Mercedes E Class Expert Review

We are with the Mercedes E Class.

It has been renewed.

As well as outlook, and the engine under the bonnet, with its interior and new technology the E Class is now completely new car.

Let’s see if with this way, it became more competitive and more assertive.

Let’s analyze it together.

As always, I will also start with the design of the E Class.

We all know that the E Class is situated between its big brother S Class and small sibling C Class.

And with its appearance it resembles excessively as the Sedan members of the family as never before.

Nowadays, many car manufacturers design their cars on one model and develop the rest of the family from that.

The Mercedes is one of the marked and distinct brands that use this form.

When you look at the car from the front, in this exclusive equipment level,

with the wide grill without the logo and with  Mercedes’s famous star logo on top, it looks exceedingly as S Class.

Of course, if we say it does not resemble the C Class as well, it will definitely be a lie.

When you look from the side you see that its form has been rounded compered to the previous generation of E Class.

Further, the most distinct difference compered to the previous generation is the axle span that has been elongated 65 mm.

This naturally makes the car look bigger and grander and that it also reveals that the interior will have wider living space.

We will come to that soon but first lets look at the rear all together.

When we look here, the similar lines from C Class and S Class catch one’s eye, especially at taillights, at this chromium bar over the boot lid and at the exhaust outlets under the bumper.

Frankly, if there was no writing here, I couldn’t have easily distinguished which model it was at first glance.

In here, there are some parts with chromium sides looking like exhaust outlets that make the car appears chic and esthetic from the rear but I have to say that they are not exhaust outlets, the real ones are under them.

All right, what kind of loading capacity does E Class offer behind its boot lid? Let me tell you about that too.

It has 540 liters loading capacity, which I can say is very satisfactory.

You are able to load few of your bags here very easily and further as this car has RunFlat tires there is a repair kit, in other words no spare tire.

Therefore a very large area is offered at the space where the spare tire should have been.

You can put many articles here and travel.

Lets look what kind of living space there is at the rear seats.

Not to expect comfort at the rear seats of the E Class will be a mistake.

Believe me, it is very comfortable in here.

Due to the construction of the front seats a very good knee room is offered almost a hand span.

Despite this two parts inclining glass roof, the headroom is good.

There is not a bad living space for the third passenger but due this very big transmission hump his feet may not be very comfortable.

Even though, you may have to sit like this if you have to, but generally the place you sit and the rest your back is not bad at all.

This is in fact a practice we are accustomed in this class.

There are air panels offered for passengers at the rear seats.

Furthermore seat-heating system is offered at the rear seats at this equipment level.

It is a very good feature.

There is one armrest here and two cup-holders.

Further, you can put few of your articles, your wallet and mobile phone here.

Let me mention the curtain too.

When you close the curtain like this, you isolate yourselves from outside world.

I think it is time now to get in to the driver’s seat and start testing the new E Class.

Lets start.

Up to now what I have mentioned was the story part.

The real innovations of the E Class naturally are in here and concern the driver.

I will try to share these with you, as far as possible, during the drive.

Here we go.

I am behind the steering wheel of the E Class.

There are lots of topics to talk about the E Class in the interior as well as the new technologies, therefore to cut the long story short I broach the subject.

As soon as you sit into the driver seat of the E class, two 12.3 inches screen with very high resolution confronts you.

One of them is directly in front of the driver and it provides the indicators.

The one positioned on its right is the multimedia screen.

The indicators have three different themes.

They are called as Sportive, Classic and Modern.

You do not only select them, you are able to personalize the center and the right side of them.

These are all pretty toys but if I am driving an E Class as now, classic indicators and trip computer in its center is appealing to me.

Ultimately, there is this huge screen with high resolution you see here for navigation any way.

Therefore my choice of usage is as you see it.

As the multimedia screen is this big, naturally people think that it is a touch screen.

But Mercedes for safety reasons does not prefer a touch screen multimedia.

Instead, you are able to direct the system called Command from this round button and touch pad over it.

I have already told you this in the previous C Class test.

But in addition there is a novelty in this car.

They are these touch buttons on the steering wheel.

If you ask me this is one of the main reasons that separate the Mercedes from its current rivals.

Of course some question comes to mind of the people here because there are three controls that you can perform exactly the same operations.

I have already shared with you that I personally do not use the touchpad much in my previous tests.

I can tell you that the buttons on the steering wheel are very useful; you are able to reach all the menus without taking your hand off the steering wheel.

I personally liked it very much.

This multimedia system is not very hard but it definitely requires an adaptation period.

But still, if we make a comparison with the BMW’s iDrive or Volvo’s system in the new S90 and XC-90, I have to say that it is a bit harder.

The materials used here definitely satisfy the class standards.

The tops are covered with leather and high quality black shiny wood is used around the air outlets of the A/C.

Here, certainly reminds you an S Class.

But when you go down, especially this mid console with its design as well as its control elements, it resembles the C Class exceedingly.

In other words in the interior just as well as the exterior, it is possible to see signs of S Class and C Class in the E Class.

For your small items very adequate places are offered.

As the gear lever is on the steering column, there is a lidded cubicle in the place where the gear lever should have been just as in all the current Mercedes models.

In here there are two cup-holders and a small area in front of it.

Furthermore, the double lid armrest is very well designed to accommodate many of your articles.

Apart from the seat heating system, with extra payment, you are able to purchase seat cooling system as in this test car.

This is one of the specialties that I like especially when testing on a hot summer day as today.

Of course, I shouldn’t pass without informing you that the seats are very comfortable.

Let us consider the engine and the driving features of the E Class.

Under the bonnet of the E Class, 2 liters, 4-cyliders turbo charge diesel engine is functioning now.

This engine develops 194 HP and 400 Nm of torque.

While the engine use to be 2.1 liters previously, it has been downsized to 2.0 liters and this directly affects the price of the E Class.

This is an important advantage.

This of course is the part concerning our country.

The important thing is what the engine offers to the driver.

The engine, first of all, is very powerful.

With 194 HP as well as 400 Nm of torque, it is very lively in spite of its 1.7-1.8 tons weight.

The new E Class, just as the old E Class, is rear wheel drive.

Namely, I don’t want you to experience confusion here.

Even though some of the current Mercedes models are front wheel drive, the E Class, true to its tradition, is rear wheel drive.

The power of the engine is transmitted to the rear wheels by 9-speed automatic gearbox.

The passes of the gearbox is fast and smooth.

If you wish, you are able to command the gears manually by the pedals behind the steering wheel.

But the engine and the gearbox work so harmoniously that you do not need to use this.

The characteristic of the engine is very good and you don’t feel any tremor while the engine is working.

Further, I can say that it has a silent construction.

That is to say, of course you obviously hear an engine sound as this is a diesel engine but it definitely is not at a bothersome level.

Especially, if you take into account the high level of insulation of the E Class than it becomes clear that the interior is very quiet and comfortable.

Let us consider the driving features of the E Class.

The suspension of the new E Class, if you ask me, is a bit firmer than the previous generation.

But I have to interfere here that the E Class is still very comfortable and has a construction that irons the road’s uneven surfaces.

In other words, when you compare it with its rivals in its class, I think the suspension comfort of the E Class is definitely ahead.

Because on what ever surface you drive you feel extremely complacent and comfortable.

The road handling of the E Class is not bad at all.

As at the moment even at continuous bends you are able to control the car without difficulty.

The car doesn’t try to leave the road.

Aren’t there times it wants to leave it, of course there are.

But the ESP works so well that it doesn’t pull you with hard impacts but bring you to your line as if pulling with string in stead.

There are driving modes called Dynamic Select in the new E Class too.

You are able to select by the button underhand Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and personalized Individual.

Finally, the E Class is as always comfortable and better than its rivals when compared

but in the matter of agility it never was assertive and it is not in the new generation too.

That is to say, if you are searching an agile car in this class, I recommend that you look at the BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF.

But if comfort is top priority for you, then E Class will satisfy the expectations to the end.

I have mentioned that the E Class possesses the new technologic safety equipment.

The most attention grabbing among them is what we may call half autonomy driving system.

Mercedes calls it as Autopilot.

This system interferes to the steering in addition to the adaptive cruse control.

It is easy to use the system.

You engage this by the cruse control situated under the signal arm.

Later it completely engages when you press this two buttons positioned at the left side of the steering wheel.

Afterwards, the only thing you have to do is adjust the speed you wish from the cruse control and watch the E Class follow the car in front comfortably and safely.

As I am at the moment on a curvy road, I cannot show you this because their interferences are never at a magnitude to manage this type of bends.

But when you drive the E Class on the highway it definitely keep the distance very well with the car in front.

It manages to approach softly and manages to stop softly.

Further it manages to keep the car in the middle of the lines.

In the bends on the highway it strictly do not leave its lane and succeeds to astonish its driver and the passengers in the car.

I have to confess that I liked this autopilot system and used it throughout the test.

The new E Class’s one of the other technologic specialties is parking by itself.

This is one of the specialties we know from other brands and models but the Mercedes goes a step ahead here and put into use to park without the driver in the E Class.

In other words, after you find a parking place the only thing you have to do is give approval to the car and engage the gear to reverse.

After that, you do not touch the throttle or break or the steering wheel ever.

The car does all these by itself.

Namely, it drives backwards, corrects the steering, engages to the D, move forwards and correct the steering again and succeeds to put you into the parking space fast and good.

Let us finally consider the fuel consumption of the E Class.

I have been driving this E220d 2 liters diesel engine for 230 km. and at the moment the trip computer indicates to me 7.9 liters fuel consumption averages.

Of course, apart from that you are able to see 5.2 liters fuel consumption averages for today since I have started it in the morning.

Naturally this is the value indicated as I have driven on open roads since morning.

In other words it will not be true fuel consumption averages. But I can say that the true fuel consumption averages can be around 7-8 level depending at the way you drive.

The new Mercedes E Class definitely attained more competitive aspect.

Especially, with 2 liters potentially frugal and powerful new diesel engine and with high comfort level compared to its rivals,

I think the hand of the E Class is more powerful now.

Of course, as you know, it has very serious rivals in its class.

Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF and new Volvo S90 are very serious models competing with E Class in the same class.

Even though the 5 Series is getting a bit old among them and will be renewed at the end of this year, it still is one of the most important rivals of the Mercedes.

Consequently, even with all the innovations and new technological safety specialties, we naturally cannot know what the Mercedes will do against its rivals

but I can say that the Mercedes E Class users will definitely like it very much.

See you.

Mercedes GLC Expert Review

We are with the Mercedes GLC250d 4MATIC.

Don’t ask what is GLC because this vehicle is the reproduction of the Mercedes’s SUV model GLK. Now with a new denomination it refer to as GLC and developed in the C Series infrastructure. This vehicle takes a stand against rivals like BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Macan.

Let’s see if with this new denomination the GLC has become more assertive? Let’s analyze it together...

For one thing, the design of the GLK was angular and stern same as the legendary G Series that it carries its DNA. But when we look at the new GLC, we see a more soft and fluid lines just as the current Mercedes models. When we look at the GLC from the front we see a face very similar to the other Sedan models but there is a bigger grill and longer bumper here, ultimately this is an off-road vehicle but when you observe in general, the grill and the headlamps appear to my eyes same as the other models.

When we look at this vehicle from the side, it is clear that its dimensions have increased some more. This vehicle compared to GLK is longer as well as wider. In other words, if you ask me, this necessitates a larger living space in the interior. Let’s see if it is really so?

It definitely is so... In here there is a very specious living space. Very good knee room is offered, there is almost an area of hand span. Of course there is a bit of trick here because they have manufactured the backrest of the front seats a bit inward curved but you have look at the result that you are really comfortable here.

I can say that the headroom is very good because even though this place descent a bit due to the panoramic glass roof, as you can see it still has very good headroom. A fair living space is also offered to the third passenger.

There is quite a big transmission hump here but still, I can say that your feet will fit here comfortably. Ultimately, BMW X3 is the most serious rival of this vehicle, we have to accept that and it offers very good living space in the rear seats, but I have to say that, the GLC in this matter definitely does not lag behind and does well.

The rear of the GLC has rounded lines. It may appear pretty to some and ugly to some others. Let me tell you my opinion, I frankly did not like this taillights design very much, because when I look at the vehicle I think it, as if, has a sad expression and this do not please me.

Under the bumper there are two pieces that looks like exhaust out let but they are not exhaust out lets but still it added some esthetics to the vehicle. Under the electrically operated boot lid of the GLC, 550 liters loading capacity is offered. As this place is exactly rectangular form you are able to place your articles here very easily.

If you wish, you can fold down the rear seats by one touch to the button here. Apart from this, there is another detail about the boot and that is, due to the large space under this floor you can place here small trifles and repair kit and such easily. Of course, if you want, you can incline the rear seats from here too. I think it is very good.

I almost always say in every Mercedes test that all the Mercedes models appear to look very much the same. But their interiors now look so much alike too; this vehicle is exactly the same as the C Series that it shares its infrastructure. In other words, if you do not take into account the high sitting position, in the cabin you definitely feel as driving a C-Class. This definitely is not an unfavorable criticism; do not misunderstand because the quality of the materials used in the interior is high as well as its design pleases the eye very much. My only expectation from the designers of the Mercedes is when they facelift or move to new models, to put a dressier screen with better resolution and practicality.

Ultimately, even though it is not touch screen, you can command it from the controls here very easily. As appearance, if you ask me, with its add-on outlook it is not very suitable to a Mercedes.

The front, just as the rear, is very spacious and comfortable. The increased dimensions compared to GLK, offer the front seats of the GLC to be more comfortable too. There are quite sufficient places under hand for your small items. Since there is no gear lever here, you are able to put lots of articles inside the lidded cubbyhole. Furthermore, inside of the double-lidded armrest is very wide.

The seats are very comfortable, due to their high ground clearance construction, you have a commanding line of vision, and it definitely makes you feel that you are driving an SUV. In other words, if we were to make a comparison with the GLC’s small sibling GLA and think that it is an A Series with a bit high ground clearance, then the GLC definitely is an exact SUV.

Let us consider the engine and driving features of the GLC. The vehicle I have been driving is referred to GLC 250d 4MATIC. Don’t think that it has a 2.5 liters diesel under its bonnet because of the 250 figures. 2.1 liters diesel engine is functioning under the bonnet. This engine develops 204 HP and 500 Nm of torque and can be purchased in the GLC with 9-speed automatic gearbox. And naturally as you would understand from the 4MATİC it advances with a 4-Wheel drive system.

The engine has a lively and strong disposition and especially when compared with the 2.0 liters diesel engine rivals. I can say that the Mercedes GLC 250d 4MATIC is very good. In this not only 204 HP but also the high torque value like 500 Nm have a great share Of course, you know that due to the gearbox with ratios divided to nine, that works to give you the best torque value at best rpm ensures a throttle that always react favorably to your wishes.

Therefore, to drive the GLC especially when the road is clear is really joyful. The passes of the gearbox is fast and smooth and I can say that on this type of roads it is very successful but in the city it sometimes acts hesitant and jerk you in the cockpit.

As I have mentioned in the C180 Coupe test, the Mercedes now place the gear lever to the steering column, in other words if you want to use the gears manually you must use the pedals behind the steering wheel. The gearbox also answers your requests well when you use it manually. The steering of the GLC is just like many other Mercedes models very sensitive and soft, this naturally offer you a great convenience in the city, you are able to guide even a vehicle this size very easily. I guess the ladies especially due to the soft steering will like the GLC.

In this type of curvy roads, I cannot say that with sensitivity and balance it is as dynamic as BMWs but I think the steering of the GLC definitely satisfy the expectations. The suspensions on smooth surfaces are comfortable especially at absorbing the fluctuations of the road, but in the city on patched surfaces and passing over humps, you feel the impacts in the cabin. I should say that even with the high ground clearance construction, the GLC’s road handling is good and it does not move away from its line.

You can select five different driving modes in the GLC as Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. As you would understand from the names, when you select these modes the vehicle either becomes more frugal or you can drive with more performance. As there was no adaptive suspension in this vehicle that I drove, these modes intervene only to steering and gearbox. In other words if there was adaptive suspension system, maybe when we select the Comfort mode the suspensions may have been a bit more comfortable in the city.

I think the insulation of the GLC is successful; you do not have anything to do with what happens outside. The engine at lower rpm is definitely quiet but at mid and top rpm the 2.1 liters diesel engine to provide you with 500 Nm of torque, makes a bit of sound but clearly since it gives you pleasure I think it can be tolerated.

Finally, lets consider what kind of fuel consumption value the GLC 250d 4MATIC submit. I have been driving this vehicle for two days and have covered more than 150 km. At the moment the trip computer indicates to me very low value of 7.4 liters. Of course this reveals the truth that to be able to cover more kilometers in two days I have driven on open roads. In other words I did not drive in traffic much. I can say that if you spend more time in traffic, the values easily will reach 8.5-9 levels. But if you usually drive on open roads anyway then you can easily achieve the 7.5 liters values.

The Mercedes GLC with appearance, user-friendliness and driving features has characteristics definitely to please its owner. Personally, I have already shared with you how much I liked the engine’s performance during the drive. But this engine has one drawback that is that the engine with 2.1liters capacity falls into % 145-tax bracket. In other words its price compared to its rivals is a bit high.

If you do not trouble yourself with the extra tax, then I can say that the GLC definitely is a very good choice.

See you…

Mercedes C180 Coupe AMG Expert Review

We are with the Mercedes C180 Coupe.

Mercedes’s C Coupe model that is a rival to the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series is now looks much more attention grabbing and attractive. Let’ see if it will fulfill this with it’s driving features as well. Let’s analyze it together...

DESIGN
Before the test drive, naturally as always we have to talk about the design of this car. The C Class as all other Mercedes models have different dimensions than each other but one and the same in appearance. Frankly, from whatever angle you look, this car appears to be very similar to the S Coupe. Further, for those that are not very interested it is a simple matter to suppose this car to be S Coupe, as long as you remove the C180 logo at the rear.

When you observe the car from the front it looks extremely similar to its 4-doors Sedan sibling. Here is a huge Mercedes logo and with the grill that was given crystal effect it succeeds to appear exceedingly sportive.

The big air intakes under the bumper ensure the car to look aggressive when viewed from the front. The headlamps as usual reflect the quality of the Mercedes. When you look at the car from the side I should as always mention the wheel-rims. In this car 19 inches multi-spoke wheel-rims are used around. If you ask me, it definitely adds a plus to the design of the car but if I have to talk about the body of the C Coupe in general it is clear that the new generation has smoother lines than the old one. Much more straight and soft lines are used. The roof makes so good a fold that the car succeeds to appear exceedingly sportive. But of course, as you will guess, if you are talking about a Coupe, then its user-friendliness will naturally be lower than the 4-doors model’s.

Therefore, let’s see all together how to get into the rear seats and what kind of living space it offers. Ultimately you are driving a premium car, thus as you can see the seat move electrically. Anyway, let me tell you what kind of living space it offered here. The knee room is not bat but ultimately you are on the rear seat of a D segment Coupe, to expect better will be optimism. The headroom also satisfies expectations. But the most important thing here is that the body of this car has been enlarged compared to the previous generation and a bit elongated. There is quite a big transmission hump here but I do not feel the need to comment as favorable or unfavorable since the rear seats are for 2 persons only.

The most the C Coupe resembles the S Coupe is no doubt in the rear. When you look from the rear you really have difficulty to tell them apart. I can say that I personally did have. If I have to mention the design of this place, the taillights are in a horizontal form and make an indentation to the boot. On both sides of the bumper and due to the diffuser in the center the C Coupe succeeds to look very powerful from the rear.

There is one other failing that grab my attention in the practicality of the C Coupe and it is about the opening of the boot. I clearly could not find a button here because if you ask me it should have been possible from the logo or from this part of the bumper to open the boot but unfortunately you could not do it like that. You either have to open it from the inside or have to press the boot opening on the key. The good usefulness here is that it opens electrically and that is an important positive point. The boot of the Coupe is 80 liters smaller than its Sedan sibling and offers 400 liters loading capacity but if you ask me this value is quite satisfactory for a D segment Coupe. And to have the loading mouth in a good enough width means that it will satisfy the expectations all the way.

INTERIOR
Now is the time to get behind the steering wheel of the C Coupe. Come on...

Finally I am behind the steering wheel of this handsome. The intention of the C Class Coupe is exactly the same as the 4-door C Class. Especially when you look at this front, you see no difference. The main difference here is that the two doors Coupe have more sportive design seats. In the subject of material quality; the C Coupe, as you would anticipate since it is a premium model, is rigged with materials that will satisfy the expectations of this class. You see almost everywhere is covered with leather. Furthermore these seats ensure the ambiance of the interior to be more chic and appealing.

The C Coupe that bear traces from its elder brother S Class succeeds to impress everyone that gets into it. The indicators are legible and you are able to follow the data from the trip computer in the middle very easily. You can command the multimedia screen here by this globe or by touchpad. To command the multimedia screen definitely is not hard but compared to iDrive of the BMW I have to say that it is not that user-friendly. The C Coupe offers not bad functionality in the interior, especially in the matter of small items.

Because the gear lever is positioned on steering column there is a sizeable area here and it is offered with a lid without spoiling the design. Inside there are two cup-holders and in the front of it still an extra place. Furthermore double lid armrest is wide enough to accommodate plenty of your articles.

ENGINE
Let us consider the engine and the driving features of the C180 Coupe. Under the bonnet of the C180 Coupe 1.6 liters turbo charge petrol engine is functioning. This engine develops exactly 156 HP and 250 Nm of torque. In some countries, this car can only be purchased with 7 speed automatic gearbox. The engine is the same as its 4 doors sibling that I previously tested and has similar performance values. In other words, 1.6 liters turbocharged petrol engine offers you everything an engine can offer all the way. I personally do not think this engine to have any failings performance wise. The engine with its quiet working also deserves praise. You definitely do not hear the engine noise in the interior when driven calmly.

There is no notable difficulty at its harmony with the gearbox but in some instances it acts coy to raise the gear and waits to be turned over. In those times you feel that the fuel consumption is increasing and due to high rpm the engine noise starts to penetrate to the interior. As I have mentioned before since there is no gear level here, you cannot change it manually from there. If you wish to drive manually, you are able to change it from the metal pedals behind the steering wheel. It helps you to enjoy gear changes.

To expect a coupe to be comfortable is meaningless anyway but if you are buying a D segment premium model you naturally expect to have some comfort which is your incontestable right but unfortunately the C Class Coupe when you consider the road condition of our country does not succeed to make you feel comfortable. The big influence in this is the 19 inches wheel rims that can be purchased optionally. Of course due to the 19 inches wheel rims and low profile tires it is natural that the suspension comfort is low.

Ultimately if you were to go trekking you would not wear a suit and leather shoes because it will not be proper. The status of the C Class Coupe is alike. That is to say, even if it looks beautiful when 19 inches wheel rims are on a car of this class and especially on rough road surfaces the situation can be bothersome. But if you were to ask appearance or comfort, in my opinion, I would expect to sacrifice a bit of comfort for this appearance.

The 3 spoke leather steering wheel fits to the hand well and responds fast and direct to your guidance. Furthermore due to its soft disposition you are able to guide the C180 Coupe very easily. The C180 Coupe like its Sedan sibling is rear wheel drive and offers dynamic driving and very good road handling.

CONSUMPTION
Finally let us consider the fuel consumption of the C180 Coupe. This car as I have mentioned uses the same engine as its 4 door Sibling and it is normal that their fuel consumption to be similar. But I have been with this car for 3 days and have covered nearly 150 km. At the moment the trip computer indicates 10.9 liters fuel consumption averages to me. This value is higher than the sibling with 9 liters consumption level but I have to point out that I did not have a chance to drive this car on open roads.

In other words, I have to say that this value is nearer to in the city fuel consumption. If you want to economize and if you are a calm driver you can travel with under 10 liters averages but if you drive with performance you should know that you will reach 11-12 liters consumption.

In my opinion the Mercedes C180 Coupe due to its appearance may be a model among its rivals that will most appeal to the heart but is it a model to appeal to the mind and logic is something you have to decide for yourselves and please don’t forget to leave your opinion under this post.

See you…