Ratings: W213 2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line facelift - So good, it feels all-new
Sanjay · Oct 17, 2021 09:00 AM
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When it comes to executive sedans in Malaysia, a few models come to mind. You have Munich's BMW 5 Series, and Stuttgart represents with the E-Klasse. We'll be taking a look at the latter today, specifically the facelifted (W213) 2021Mercedes-Benz E300AMG Line.
The E-Class is locally-assembled (CKD Pekan, Pahang), and a brief overview of both models sold here are as below:
As usual, all scores and judgements here are relative to the E300's segment and not the new car market as a whole.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300: Driving Performance - 35/50, Quick and powerful
It's easy to see how one might think this E300 as an all-new model, that's how much better this facelifted W213 is.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Facts and Figures
Engine
2.0L, turbo 4-cyl
Transmission
9AT
Total Power
258 PS @ 5,800 - 6,100 rpm
Total Torque
370 Nm @ 1,800 - 4,000 rpm
Weight
1,605 kg
0-100 km/h
7.5 seconds
100-0 km/h
40.5 metres
The M264 isn't the newest – a prefacelift leftover, superseded in some markets by the mild-hybrid M254 – but really, there isn't much to complain about. Power is abundant, but it's clear that the four-pot prioritises smoothness. Still, call upon it and it will pin your head to the headrest.
It's enough to make you ignore the hoo-ha about how an E-Class needs a bigger engine under the hood. What it has now is commendably smooth and hushed, a great companion for eating up the many kilometres of long distance travel.
Paired to it is a 9-speed automatic transmission (9GTRONIC, in Mercedes' parlance). For the most part it's fantastic, playing to the strengths of the engine, but it does get indecisive once in a while. When this happens, it'll hunt for gears before settling on one with an uncharacteristic clunk.
A minor blemish on what is an adept transmission for most of the time.
It's fine for pootling around town, but in 'Comfort' or 'Eco', there's a certain sense of lag. Selecting 'Sport' mode sharpens it up somewhat, and so some may be inclined to keep it here for the perkier response.
The E300's passive-adaptive dampers work in a way where comfort and ride quality are not affected by switching driving modes. Instead, it makes automatic, minute adjustments as you drive, in the interest of keeping things comfortable.
It's got a nifty variable ratio steering too, which picks up pace rather progressively, coherent to the car's handling characteristics.
Braking performance is top notch, with a very grabby feel. The pedal is easy to modulate, and they give you the confidence at higher speeds. At least on the driving aspect, this is a car that wants and helps you to drive smoothly, which is something your passengers will thank you for as well.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Driving Performance Breakdown
If it's something more of a 'driver's car' you're looking for, then the E-Class's résumé might not look as enticing as a 5 Series'. What the E300 majors in is smoothening your journeys, slipping through the air while you remain undisturbed.
Standard on the E300 AMG Line is the aforementioned passive-adaptive Agility Control suspension setup. Compared to the pre-facelift, this E300's ride is decidely calmer, effortlessly easing you over 90% of common pockmarks and undulations.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Cabin noise
0 km/h (A/C off)
43 dB
0 km/h (A/C on)
48 dB
60 km/h (A/C on)
58 dB
90 km/h (A/C on)
63 dB
110 km/h (A/C on)
68 dB
The remaining 10% of deep potholes and sharp road imperfections will still jolt the cabin, but they have to be particularly terrible. Otherwise, the effects can be somewhat negated by driving slower.
Space is par for the course of this class of cars, and the panoramic sunroof helps to increase the airiness in the cabin.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Ride Comfort Breakdown
Sound Proofing
7 / 10
Suspension
7 / 10
Passenger Comfort
8 / 10
Seat Support
3.5 / 5
Ergonomics
3 / 5
Engine Refinement
8 / 10
Total points
36.5 / 50 pts
2021 Mercedes Benz E300 AMG Line: Interior space – 32/50, Oodles of space
Short of the lounge that is the S-Class, the E-Class offers the respectable space expected from a car of this stature. Dimensions are unchanged from the pre-facelift, so if you've been in one of those, it's more of the same.
Seat adjustability is practically unlimited, with ways to tailor thigh, lumbar, and side support, among others through the door-mounted controls.
Though there's oodles of space for passengers, the driver's side is a bit iffy. The offset driving position (more on that later) results in a borderline-claustrophobic driver's footwell.
As far as space for rear occupants go, there's about two-and-some tennis balls worth of legroom and two tennis balls of headroom for an 177 cm tall adult.
For things, there's the usual cupholders, a rather large centre armest, medium-sized door cards, a sunglasses holder and a nifty covered storage area just below the centre console.
Pop open the powered boot and there's 540 litres of bootspace with the rear seats up. More space can be afforded by folding away the rear seats, but rather annoyingly this can't be done from inside the car - you'll have to get outside every time you need to do this.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Interior Space Breakdown
Front Row
7 / 10
Middle/Back Row
7 / 10
Boot Space
3.5 / 5
Practicality
4 / 5
Storage Space
4 / 5
Visibility
3.5 / 5
Storage Flexibility
3 / 5
Total
32 / 50 pts
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line: Quality and Features – 45/50, Quite complete
The W213 facelift brings with it a completely new look, which – as with almost any other car's design – can get polarising. Some like the smoother lines, but there are others who beg to differ by saying the C-, S- and this E-Class all look the same now.
Regardless on what's your take on things, build quality of the E300 is tight in all the right places.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Panel Gaps (mm)
Location
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Difference
Bonnet
3
2.5
0.5
Front Fender
3
3
0
Front to Rear Door
3.5
4.5
1
Rear Door to quarter panel
3.5
3.5
0
Tailgate
3.5
3.5
0
The E300's AMG Line garb brings with it Multibeam LED headlights, more aggressive bumpers, a studded grille, and 19-inch AMG wheels.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Paint Thickness (µm)
Location
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Front Bonnet
115
Front Fender
96
102
Front Door
125
119
Rear Door
117
122
Rear Quarter Panel
122
130
Tailgate
78
Roof
N/A, because glass
Average paint thickness: 113 µm ±8
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Exterior Materials
Bonnet
Soundproofing Material
Thick
Struts
Gas
Front Fenders
Soundproofing Material
Yes
Doors
Front Windows
Single-glaze
Rear Windows
Single-glaze
Construction
Single-piece
Boot
Opening
Powered
Stepping into the interior is an occasion everytime, even better at night with the fully-customisable ambient lighting turned on.
The E300 AMG Line gets Nappa leather upholstery, black open-pored ash wood trim, and an Artico man-made leather-lined dashboard.
Amenities in the E300 include a wireless charger, triple-zone climate control, a powered sunblind for the rear window, a panoramic sunroof, and the great sports steering wheel.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Cabin Material Use
Seat
Seat Cover
Leather
Armrest
Armrest Cover
Leather
Dashboard
Upper Section
Leather
Lower Section
Soft Plastic
Front Doors
Upper Section
Leather
Middle Section
Leather
Lower Section
Hard Plastic
What's shared between the two E-Class variants sold in Malaysia is the expansive, delightfully high-resolution Widescreen Cockpit.
Comprised of two 12.3-inch widescreen displays, one is for driver instrumentation while the other touchscreen is for infotainment and everything else.
Screen quality is top notch, and so is the software - the infotainment system is much more smoother to use than in the pre-facelift. However, it's not without its foibles as well.
Most have got to do with ergonomics and ease of use. For one, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay doesn't run in full screen, which takes away from the otherwise grand sense of occasion.
Then, the user interface is still poor as simple things like skipping songs can't be done through single touches on the steering wheel.
Instead, you'll have to use either:
Voice command
Jabbing at the screen while driving
Using the haptic buttons on the steering wheel like a mouse, which means it's easy to click the wrong thing entirely
That, and some panels that creak with pressure, dent an otherwise pixel-perfect interior.
Another issue persists in this W213 facelift, and it's the noticeably skewed seating position. You don't sit very straight, as your feet points towards the right, as a result of the steering's slightly left-leaning offset.
Yes, it's easy to get used to it over time, but such a twisted driving position can cause ironically cause discomfort during long-distance drives.
Meanwhile, the E300 AMG Line safety arsenal is made up of these functions:
360° camera
Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
Active Brake Assist
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Active Blind Spot Assist
Adaptive brake lights
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Quality & Feature Breakdown
After driving around for 109.3 km through mixed driving conditions – equally split between spirited and sedate, highways and cities – the E300 returned 9.9-litre/100 km.
As tested, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line starts from RM 375,432, which is a RM 49k premium over the E200 Avantgarde.
Among its competitors, it sits in between the hybrid Volvo S90 T8 Inscription Plus (RM 339,314) and BMW 530i (RM 395,800, with extended service package).
Meanwhile, the table below shows an estimation of how much it'll cost to maintain one over five years:
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line Maintenance Cost
Interval (month / km)
Cost (RM)
4 years service package
5,488.00
Like other models in Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's stable, the E300 gets a four-year warranty, although there are paid options to extend that by another two years as well.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line - Purchase & Cost
To sum it up, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E300 AMG Line facelift is one to have rekindled the mojo of what a good ol' E-Class should be. It looks the part, it's techy, and finally it has a much improved drive as an icing on the cake.
With humble beginnings collecting diecast models and spending hours virtually tuning dream cars on the computer, his love of cars has delightfully transformed into a career. Sanjay enjoys how the same passion for cars transcends boundaries and brings people together.