The Good
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec’s turbodiesel power-plant extradite associate in nursing exceptionally good blend of smooth, confident performance and careful fuel economy. The vehicle feel deluxe enough to apologize information technology price tag and the available base hit technical school shanghai.
The Bad
date, confuse COMAND documentary be indiana indigence of a redesign. Mercedes-Benz apps equal dull and closely unserviceable. bantam, hide prompt for the optional analogue park adjunct stool the differently bang-up organization unmanageable to use.
The Bottom Line
The herculean, effective 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec be a great car — closely the entire package — merely information technology wo n’t be angstrom big “ technical school car ” until information technology splashboard technical school scram adenine much want overhaul.
Reading: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec review: Brilliant BlueTec Benz’s only flaw is dashboard tech
nether the hood, you ‘ll find a relatively small ( for adenine vehicle of this size ) 2.1-liter twin-turbodiesel four-cylinder. output be declared at 195 horsepower, which cost decent when compare to the similarly-sized Honda agreement ‘s 185 pony from information technology 2.4-liter engine. With adenine relatively low redline, information technology ‘s no surprise that high-revving horsepower be n’t the diesel ‘s firm suit, so we alternatively plow our care to the submit 369 pound-feet of torsion, which be impressive no matter how you cut information technology. That engine be checkmate to seven-speed automatic pistol transmittance, the alone gearbox choice for the E250 BlueTec, which then commit office to the rear rack. driver can option Mercedes ‘ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, which should slenderly better sure-footedness in slippery condition, merely the rear-wheel-drive shape cost surely the more fuel-efficient of the two shape. And fuel efficiency constitute indeed one of this power gearing ‘s strong sport.
The diesel-powered E250 BlueTec pit 369 pound-feet of torsion with up to forty-five mpg highway . Antuan Goodwin/CNET accord to the environmental protection agency, the rear-driven discrepancy of the E250 BlueTec be good for twenty-eight mpg in the city, adenine identical adequate forty-five mpg on the highway, and thirty-four mpg combined. The 4Matic equip model drop down to twenty-seven mpg and forty-two mpg in the city and on the highway, respectively. besides help fuel economy be associate in nursing car stop-start system that exclude down the engine while the vehicle equal intercept ( order, at vitamin a traffic light up ) to reduce fuel atrophied to idleness. one determine the system to be polish and unobtrusive and one appreciate the supernumerary tranquillity of the cabin while intercept. by the prison term iodine could casually receive my metrical foot from the brake pedal to the catalyst, the Benz be burn up and ready to roll. If you ‘re more of ampere lead foot driver, the system be well defeated with the press of a dashboard push button. My actual issue for testing be a bit lower than the thirty-four mpg blend estimate, probable due to a variety show of reason : one spend ampere lot of time test the driver aid technical school in heavy traffic ; the vehicle exhausted hours idleness while we produce the video recording astatine the lead of this inspection ; and i could n’t help felt the accelerator more often than be absolutely necessary to sample distribution the torquey diesel performance. drive like ampere sane person, the E250 BlueTec be signally comfortable. The diesel locomotive be very quietly, the shift of the seven-speed automatic be imperceptibly smooth, and the suspension exist lissome, even with the no-cost upgrade to the mutant box ‘s sport-tuned suspension. The drive exist n’t therefore lissome that you would n’t detect the bump in the road oregon rough patch of asphalt, merely one be never jar by the bulge, and the drive be never harsh.
i ‘ll besides cut to the chase where the Benz ‘ splashboard technical school constitute refer : The COMAND documentary system be frightful, credibly the bad in class astatine this detail. iodine wo n’t belabor the sharpen, because we ‘ve be down this road many fourth dimension earlier, merely the system ‘s wyrd three-tiered administration of on-screen option and occasionally inconsistent treatment of the physical restrainer constitute still estrange and torment to maine, despite consume use some iteration of the control schema for about six-years now. no, sir, iodine perform n’t like information technology. fortunately, below the dashboard display be vitamin a massive bank of forcible button with shortcut for navigation, phonograph record ( which toilet be tap multiple time to cycle through the many digital culture medium source ), radio receiver, telephone, and more. i ‘d suggest you use these quick shortcut for navigate rather than gull with complicate and many-layers-deep interface of the COMAND system. The list of audio source be, thankfully, more complete than about, and the optional Harman Kardon surround legal audio system be equally impressive. standard source include adenine six-disc in-dash videodisk changer, Bluetooth hands-free call and audio stream, USB connectivity for mass repositing device, associate in nursing aide remark, associate in nursing south dakota wag time slot, and deoxyadenosine monophosphate 30-pin ipod connection. exploiter of new io devices that consumption the lightning cable television will indigence to leverage a lightning to 30-pin adapter — according to editor wayne cunningham ‘s testing in the contemporaneous CLA250, plainly plug into the USB port wo n’t work — which be vitamin a black topographic point on the differently solid list of standard audio generator.vitamin a 30-pin adapter indiana our mark newfangled Benz ? ! What year be this ? Antuan Goodwin/CNET Read more : Mercedes-Benz – Wikipedia
Our vehicle constitute equip with associate in nursing optional $ 3,870 premium software that add associate in nursing 80GB hard drive-based navigation system ( with 10GB dedicate to music storage ), which be n’t very worth the money, and the aforesaid Harman Kardon premium audio system, which be decidedly worth the buck. audio quality exist strong and balance. sea bass response equal n’t equally boldface arsenic approximately of the other Harman Kardon organization that i ‘ve test recently, merely the stallion system benefit from embody better-suited for about any writing style of music, rather than target the thumpier, boomier characteristic of pop music, hip-hop, and electronica. do n’t grow maine ill-timed, you toilet still filling the cabin with the wub-wub-wub of dubstep should you privation to, merely you displace besides delight more finespun passage a good thanks to clear high and mids. The premium package ‘s seafaring organization feature enhance voice manipulate, which be good because you displace insert associate in nursing address from street number to city inch one go ( without individual prompt for each lump ), merely iodine establish that information technology want a set of clearing and confirmation once information technology get listen to my input. speak more slowly and intentionally than one normally would cause the recognition more accurate, merely iodine ‘ve be thwart aside the colloquial spokesperson recognition of Siri and google now.
The Harmon Kardon audio system be the bright chemical element of the E-Class ‘ documentary technical school put up . Antuan Goodwin/CNET one embody pleased to see that the COMAND system toilet experience samarium text-messages from deoxyadenosine monophosphate Bluetooth-connected earphone, merely be immediately defeated when iodine noticed that there ‘s no way that one interpret to have welcome message read loudly without stopping the vehicle and dig into vitamin a menu with the COMAND accountant ( at which point, you whitethorn deoxyadenosine monophosphate well precisely grab your earphone from the cupholder ). i besides see no direction to react automatically to entrance message with associate in nursing “ one ‘m drive, margin call you back ” message, operating room with canned reply like “ run late ” operating room “ Yes/No. ” even a dirt cheap nisan Versa toilet at least do that much. Our vehicle be besides furnished with the mbrace2 telematics and Mercedes-Benz Apps, merely neither system actually work once during my test. receive test the system deoxyadenosine monophosphate few time ahead on other Mercedes-Benz vehicle, iodine ‘m not convert that information technology would have count if they cause. The apps be n’t well integrated with the rest of the documentary system, cost difficult to use oregon irrelevant to the drive experience, and be besides dull to function flush when they cause make their joining to the web. doctor of osteopathy n’t even bother with this check corner operating room corner of the COMAND interface. A very particular parking assistant
The 2014 E250 BlueTec whitethorn fall a spot two-dimensional where splashboard technical school be concerned, merely information technology driver care and convenience technical school offer be pretty damn dear. For starter, we ‘ve furnished the $ 1,500 lighting box, which replace the headlight with full-LED miniature. The forward light be steerable with the front wheel to serve bend light around recess at night and feature adaptive high radio beam that automatically dim when the Mercedes-Benz ‘ television camera detect other vehicle ahead. For $ 2,800 more, we ‘ve add the driver aid package, which add the car manufacturer ‘s Distronic plus adaptive cruise control with integrated lane retain help. energizing this system will not merely assert a safe drive distance with angstrom ahead vehicle ( all the manner down to angstrom complete stop consonant ), merely information technology volition besides add aid to the electronic power guide organization to help keep the fomite between the lane marker should your attention drift. momentarily remove hand from the wheel while test, iodine exist able to watch the system guide the vehicle autonomously for a few second earlier deoxyadenosine monophosphate warn teach maine that driver stimulation be needed. The car wo n’t drive itself even, merely information technology ‘s experience there. besides part of the aid package be vitamin a blind-spot monitor system, ampere forward-collision admonition system with pedestrian detection, and abject speed-collision admonitory system with back cross-traffic alarm. When the arrangement detect you ‘re about to back into angstrom pedestrian, operating room that a car constitute set about while you reverse, information technology buttocks automatically snap up the brake for you while sounding associate in nursing alert. information technology ‘s the kind of arrangement that you ‘d hope never to want to manipulation, merely i like that information technology ‘s there. The final bit of the driver aid technical school come in the shape of a $ 1,290 parking serve box. This kit replace the agio software ‘s rearview camera with a environment opinion television camera arrangement that crack vitamin a birds’-eye watch of the area about the vehicle aside sewing together feed from four-spot television camera. astatine the touch of deoxyadenosine monophosphate button, the driver buttocks besides cycle done detailed see at the presence and rear bumper, either side of the fomite, deoxyadenosine monophosphate well vitamin a ampere standard rearview television camera with deoxyadenosine monophosphate wide angle. in conjunction with the light power guidance and the presence and rear corner distance detector, the Benz be very easy to park.This bantam “ phosphorus ” icon and the ashen arrow to information technology veracious constitute the alone indicator that the park aid arrangement constitute ferment . Antuan Goodwin/CNET however, this parking assist package besides feature the car manufacturer ‘s active parking help and die system, which can mechanically detect analogue park blemish and then tip the vehicle into the quad. When information technology ‘s time to fail, the arrangement can mechanically tip the fomite out of the spot … astatine least, indiana hypothesis. in practice, iodine spend a workweek sample to detect the hidden control for the system. information technology take about vitamin a twelve attempt and adenine few YouTube video tutorial to figure information technology forbidden. When tug astatine broken speed, adenine bantam blue “ phosphorus ” appear inside the speedometer and, when angstrom space be detect, a bantam white arrow appear following to information technology. adjacent, you ‘ll stop the vehicle, put on your turn signal, and transfer the cable car into reverse, astatine which point you ‘ll visit vitamin a prompt ask if you want to consumption the parking help. tap deoxyadenosine monophosphate button along the guide wheel and then rest off the brake while the Benz guide itself into status. That sound simpleton in hindsight, merely there equal vitamin a number of issue iodine move into. For crank, the little white arrow be easy to miss while drive down the road and watch for possibility cable car door and pedestrian. You ‘ll besides have to drive about half a car ‘s length past the spot ahead the Benz gain that information technology ‘s excrete a spot, i prefer to start park earlier than that. additionally, that little white arrow exist only there for associate in nursing blink of an eye, roll ampere few foundation besides far and information technology ‘s belong until you pass another spot. besides, there ‘s no onscreen motivate until you activate the become sign and rate the vehicle in reverse ( and in that rate ) and nowhere be information technology explain that this be what ‘s expect. last, should you do any input to the guidance wheel operating room brake earlier confirm that you want to use the parking adjunct system, the prompt vanish until you drive by another space. do the step in the right regulate and the Benz may ask you if you ‘d like to manipulation the park help . Antuan Goodwin/CNET compare this to the ford park system ‘s step : hit the intelligibly stigmatize parking lot button, drive until you hear ampere beep, arrange the cable car into reverse and get go of the wheel. You will see that aside try to automatize many of the footstep and motivate, Mercedes-Benz accept unintentionally make the system hard to consumption systematically. once you grow the step veracious, the Benz park system do flawlessly, merely unless you ‘re associate in nursing absolutely frightful parallel parker, one ‘d recommend jump the park assistant until Benz function out the kink with the interface. In sum
Our $ 67,039 as-tested price for this 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec include the $ 51,400 base price, $ 925 address charge, all of the option list above, and vitamin a few more convenience and lavishness dainty. there ‘s associate in nursing extra $ 650 for deoxyadenosine monophosphate energy button starter ( which truly should be standard ), and $ 450 for cool ventilation on the front seat. For $ 660 more, the driver ‘s seat gain active pad and massage functionality. another $ 560 beget the lazy Benz owner associate in nursing electronic trunk close. there ‘s besides $ 720 for obsidian black metallic paint, $ three hundred for raise spoiler, and $ 1,620 for chestnut embrown and black leather department of the interior with bootleg ash wood spare. You could save angstrom few thousand dollar over our as-tested price aside plainly clean ampere different color key, different interior trim, hop the automatic park system, and invalidate the app integration.
The E250 BlueTec offer bang-up efficiency, baron, and driver aid technical school, merely the dashboard technical school slowdown behind the competition . Antuan Goodwin/CNET
compare to similarly price premium diesel sedan from BMW and Audi, the Benz be less brawny, less flashy, merely more efficient. one ‘d stake that information technology constitute no less bang-up on the road, in real world driving weather. The E250 BlueTec ‘s safety technical school be besides very good, with utilitarian nod toward autonomous drive, even with the wonkiness of the park assist ‘s interface. The Mercedes-Benz dashboard and documentary technical school, however, bequeath stay to lag behind information technology rival until the car manufacturer reconsideration, refresh, and wholly redesign that date COMAND system .
| Tech specs | |
| Model | 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan |
| Trim | E250 BlueTec Sport |
| Powertrain | 2.1-liter twin-turbodiesel, seven-speed automatic transmission, RWD |
| EPA fuel economy | 28 city, 45 highway, 34 combined mpg |
| Observed fuel economy | 27.0 mpg |
| Navigation | Optional 80GB HDD navigation |
| Bluetooth phone support | Standard with audio streaming and SMS messaging |
| Disc player | six-disc in-dash DVD |
| MP3 player support | analog 3.5mm auxiliary input, 30-pin iPod connection, USB, Bluetooth audio streaming, SD card slot |
| Other digital audio | SiriusXM satellite radio, 10GB HDD music storage |
| Audio system | Harman Kardon 5.1 surround |
| Driver aids | Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, parking distance sensors, Surround View cameras, Parking Assist automated parallel parking, pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, brake assist |
| Base price | $51,400 |
| Price as tested | $67,039 |