1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Luxury Car Reviews & Ratings

Before Mercedes began creating its recent string of high-tech road rockets,

its principal claim to fame was as a first-class luxury liner. That hasn't

changed in the modern era.

German cars, this make included, are sometimes criticized for a perception

of Spartanism, a chilly sort of luxury. It's true that Mercedes refrains

from overt ostentation. But it's hard to think of this car's quietly sophisticated

interior as cold.

Tasteful use of burl walnut wood trim and a matching color scheme make

the E420's interior easy on the eyes. Dual front airbags face front bucket

seats, and two more airbags reside in the front door trim panels to help

protect against side impacts. Leather seat covering is standard for the

E420 and E320, optional for the E300D.

A laundry list of standard equipment includes all of the usual comfort

and convenience suspects, including all the power-operated amenities. Chief

among them are some of our favorites, such as keyless remote entry, integrated

universal garage door opener, automatic dual-zone climate control with

a charcoal particulates filter (very nice for those of us with hay fever),

and an anti-theft system.

But then, this being Mercedes, we get a few decidedly non-standard standard

items. Two we especially like are the power tilt/telescope steering column

and the power headrest adjusters. We like the tilt/tele feature for its

ultimate convenience, but we like the power headrests mostly because they're

so darn cool. And they provide fast adjustment to an individual driver,

too, of course.

One of the few extra-cost options with which our tester was equipped

had two constituents: the integrated hands-free mobile phone installed

in the center-console armrest, and a six-disc CD changer located in the

trunk. These were supplements to the E420's standard AM/FM/Weather band

radio, a unit that can pump out more volume than most of us would care

to hear on short notice.

The overall best use of the E420 is not for commuting to work, impressing

our mothers, or making sibs jealous. It's for driving as though you were

being chased by dogs. Across Montana.

If you think high-speed fun is somehow inappropriate for a Mercedes,

you've been away. Speed limits are higher now and this car just pleads

for a chance to show what it can do.

After its initial tip-in, the E420 has the throttle response of an aircraft

carrier catapult. Pushing the pedal to the softly carpeted floor returns

a thrilling explosion of acceleration, pushing you back into the seat as

the car builds velocity. The cabin fills with the engine's refined snarl

and the tachometer's needle climbs toward the redline.

The car comes alive at speed. It has responsive, speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion

steering to guide its hefty (3748-pound) bulk around fast corners, an activity

that's enhanced by a well-bred independent suspension system, double-wishbones

in the front and a five-link arrangement in the rear. The blending of comfortable

ride quality with retention of impressive handling characteristics is notable.

BMW's 540i may have a slight edge in absolute handling, but the distinction

would be hard to detect on public roads. Though the suspension tuning favors

ride quality, we found the car well-balanced in hard cornering and a joy

on typical highway curves. There's no wallowing, no indecision at turn-in,

and feedback from the steering and through the driver's seat is at once

informative and reassuring.

Braking performance, always a Mercedes strong suit, matches the E420's

speed potential and then some.

Construction quality is another area where Mercedes has always scored

high marks, and in the E420 it's almost off the charts.

If ever it could be believed that a car was machined from a single billet

of high-strength steel, this is that car. The doors close so soundly that

you'd swear they pressurized the car. Neither road nor wind noise can achieve

much of an auditory foothold to mar the driving pleasure.