2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Features | Best Buy Price

As good as Mercedes' E-Class was, it's now even better. What's more, in a very rare phenomenon, Mercedes has actually lowered its price as well.

The redesigned 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has improved its quality, performance and style while reducing the price of the sedan by $5,400 from last year's model. And the new E-Class Coupe is also less than the CLK-Class Coupe it replaced.

The bottom line for the 2010 E-Class is a refined, luxurious vehicle with outstanding ride and handling performance, strong engines, extensive luxury and safety features, and top-rate cabin appointments.

The 2010 Mercedes E Class sedan is offered in E350, E550 and E63 AMG models, with the numbers referring to different engines. The E-Class Coupe is available in E350 and E550 trims only.

Standard Features And Options:

Standard features on the E350 include 17 inch wheels, a sunroof, power front seats with memory, a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, MB-Tex premium vinyl upholstery, auto-dimming mirrors, Bluetooth, the COMAND electronic interface system, and an 8-speaker audio system with a 6-disc in-dash CD changer and auxiliary audio jack.

The E350 Coupe is equipped the same but adds leather upholstery, sport seats, a panoramic sunroof and a single-CD player.

The E550 has the same standard features as the E350, plus a V8 engine, upgraded brakes, an air suspension, heated seats and leather upholstery. The E550 coupe doesn't have the heated seats, but adds 18 inch wheels, a sport suspension, shift paddles, and a sport body kit.

There's a Sport package for both the E350 and E550 sedans that adds 18 inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, a sport steering wheel and a unique interior trim. The Premium 1 Package, offered on all E350 and E550 models, features navigation, voice commands, a rearview camera, heated front seats (on the E350 sedan and all coupes), ventilated front seats (on all sedans), a power rear sunshade and a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with digital music storage, HD radio, satellite radio and an iPod/MP3 player interface.

There's also a Premium 2 package that includes the Premium 1 features plus keyless entry, keyless ignition, adaptive high-beam assist, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lamps, a power trunk closer (sedan), and ventilated seats (coupes).

The Driver Assistance package for the sedans includes adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot warning system and a lane-departure warning system.

In addition, available stand-alone options for the sedan include a multicontour driver seat with massage, a panoramic sunroof, infrared night-vision display, parking sensors, split-folding rear seats, expanded leather upholstery and a rear entertainment system.

The E63 AMG model comes with all of the E550's features, and adds a larger V8, a sport transmission, high-performance brakes, an adaptive sport suspension, adjustable drive settings, and a sport steering wheel.

The Premium 1 package for the E63 only includes navigation, the rearview camera and voice commands because the rest of the equipment comes standard. There's also an AMG Performance package that includes 19 inch wheels, still sportier suspension tuning, a limited-slip differential and a leather/Alcantara steering wheel.

Most of the stand-alone options as well as the Premium 2 package are also offered on the E63.

Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:

Powering the rear-wheel drive 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan and coupe is a 3.5 liter V6 engine that generates 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It's coupled with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimated gas mileage for the sedan comes in at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway. The coupe is rated at 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

E550 models are equipped with a 5.5 liter V8 that produces 382 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, again mated with the seven-speed automatic transmission. In performance testing, the E550 sedan has been timed from a standstill to 60 mph in a very fast 5.3 seconds. Gas mileage estimates for the sedan come in at 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, and 15/23 for the coupe.

It should be noted that both E350 and E550 sedans are available with 4Matic all-wheel drive.

Powering the E63 AMG is a 6.2 liter V8 that delivers 518 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a sport-tuned seven-speed automatic transmissiom with a paddle-shift manual mode. The E63 literally zooms from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds, an amazing feat for a large, four-door sedan.

Safety:

Standard safety features on all 2010 E-Class models include antilock disc brakes (ABS), traction control, stability control, front side airbags, front pelvic airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag, Attention Assist (a drowsiness and alerting monitor) and PreSafe (it better secures occupants when anticipating an imminent crash). In addition, the sedan's optional Driver Assistance package includes lane departure and blind-spot warning systems, as well as PreSafe braking.

Available safety options for both the sedan and coupe include rear side airbags while an infrared night vision system is an available option for the sedan.

Interior:

The cabin of the E-Class is generally the same for both the sedan and coupe, and is refined, angular and attractively designed, user-friendly and composed of top-notch materials. Space and comfort are also at a premium level. The seating is firm yet still extremely comfortable on long trips. The sport seats in the coupe and AMG offer a snugger, yet still comfortable, fit to keep occupants in place during turns. And backseat space in the sedan is prodigous and tops the midsize luxury class along with the BMW 5-Series.

Drive:

There is an outstanding balance between ride quality and handling ability in the 2010 Mercedes E-Class. It offers impressive adaptability and confident performance for a huge variety of driving situations. And while not intended to be a super athletic automobile, it still impresses with its strong engines, responsive steering and finely tuned powertrains. Whether coupe or sedan, and whatever the engine, the 2010 E-Class offers an inspiring driving experience.

And of course, the E63 AMG is particularly gifted with its suspension, steering, brakes, transmission, wheels and tire performance upgrades. This model is indeed a serious performance-oriented vehicle.

Update: Bad Economy Leads To Lower E-Class Prices:

Mercedes' sales have been on the weak side historically for close to the past two years now, right along with the other car brands and evidence of a continuing slow economy.

They've recently made some progress in offsetting at least some of the market weakness through strong incentives and easier-to-get discounts. The bottom line? The current combination of a soft market along with intense dealer competition has created the perfect opportunity for nailing down some great deals.

Car dealers will "wheel and deal" bigtime right now if you know how to push their buttons.

How To Buy A New E-Class At The Best Price: Before listing MSRP and invoice prices for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, here's how to buy one at the lowest possible price, especially given the current slow car market.

Prices:

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe:

E350: retail price: $48,050, invoice price: $44,686
E550: retail price: $54,650, invoice price: $50,824

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan:

E350: retail price: $48,600, invoice price: $45,198
E350 4Matic: retail price: $51,100, invoice price: $47,523
E550: retail price: $56,300, invoice price: $52,359
E550 4Matic: retail price: $58,800, invoice price: $54,684
E63 AMG: retail price: $85,500, invoice price: $79,515

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2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Features And Prices