, however, the digital instrument panel remains detached from the rest of the interface. The standard setup consists of a floating 14.4-inch touchscreen with no display in front of the passenger.
The main icons of the MBUX infotainment system are now simpler and also colour-coded to match smartphone tiles, allowing the driver to recognize them more intuitively. Meanwhile, with the "Just Talk" function, the intelligent voice control can now be activated without the keyword "Hey Mercedes." When the function is activated, a red microphone symbol appears in the display to indicate that the vehicle is ready and waiting for commands.
The computing functions of previously separate domains take place in a single processor. The screens and MBUX system thus share a new, very powerful central onboard computer, enabling data streams to be transmitted significantly faster.
Look closely and you’ll spot a new selfie and video camera on top of the dashboard. That’s right: When the car is stationary, the driver can participate in online video conferences or take personal photos and videos to share on social media. Mercedes-Benz has yet to confirm whether this option will be available in North America, mind you.
Elsewhere, new Active Ambient Lighting with Sound Visualization makes it possible to not only hear songs but also “see” them. Visualization takes place on the light strip circling the front cabin area. For example, fast sequences of beats can cause rapid light changes, while flowing rhythms can create softly merging lighting moods, Mercedes-Benz explains. But could it be more of a distraction? We’ll have to try it out to find out.
Blessed with artificial intelligence, the new E-Class can also learn which comfort systems occupants use repeatedly and automate them in what the company calls “routines.” Customers will have the option of creating routines themselves, too, linking several functions and conditions. For example, "Switch on the seat heating and set the ambient lighting to warm orange if the interior temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius."
No Plug-in Hybrid in North America
While introducing the new 2024 E-Class, Mercedes-Benz had nothing to say about the future AMG performance variants. Those will likely come as 2025 models. Similar to the smaller C-Class, the base E 350 4MATIC gets a 48V mild hybrid system and its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine now delivers 295 lb-ft. of torque.
As for the E 450 4MATIC, the turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder already featured mild hybrid technology. What’s changed is peak output, which now amounts to 375 horsepower.
No plug-in hybrid? That’s right. Again, similar to the C-Class, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t think enough luxury car buyers in North America want that kind of powertrain, preferring instead to go fully electric. The newly launched EQE sedan is right what they need. Yes, the new GLE PHEV models will be available in the U.S., but they are assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, not in Sindelfingen, Germany... so we're guessing there's also a logistical side to this.
As mentioned up top, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will go on sale in Canada late this year. It will inevitably be more expensive than the outgoing model, which starts at $54,750 in the U.S. and $66,700 in Canada. As for the E-Class Wagon, Mercedes-Benz confirmed to us it will not be back in Canada for 2024.
