2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class targets tech-savvy buyers

• The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan featured hybrid power, with the E350’s four-cylinder engine and the E450’s inline-six paired with a 23-hp electric motor.
• The cabin can be decorated with a screen in front of the passenger seat and a camera that allows video calls while stationary.
• Mercedes also integrates several third-party apps into the infotainment system, with the center screen giving access to Zoom, TikTok, and Angry Birds.

Mercedes-Benz is leaping into the future with pioneering electric cars like the EQE and EQS, but the automaker hasn’t forgotten about the models that built its legacy. It now breathes new life into the long-running E-Class sedan for 2024. The new generation brings a range of hybrid powertrains, a selectable futuristic interior with three screens and a selfie camera.

Unlike Mercedes’ bar-shaped electric cars, the 2024 E-Class retains the proportions of a traditional three-box sedan, with a retracted cabin and a long dash-to-axle ratio. However, the E-Class is visually related to the EQE through the black bezels between the headlights and grille. The taillights feature two star-shaped elements on either side of the body in full width. The smooth bodywork grows a few inches wider than the outgoing sedan, and Mercedes is touting improved interior space thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase.

Interior technical features

While the 2024 E-Class will come standard with two screens, the high-tech interior shown here features an optional third screen in front of the passenger resulting in a large pane of glass that extends across the rest of the dashboard. The similar setup for the EQS is called “Hyperscreen,” but Mercedes has downgraded the E-Class’ screen status to just “Superscreen.” Mercedes says E-Class models equipped with two screens have a large cutout on the right side of the dash but hasn’t provided any photos showing this setup.

The rest of the cabin features a rich-looking leather-and-metal switchgear, and ambient lighting wraps around the dash. An optional package allows the lighting to pulsate to the beat of any music being played on the Burmester surround sound system. The light bar can also display visual alerts from driver assistance systems.

Mercedes is proud of its new infotainment options, with the infotainment system now drawing from a single on-board computer. If properly equipped, the passenger can stream videos and games on the go, thanks to a system that blocks content if the dash-mounted camera senses the driver’s eyes wandering from the road toward the screen. Mercedes has also installed several third-party apps on the center display, including TikTok, Vivaldi web browser and Angry Birds, while the built-in entertainment system allows for streaming as part of the subscription programme.

Zoom is also available, using the optional selfie camera and video camera that comes with the Ultra display. It sits above the dashboard and allows for recording or video calls when the car is parked. The E-Class also features augmented reality for navigation, an overlay of arrows on live images from the car’s myriad cameras. The voice assistant can now listen to commands at all times, provided the driver is alone, thanks to the new “Just Talk” function. The infotainment system will also suggest apps based on the situation, saving drivers time searching through sub-menus.

Four- and six-cylinder hybrid engines

Two types of hybrid powertrains will be offered in the United States. Both engines feature an integrated starter-generator that powers a 48-volt electric system. The electric motor contributes an additional 23 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque that can be used to reduce turbo lag and facilitate the start/stop system. The E350 uses a 255-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that makes 295 pounds, up 22 pounds over the outgoing four-cylinder. Stepping up to the E450 brings a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 375 hp and 369 lb-ft, an increase of 13 hp over the previous E450. All E-Classes are all-wheel drive, and both engines are mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The 2024 E-Class features multi-link suspension on each corner, with optional air suspension replacing the base steel spring as part of the Technology package. There are adaptive dampers and a load leveling function that can be adjusted based on the road surface. The Technology package also adds rear-wheel steering, which helps make the E-Class more agile at low speeds by reducing the turning circle by nearly three feet.

The E-Class has many standard driver-assist features, but packs some upgrades—like active steering with lane centering and automatic lane changes—in an optional driver-assistance package.

Mercedes hasn’t said when the E-Class will go on sale in the US, but we expect the new sedan to hit dealerships by the end of the year. Pricing also remains a mystery, but the 2024 E-Class should start at around $60,000, which is up slightly from the 2023 model.