2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG is a dying breed of a sports sedan
Unlike 90s, sedans are no longer the “go-to” choice for majority of people. For the remaining buyers, either they hate crossovers, or they love driving a traditional sports sedan. 2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG is the last frontline of the gasoline engines, as we no longer get the V8 offerings from the German brand.
You heard it right, there is no E63 AMG, so E53 AMG is what we get. You may call it watered down AMG, or fake AMG. However, due to the strict emission rules, Mercedes-Benz had to cut the production of the twin turbo V8 engine and this is the replacement for 2022 model year, until they come up with something better, sharper and faster.
Exterior and Interior
Mercedes-Benz has a very long history with the E class, it dates all the way back to 1950s. Every generation, Mercedes-Benz found a way to stand out in terms of distinctive looks, and this generation is no exception. It does not have sharp body lines, but like many other modern Mercedes models, it carries some traditional design language.
The front end looks similar to the S-Class, but with some C-Class design features which makes sense, as it sits in the middle. It does not have huge front grille by modern standards, but chrome lines make it look sporty, with a huge Mercedes-Benz logo.
The front headlights looks very modern and uniquely Mercedes. I’m surprised by the fact that it is one of the rare modern premium entry without sharp body lines or enormous front grille while it still looks gorgeous. Of course, since it is an AMG model, it comes with more aggressive looking front bumper, and hood.
As a Mercedes-Benz tradition, no matter how sporty it is, it still looks like an E series. It has some sporty design elements while still keeping elegant silhouette. Like the front end, you don’t see many sharp lines, it is definitely a flowy design from the side profile.
2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG’s rear design looks mostly like any other E-Class, but there are few slight changes. It is definitely a subtle design language in the rear, and quad exhaust tips are the only indicator that shows this is the sportiest entry, aside from the E53 AMG badges.
2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG carries a lot of design elements from the previous generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and it is not surprising if you are familiar with the brand’s modern history. E-Class has always inherited S-Class’ technology, design language and features.
Our tester came with the carbon fiber trims for sportier looks, but I think Mercedes should have used different materials throughout the center console stack. It just looks like a big carbon fiber piece dumped on the dashboard and center console. I would still prefer this over having a huge block of glossy black, but it could have been better.
Mercedes-Benz decided to use glossy black probably in the worst place that you can use, it’s the steering wheel. They also decided to switch touch buttons and those buttons are relatively small, so it is quite hard to get used to it as you would accidentally press buttons by just touching it.
However, there are good things about the steering wheel and the interior. I love the fact that all materials are top notch and it gives you that premium feeling you would expect from a premium German brand as soon as you get inside. I also love driving mode buttons on the steering wheel, I think it is a brilliant idea.
Compared to the other premium entries in this segment, E-Class probably has the most “Wow!” factor as it has some fancy features carried over from the S-Class. Such as the ambient lights as well as huge 12.3″ screens for both digital gauge cluster and infotainment system.
If you are looking for an mid-size premium sedan, seat comfort should be an important factor for you. Mercedes’ seats are generally known as a good option especially if you are a larger adult, and E-Class gives you a lot of adjustment options. Even though it is an AMG model, it is much more comfortable yet it offers great amount of side bolstering for sportier ride.
Another important feature that makes you want to buy a mid-size premium sedan is the practicality, and rear passenger accommodation. Compared to 5-Series, E53 AMG has more rear legroom and headroom and it’s not due to the interior space. E53 AMG’s seats are designed curvy enough to offer more legroom for the passenger.
Like the front seats, you get same quality of plastics and leather, so Mercedes-Benz didn’t cut any corner in the back. There are some optional features that were not available in our tester, such as the 3-zone automatic climate control in the rear, and rear window sunshade which they should have been standard in a top of the line entry.
Current generation E-Class falls behind in terms of overall cargo space, which is much smaller than current generation BMW 5-Series. Although it offers more usable rear passenger accommodation, 5-series compensates it by offering almost 25% more cargo space in the trunk. E-Series has 540L of cargo space, but there is a bump on the floor that makes it hard to put big items.
Engine and Drivetrain
Unfortunately we no longer have the twin turbo V8 E63 AMG in 2022 due to strict emission regulations. So we have the E53 AMG as a top of the line and the sportiest entry in E-Series model lineup. 2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG has 3.0L inline-6 turbo with mild hybrid drive, which pumps out 429 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque.
The engine is matched with Mercedes’ latest AMG Speedshift Twin Clutch 9-Speed transmission and 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. 4MATIC+ AWD system allows you to fully disable the front axles and the car becomes a rear wheel drive vehicle for the drift mode. Unlike the outgoing E63 AMG, you don’t get a dedicated “Track” mode with it.
Driving Impressions and Features
Rather than outright performance, E53 AMG is very impressive as a performance oriented daily driver. The seats are super comfortable, and the drivetrain can be super smooth even with the dual clutch transmission. It is still quite fast as it gets you from 0 to 100 around 4.5 seconds, but the drivetrain feels more like a fast E-Series rather than a dedicated track weapon.
The suspension tune and braking also feels E53 is more road oriented, as you get decent amount of controllable body roll even on the firmest suspension setting. Brakes give you confidence, but you have to know how to modulate them well to get the most out of it, as the initial bite is not that impressive.
Despite running on winter tires, it has tons of grip at the limit, and though the steering wheel feels numb, it gives you more feedback than any other modern BMW. Thanks to the 4MATIC+, AWD system offers a lot of fun at the limit, as it almost feels like a rear wheel drive especially at low speed tight turns.
The 9-Speed dual clutch transmission is surprisingly competent and refined by dual clutch standards. It would be very hard for an average person to find that this is not a traditional automatic transmission. It upshifts and downshifts pretty quick.
Like the transmission and AWD system, I’m pretty impressed with the 6-cylinder turbo engine as it has tons of torque pretty much everywhere, thanks to the mild hybrid system as it helps putting down more power to the wheels.
Feature list is too long to go through, but we need to mention about the digital gauge cluster. Mercedes-Benz offers one of the most customizable digital clusters I’ve ever seen. Although you cannot place the navigation full screen like modern Audi products, sky is the limit in terms of customization.
The infotainment system works perfectly fine, as long as you know how to navigate through the menus. It takes long time to get used to the Mercedes’ infotainment layout, but once you get the hang of it everything is fine. However, I’m just not a fan of touch pads and I think this is where it falls behind compared to BMW, it is a less user friendly system.
Pricing and the Verdict
2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG is a dying breed, not just because electric cars are taking over, but due to the strict emissions we already lost the bigger twin turbo V8 engines in Mercedes’ model lineup. Until Mercedes-Benz comes with a better option, E53 AMG is holding down the fort.
If you want the only AMG version available, 2022 Mercedes-Benz E53 AMG starts at $87,700 CAD which is much better than the outgoing E63 AMG. There are surprisingly not many options available, but most important ones are the Premium Package which sets you back additional $4,800, and you can also include Exclusive Package for extra luxurious features for additional $3,800.
For more details – please visit www.mercedes-benz.ca
