Diesel-powered cars in every class are available in Europe, where diesel enjoys a significant price advantage at the pump to complement its superior economy. Here, diesel is mainly confined to four-wheel drives. Mercedes-Benz is the only German luxury brand that currently offers a diesel sedan - the new E270 CDi.
Value for money
Pricing
The E270 CDi is available in three variants, with the same mechanical package but different equipment levels. The base model Classic costs $91,900, the Avantegarde $96,500 and the Elegance $98,500.
Warranty
Three years/unlimited kilometres, which is above average.
Standard equipment
The Classic includes upholstery in a combination of fake/real leather, power windows, automatic airconditioning, six-stack CD player, trip computer, rain sensing wipers, fog lights and remote central locking.
Retained value
The previous E270 retains 73 per cent after two years, which is average.
Design and function
Ergonomics
The driver's seat has very long travel. Power adjustment is provided for height and backrest angle; travel, tilt and lumbar are manually adjusted.
The levers that control fore/aft adjustment protrude a long way in front of the seats. My partner often cursed the fact that her right leg was copping plenty of bruises from the passenger seat lever.
The E's dash is efficient and user friendly compared with the usual baffle 'em with buttons luxury sedan layout. Rotary knobs control most major audio and airconditioning functions, cruise control operation is as simple as it gets and the trip computer display in the centre of the instrument panel is a snap to operate (with wheel mounted controls) and read quickly.
All of the switches work with a lovely, soft tactile feel. The lights have a deep, bright high beam but the cutoff is too sharp and short on low.
Niggles include the automatic airconditioning status display, which is difficult to see in sunlight, and the lack of oddment storage up front.
A six-stack CD is located behind a panel in the centre of the dash. Audio quality is terrific; the radio also has an extremely fast, accurate seek function and long range reception.
Innovation
The Sensotronic braking system, which uses sensors to detect pedal pressure and relays this electronically to the master cylinder, rather than employing a conventional fully hydraulic system, debuts on the E-Class.
The front passenger's airbag now deploys at a variable rate, depending upon the seat occupant's weight.
The introduction of low-sulphur diesel in Australia means that the latest European diesels, which are designed to run on this fuel, are now becoming available.
The 20 valve, five-cylinder turbocharged Benz engine has been around since 1999, but has recently been overhauled to meet the latest performance, efficiency and environmental benchmarks.
The turbocharger has electronically adjustable guide vanes for rapid boost pressure and superior responsiveness at low revs.
Seven-hole injectors deliver superfine atomisation and cut fuel flow rates for improved economy and lower emissions. Injection pressure has been raised to ensure that high rpm performance is uncompromised.
Double pilot injection provides more progressive temperature increases in the combustion chambers, which reduces the noise levels associated with direct injection.
Safety
The E-Class is as safe as they come, with a five-out-of-five star rating in recent EuroNCAP crash tests. The full arsenal of active safety features - traction and skid control, plus automatic full power braking in an emergency - are also standard.
Security
An alarm is optional, but otherwise the E is well equipped to beat thieves. A computerised key means that the car cannot be started without it.
Comfort
The driver's seat is luxuriously comfortable and supportive, with proper bolstering. You can sit in it all day and arrive at your destination feeling as comfortable as when you started.
Space and practicality
The E's back seat is also generously padded and supportive for two, but access and leg room are fairly restrictive for a large sedan. Tall adults will have their knees up against the front seats if they are occupied by people of similar stature; there's not a lot of foot room under the front seats either.
The boot has a long floor and a full size spare on a steel wheel is underneath. If you want to extend capacity with a 60/40 split-fold rear seat back, you'll pay an extra $1,390.
Build and finish quality
The E-Class cabin is a lovely place, even in base Classic spec. Fit and finish quality is first class, however this E had a couple of plastic on plastic chips around the instrument panel absent on others.
Body rigidity, as you would expect, is not an issue.
On the road
Fuel efficiency
The E270 weighs in at 1665 kg but can still return frugal economy. The trip computer gilds the lily, though. It showed a consumption rate per 100 km in the high fives at one stage, which is highly unlikely. You can do high sixes on the highway if you possess a surgically precise right foot; mid sevens/low eights are average.
In town, the fact that it is hardly necessary to exceed 3000 rpm means that you can expect to use less than 12 litres/100 km.
Performance
The Benz 2.7 now produces 130 kW of power at 4200 rpm - a five kW increase. Of greater relevance though is its 425 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm. Almost half this peak output - 205 Nm - is on tap from only 1000 rpm. Grunt indeed.
I tested the E270 over Christmas/New Year, covering more than 2500 highway/rural backroad kilometres. It was the perfect car for the job. The 2.7 generates refined, effortless pulling power from idle and cruises at a serene, silent 1800 rpm/100 km in fifth. It also flattens hills like a large capacity V8.
Olde worlde diesels have a nasty habit of running completely out of puff at the top end, leaving you marooned on the wrong side of the road halfway through an overtaking manoeuvre. Not so the 2.7. It performs best from 2000-3500 rpm, but is willing and responsive all the way to the 4600 redline. Rolling acceleration is comparable with a large capacity petrol engine.
The zero-100 km/h sprint takes 9.7 seconds, about a second slower than the E320 petrol V6.
The five-speed adaptive automatic's shifts are smooth and timely in most situations. They can be a touch abrupt when dropping down a couple of gears onto full turbo boost. The sequential shifts are also fine, if largely superfluous.
Ride
Ride comfort is excellent in most conditions, though the E can occasionally become a bit uncomfortably floaty for passengers in the back seat. A set of mid-corner corrugations can load up the front suspension, close to the point of harshness.
Steering and handling
The E270 is a superb handler on the open road, especially when the surface is rough.
The Classic has slightly longer travel suspension than the E320 Avantegarde tested late last year, so it has none of that car's problems with clearance and rubbing the front tyres in the wheel arches.
The suspension is slightly underdamped, so traces of bounce and float can occur on undulations.
In tight corners, the E is surprisingly light and agile, though it exhibits a fair bit of body roll and some understeer. 225/55 Pirelli P7s on 16-inch alloy wheels provide excellent grip and are very quiet.
The steering is accurate, but still over-assisted and too light at highway speeds. Lack of feedback remains an E-Class trait, despite the adoption of rack and pinion.
Braking
Sensotronic brakes bite with amazing speed and power. Pedal feel is a bit on/off at low speeds.
In the dirt, the stability control can overreact in corners and clamp the outside front wheel far too aggressively with the ABS.
Smoothness and quietness
Almost as good as a petrol-powered Benz. Only when accelerating hard from rest does a slight vibration intrude through the seat and wheel. A muted diesel clatter is evident at idle and when the engine is asked to work hard from low revs in a high gear.
Summary
At around $100,000 on the road, the E270 CDi is arguably the best value in the E-Class lineup. Economy and longevity are the two main reasons why people traditionally buy diesels. The E delivers here, but it is also an exceptionally refined luxury sedan, with remarkably strong, unstressed performance and great cross country ability.
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