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.
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.
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.
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.
Performance – The E220d debuts a new OM654 4-cylinder turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel motor that is sure to keep NGT’s unexpected mood swings at bay. The 2.0-litre diesel mill produces 194 HP of power at 3800 RPM and 400 Nm of torque at 1600-2800 RPM. The previous E220d made 170 HP and 400 Nm. Yes, the power output is considerably higher and we’re happy about that. The previous generation (ninth) E-Class, the E250d which was sold in India produced 204 HP and 500 Nm. We got a 0-100 km/hr timing of 8.52 seconds, which is pretty impressive for a car of this size! The powerplant comes mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox and this thing works like a charm. Gear shifts are super smooth. Cruising is the forte of this engine and gearbox combination. Till 130 km/hr, 9th gear cannot be engaged and when the 9th gear is engaged, the engine spins at under 2000 RPM at 130 km/hr.
The E220d is one awesome cruiser; can do triple digit speeds for long hours
The E220d does 0-100 km/hr in just 8.52 seconds, making it slower than the E350d by around 2 seconds
The motor pulls cleanly and the refinement levels are just great (up there with the V6 engines). It does get audible at higher revs but it’s nothing like an ugly clatter. There is no low-end lag and the powertrain feels very punchy with a strong mid-range. There are the usual driving modes on offer – Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Manual. Eco mode helps you extract few more kms per tank of diesel while Comfort mode is adequate for daily usage. Sport and Sport+ are the ones to be used when you are behind the wheel on a weekend drive. The manual mode makes the drive engaging but not very much as the gearbox will intervene if you don’t upshift at the right RPM. The ARAI claimed mileage for the E220d is 10 km/l.
The vehicle handles well only in the Sport and Sport+ modes
Driving Dynamics – Apart from the engine, the E220d is also different from the E350d in terms of the suspension setup as well. The former gets standard steel springs instead of the air suspension and also loses out on adjustable dampers which means you can’t raise the ground clearance at the touch of a button. Though the soft pillowy magic carpet-like ride from the E350d is missed, the steel springs in the E220d do their job pretty well. The steering is ultra light at low speeds and weighs up quite well as speeds build but lacks feel and feedback. We particularly felt the ride to be slightly better only in the Sport and Sport+ modes. Stopping power is impressive as the brakes do a fantastic job and the grip from the 17-inch tyres is great.
In terms of safety, apart from the ABS and airbags, you also get Attention Assist and PRE-SAFE
Safety and After Sales Service – The Mercedes E220d comes loaded with safety equipment like multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, Traction Control, ESP and ESC. Coming to the after-sales, Mercedes has been the best among luxury carmakers and what further sweetens the deal is the large network of the carmaker across major cities.
E220d is the variant that will sell in more numbers because it’s a diesel and it’s a whole Rs. 15 lakhs cheaper than the E350d
Verdict – The E220d no doubt will be the top-selling variant of the Mercedes E-Class thanks to the relatively smaller diesel engine and the approximately Rs. 15 lakhs cheaper price tag when compared to the E350d. If you’re in the market hunting for a luxury sedan which will transport you to your office and back in utmost comfort and also doubles up as fairly good (if not really good) driver’s car for those weekend drives, the E220d makes a lot of sense.
While the boot is large at 540-litres, it isn’t entirely usable as the spare wheel eats up a lot of space
What’s Cool
* Made in India and for India
* The diesel engine is super quiet and refined
* Interiors are classy, acres of space at the rear
* Superb balance between ride and handling
What’s Not So Cool
* Some equipment is missing
160 km/hr comes up in no time in the E220d
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