The dashboard sweeps from each side and blends into the doors and center console. Nicely crafted wood trim is complemented by splashes of chrome. Plastic panels are rich in appearance, thanks to a new soft-touch finishing process. All are sprayed with a polyurethane coating that delivers impressively consistent color.
The instrument cluster uses black script on white gauges with LED lighting, framed by a three-spoke steering wheel. There's a big speedometer in the middle, with a menu-operated display for diagnostics, feature selection, ambient temperature, date and other information in the center. To the left sits a large analog clock, to the right the tachometer. On either end of the cluster are neat bar gauges that resemble thermometers, displaying fuel level and coolant temperature. An indicator with an icon of the car lets the driver know if any of the doors are ajar and, if so, which one, a welcome upgrade from the previous-generation cars.
A cluster of switches between the visors on the headliner controls cabin lighting and the Tele-Aid SOS call button. The panel also includes a switch to operate the sunroof. HomeLink buttons are located on the bottom of the rearview mirror and can be programmed to control garage doors, house lighting, gates, etc. Redundant controls on the steering wheel hub operate the phone, radio and information display.
The main audio, telephone and navigation controls are located in a new COMAND module, spread around a 16:9 ratio LCD display screen. The system is a big improvement over Mercedes' previous control center, but still requires some learning to master. A single row of switches operates door locks, flashers and seat heaters.
The center console has a funky pop-up cupholder and a large storage bin (two bins if you don't order the telephone package). There are storage bins in each door, and map pockets on the front seatbacks.
The nine-way adjustable front bucket seats are firm enough for good support when driving fast, but not hard on the back when cruising. They grip bodies of various sizes nicely, and there's more than enough adjustment via Mercedes' patented door-mounted seat controls to accommodate just about everyone. The sport seats have enough bolstering to keep a bronze bust in place. But if you don't dive into corners like Stirling Moss, then you probably don't need them because they make getting in and out a little more difficult.
Our gripes? The outside mirrors are small, no doubt in deference to sharp styling and good aerodynamics, and they limit the driver's field of view. More significant is the cruise control. Mercedes' system is managed with a stalk on the left side of the steering column, above the turn signals. On the new E-Class, the cruise stalk may be even closer to the turn signals than before, and at some point, no matter how long you've driven the car, you are going to hit the cruise control when you intend to turn on the blinker. Mercedes engineers insist that theirs is the most effective cruise-control operation going. We've yet to meet anyone who prefers it. On the other hand, we've met few people who dislike the cruise control to the point that they'd overlook all the strengths of a Mercedes-Benz to avoid having to use it.
Also, the new E-Class features ambient cabin lighting, the latest trend in interior design. These strips of soft, low-level cabin lighting in the headliner remain on during darkness, like a fancy nightlight in the bathroom. It's disconcerting while driving at night, at least initially, because we're used to nothing but the instrument lights. The distraction goes away as you become accustomed, but we're not sure the benefit of being able to see around the cabin outweighs the perceived loss of night vision and focus on the road.
The back seat has all the comforts you'd want. There are separate air vents for both sides, a fan-speed switch and separate temperature adjustments for rear passengers; a 12-volt power point; reading lamps; a wide, fold-down center armrest with cupholders and divided storage. Headrests are provided for all three rear seating positions, and they can be retracted remotely when there's no one riding in back for a greater range of rearward vision.
The trunk is one of the largest in the class. With 15.9 cubic feet of space, it's larger than the S-Class trunk. The trunk floor is as long as it is wide, with load height just above the bumper.
Wagons offer 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats and nearly 69 cubic feet with all the seats folded down. That's nearly as much volume as Mercedes' M-Class SUV, and with its lower load height, the space in the E-Class wagon is much easier to reach. The folding rear seat will accommodate pre-teens without complaint from the passengers, but adults probably won't like it as more than a novelty.
