2018 Mercedes E220d Review
Car Tested: 2018 Mercedes E-Class E220d; Road Test No. 937
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 68.49 lakhs
The new 2.0-litre diesel powerplant is very refined and has almost negligible lag
Mercedes brought the E-Class LWB V213 to India last year in February and definitely got the sales charts on fire. The tenth generation E-Class was a radical shift from its predecessor offering best-in-class space, good equipment levels and decent performance too. Back then, the E-Class was available with a 3.0-litre diesel as well as a 2.0-litre petrol motor. However, post three of its initial launch, the E-Class range saw the addition of the E220d variant. In essence, the E220d is a more affordable E-Class with a smaller 2.0-litre diesel motor. We have a go in the sedan to find out more.
Motor Quest: The E-Class nameplate has been on sale in India since 1994 and is, in fact, among the most popular models for Mercedes-Benz in the country. The fact that the current model is ‘Made in India’ and especially ‘for India’ justifies as to why this car is so important for the Stuttgart-based carmaker.
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In 2017, India became the first market to receive the E-Class in RHD layout
Exteriors – In terms of exterior design, the E220d and the E350d are identical which means you get LED headlights with the signature double-slash LED DRLs, 2-slat grille with a large Mercedes logo in between and LED tail-lights which look inspired from the S-Class. However, the E220d gets 5-spoke alloy wheels (is of the same size but a different design) instead of the 10-spoke ones seen on the E350d and there is, of course, the E220d badging on the bootlid which hints at this one being the entry-level diesel E-Class.
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The cabin of the E220d feels rich and premium; more or less similar to the E350d
The E220d’s cabin comes fairly equipped, however, many features have been given a miss
Interiors – Interiors are again the same story as the exteriors. The dual-tone theme for the dashboard with wood inlays, dashboard layout, 3-spoke steering wheel, 12.3-inch COMAND infotainment system and the instrument cluster are all borrowed from the E350d. However, the car does have some subtle changes on the inside. For instance, the wood on the dashboard is lighter and the leather upholstery comes with a different pattern. Since this is a more affordable version, the German carmaker has skimped on certain features such as the Burmester 13-speaker audio system, memory function and ventilation for the front seats, headlamp washers and the 360-degree Park Assist camera. Also, the rear seat armrest shockingly misses out on cupholders. However, you still get Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, panoramic sunroof and a rear-view camera.
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The E-Class’s rear seat is leagues ahead than the rest in terms of space
Coming to the seats, they offer the same amount of comfort as in the E350d. Since this is the LWB version, leg room at the rear is humongous! Headroom and shoulder room are just right but the transmission hump in the centre will make it uncomfortable for the third passenger. In terms of feel-good features such as ambient lighting and sun blinds, the E220d is right up there with the S-Class. The sedan gets 540-litres of boot space but the spare wheel has been placed on it, so literally, all of that isn’t usable.
