Every now and then I get a car that is so finely crafted that it is difficult to find fault. This is one such car. The Mercedes-Benz E420 is wonderful but, alas, after much searching I did find a few faults. The steering felt vague and numb and the car also had difficulty handling wind. Well, that is all the criticism you'll find in this article. The rest is simply praise for one of the finest luxury sedans in the world.
The Mercedes-Benz E420 is the designation for the mid-size, V-8 powered sedan. The 420 indicates 4.2 liters of displacement. Another E-Class model, the E320, can be purchased for a lower cost with an inline 6 cylinder engine.
It seems to me that two different designer groups worked on this car. One was a young and enthusiastic. This group was responsible for: the bold, beautiful and sculpted front end. Beyond the A-pillar of the car the E420 is plain and down right boring; this area was certainly designed by the conservative standard within Mercedes. This isn't criticism it's just plain fact.
The list of features in this car is immense. The interior is extremely well appointed: a Bose music system with a compact disc changer, burl walnut trim, (real wood here folks, no plastic appliqué) leather seats, driver and front passenger 10 way power seats. Other interior amenities include dual climate controls with a charcoal filtration system and a mobile phone. The seats in all locations are firm and supportive. Passengers, that may complain, are more apt to like soft cushy seats instead of the firm support that you'll find in the Mercedes. The driver's seat is supposed to be firm and supportive so as not to rob the driver of stamina over long drives.
Mercedes-Benz suspension allows you to feel the road; it imparts the driver with confidence that they are still in contact with the road surface unlike the cloud like ride of, say, a Lexus. Don't misinterpret that as the suspension is hard, it in no way compares to a Camaro. It just isn't extra-soft. The speed sensitive steering is responsive; quick freeway lane changes produce some body roll, certainly not excessive. The 4.2L, V8, has 275 hp, which propels the 3,698 pound E420 from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds (Car and Driver, 7/96). The V8 makes wonderful sounds when you mash the throttle letting everyone know that this is no slouch of a car.
Mercedes-Benz has long been known for their safety systems. The E420 had most but not all of the available safety equipment Mercedes makes. The evaluated car had a steel reinforced cabin with front and rear crumple zones, knee bolsters, dual front airbags and side airbags mounted in the front doors. Other safety equipment included: automatic slip control (traction control) and 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The brakes in particular are extremely strong.
Since last year, the remote locking system has been improved. It still offers uncompromised protection with the use of infrared light instead of radio waves. Mercedes has added more receiving points to the car including the doors and the trunk to accompany the rear view mirror location.
The total price of $53,675 breaks down to: base price, $49,900; heated front seats, $595; sunroof, $1,090; integrated mobile phone and CD changer, $1,495; and destination, $595. EPA mileage ratings are 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. During my week of testing I achieved 21 mpg.
The Mercedes-Benz E420, is worthy of high praise as one of the best luxury sedans in the world, but the price, unfortunately, makes it only a dream to most of us.