GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Fresh Mercedes-Benz E-Class revealed

When it comes to Australia in November, the facelifted 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be touted as one of the most intelligent cars available.

Sporting a fresh new face and a redesigned rump, the German car-maker’s upgraded E-Class also brings several improvements to its semi-autonomous driving system, which are said to make driving safer and more relaxing.

Mercedes-Benz has updated the E-Class exterior design to more closely match newer models in its portfolio (such as the CLS) and the large sedan and wagon now features streamlined LED headlight clusters that can optioned with 'ultra-range' beams for improved night-time illumination of the road.

The tail-lights have also come in for a little work, but the car's silhouette remains untouched.

In terms of tech improvements, active steering assist has been massaged to provide smoother in-lane discipline, using swarm intelligence to gather data from surrounding vehicles and lane markings.

The auto-steering system features an updated 'Active Stop-and-Go Assist' system that pairs with adaptive cruise control to take the stress out of bumper-to-bumper driving.

This system operates at speeds of up to 60km/h and works in tandem with upgraded versions of active blind spot assist and active brake assist.

New sensors embedded into the steering wheel rim mean that adjustment of the steering wheel is not required to maintain autonomous steering at higher freeway speeds either – just hands lightly resting on the wheel.

There's also an electronic guardian system, dubbed Urban Guard, that monitors the vehicle once parked locked. If the car is vandalised, damaged (via another vehicle) or stolen, the car will alert owners via an app, and even show on a diagram where the damage occurred on the vehicle.

The interior of the new model hasn't been changed dramatically, retaining its large dual-screen infotainment/instrument panel set-up.

The power adjustable seats have been modified slightly and a new feature allows drivers to enter their body height via the MBUX infotainment system – which also has AI-driven voice control – which then automatically adjusts the seat position accordingly.

Various seat upholsteries are offered, from man-made fake leather (Artico) to embossed leather and nappa leather with diamond quilting.

Available in sedan and wagon body styles, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be offered with a range of different powertrains, including several plug-in hybrids, plus petrol and diesel.

Rear- and all-wheel drive will be offered along with the jacked-up SUV-wannabe variant, the E-Class All-Terrain.

Until the updated Mercedes-AMG E 63 rocks along, engine choices will comprise inline four- and six-cylinder configurations, with engine outputs ranging from 115kW to 270kW.

The headline engine for the German brand's new large luxury car will be a mild-hybrid set-up, comprising a four-cylinder (M254) petrol engine hooked up to a second-generation integrated starter-generator and 48-volt electrical system that adds an additional 15kW/180Nm.

More than 14 million Mercedes-Benz E-Class vehicles have been sold since 1946 and the current-generation vehicle, launched in 2016, has found more than 1.2 million buyers globally.