Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI Avantgarde Coupé 2011 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $99,000
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Sunroof $4500
Crash rating: Five-star ANCAP
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 5.3
CO2 emissions (g/km): 139
Also consider: BMW 3 Series Coupe, Audi A5 Coupe

About our ratings

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet are more C-Class than anything else. If not previous-generation CLK by name, they certainly are by nature.

In just about all respects other than overall length (more than the E-Class sedan), weight (about 110kg above equivalent C-Class sedans) and height (about 47mm below the C-Class sedan), the E-Class two-doors' footprint closely matches C-Class specs with identical wheelbases and virtually identical track widths.

Not that the C-Class fundamentals are something you'd immediately pick. Especially in Coupé form, as tested here, the new two-door Benz models have an undeniably slick road presence that is a notch above the sedan equivalents. It's less to do with overall size than the broad-shouldered proportions encouraged by the lower roofline.

The Coupé picks up the arched side window line of the four-door CLS, as well E-Class cues such as the rear wheelarch sculpturing, the angular, two-piece headlamp set and the hockey-stick LED lights set into the lower bumper. And the overall effect is alluring. So much so the Coupé has been praised as one of the best-looking cars in the current Benz lineup.

In terms of packaging, what you get is pretty much what you'd expect: The E-Class Coupé offers all the room you'd ever need up front, but the two people riding in the back will find their peace of mind dependent on the size of the driver and front-seat passenger. If they are tall, then back-seat legroom tightens noticeably.

Solace can be found in the individually-contoured rear cushions and the easy entry made possible by the (slow-paced) powered seat slides.

The Coupé boot appears small -- seemingly less than the quoted 450 litres (25 litres below C-Class sedan) -- but we are, after all, talking about a fashion statement here, not a practical family sedan. The volume is more than sufficient when you are mostly talking about two passengers, not a carload.

And talking of fashion statements, it might sound like something of an aberration that a distinctly upmarket coupe like the E-Class should include something a four-cylinder diesel in its engine lineup.

In fact, two four-cylinder diesels are on offer (in the sedan, E250 CDI in coupe only): the E 220 CDI and the E 250 CDI tested here. Both use a long-stroke configuration, displace 2.1 litres and come under the Benz BlueEFFICIENCY banner that indicates they've been given a thorough workover to maximise fuel economy while minimising exhaust emissions and maintaining strong performance.

The E 250 CDI produces impressive power and torque: 150kW comes in at 4200rpm, while the torque output is little short of stupendous for the capacity with a hefty 500Nm produced at just 1600rpm.

Performance is impressive; fuel economy and emissions even more so. The E 250 CDI Coupé reaches 100km/h in a swift 7.7 seconds and quotes an average 5.3L/100km (more on that later). Exhaust emissions are shaved back to 139g/km.

The two-door E-Class has the on-road composure that has always typified Benz cars in the past, in this case with a firmer edge to the ride quality indicating a more agile, responsive nature.

If you hadn't been told Benz embarked on a weight reduction programme with the Coupé, you wouldn't know it. The E 250 CDI two-door effectively filters out extraneous noise including suspension, wind roar (and most, but not all, of the four-cylinder diesel busy-ness) in a manner entirely appropriate to its station.

With engine torque at its peak from 1600-2400rpm, step-off response is eager. A steady push in the back continues through to 4200rpm, where the maximum 150kW are developed.

The conventional five-speed auto transmission is not your high-tech seven-speeder found in V6 and V8 petrol Coupés, which might explain its slight lumpiness in start-stop traffic. It's nevertheless efficient in its ability to harness the power of the engine while allowing outstanding fuel economy and low tailpipe emissions. It uses the same sideways-shuffle manual override found across most of the Benz range.

So the driving experience is a mix of steady composure with suggestions of sporty responsiveness. If you're not inclined towards the occasional quick blast along a winding, dipping and diving back road, then the Coupé makes an excellent choice for proceeding gracefully down the boulevard.

Annoyances are few: the boot on our test car was inclined to snap open too abruptly for comfort; the diesel engine occasionally took a couple of attempts before starting up from cold; and the centre cubby was a bit light-on for storage space -- which is not uncommon in midsize luxury cars.

And on test, our overall consumption figure of 8.0L/100km wasn't anything like the claimed 5.3L/100km average claimed by Mercedes-Benz. More time with the car would probably whittle the average down.

On the credit side were the Benz cruise control (it remains among the easiest and most intuitive to use of all systems and includes a braking function to control speed on descents as well as ascents), and the (optional) giant panoramic sunroof.

The E-Class Coupé is altogether a more complete luxury coupe than the old CLK with elegant looks, appropriate accommodation and facilities for this part of the luxury market – and no lingering suggestions it is a lower-rung Benz two-door. Just don't tell anyone it really derives from a C-Class.

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NB: Mercedes-Benz E 500 shown for illustrative purposes.