Packed with plenty of the latest technology and built to last, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the executive car that’s built to take on BMW’s legendary 5 Series, Audi’s A6 and Jaguar’s XF. The E-Class is available in an incredible breadth of models, from saloons and estates to coupes and convertibles – but whatever model you choose to lease, you’ll be behind the wheel of one of Mercedes’ finest vehicles.
Comfortable and stylish.
Marries Mercedes reliability and performance with luxury.
Cost-effective for a car of its stature.
Lease an E-Class and, as with anything made by Mercedes-Benz, you’re signing up for quality, prestige and all-round comfort. The latest generation, launched in 2016, combines a spacious luxury saloon with the latest technology to deliver a classic Mercedes driving experience. While other executive cars have taken a sportier approach – the BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF in particular – the Mercedes doubles down on prestige and smooth-riding manners.
To find out more about how contract hire works, take a look at our easy-to-understand guide to car leasing.
The Mercedes E-Class Saloon has a 540-litre, square-shaped boot that can swallow about the same amount of luggage as an equivalent BMW 5 Series. The Mercedes, though, has a trick up its sleeve, with a cavernous under-floor storage area which has enough additional space to hold a full carry-on suitcase or a clever little fold-up crate that you can drop your groceries into, and then lift the crate in and out.
Lease an EQ Power mild-hybrid model and you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of luggage space owing to the size of the battery – a large hump in the middle of the boot floor makes it harder to pack certain items and the overall capacity is reduced to 400 litres.
The E-Class Estate, by comparison, gets a massive boot, almost as big as that of the Volvo V90, and the rear seats fold down with the push of a button. With the seats up, the estate holds 680 litres, rising to 1820 litres when the 2nd row is folded flat.
The E220d diesel is the most economical in the regular range, averaging 45mpg in real-world tests, with CO2 emissions on a par with its rivals. It's also RDE2 compliant, which is good for your company car tax bill.
However, if it's cheap benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax you’re looking for, you should consider leasing an E300e or E300de EQ Power plug-in hybrid. The former is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric system running on a 13.5kWh battery pack. That means it can deliver an all-electric range of 34 miles. The diesel alternative improves on the E300e’s economy figure but doesn’t really add any extra electric driving mileage.
The regular 4-door saloon is the most popular E-Class model.
More boot space and increased overall practicality coming from, for example, its electrically folding rear seats.
An Estate with slightly more ground clearance and 4-wheel drive as standard, giving it some light off-road ability.
A 2-door version of the E-Class with sleeker looks than the Saloon. What you lose in practicality, you make up for in style.
As with the coupe but with roof-down charm for sunny-day driving.
There are 2 AMG models to choose from. The first is the E53 4Matic+ with a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine. And then there’s the V8, the E63S 4Matic+, which can reach 62mph in just 3.4 seconds.
Even the most basic model gets active brake assist and cruise control with variable speed limit functionality, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and taillights, heated front seats, a 3-spoke leather multifunction steering wheel and the MBUX infotainment system, presented on twin 12.3-inch digital and configurable displays.
Trim levels available: Sport, AMG Line, AMG Line Edition, AMG Line Night Edition, Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+, Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ Night Edition
The BMW 5 Series, renowned for its sporty dynamics, remains one of the top sellers in this sector. And the Audi A6 has more recently also become a stronger contender among its peers. Looking beyond Germany, there’s the Lexus ES from Japan, the Maserati Ghibli from Italy, the Volvo S90 from Sweden and, if you want to buy British, the Jaguar XF.
Mercedes has a reputation for building quality products. The only downside is that repair costs can be higher than other brands. But the company also rates highly for customer service.
Most models have a decent-sized boot but the battery pack on the hybrid models means some useful load space is sacrificed, especially on the Saloon.
Parking sensors are fitted as standard on all models. The AMG Line Premium trim receives an additional 360-degree camera, as well as a built-in dashcam.
The Mercedes E-Class remains a very popular car to lease, putting comfort and luxury at the forefront, where others have leaned towards driving dynamics and becoming more sporty instead.
Leasing a Mercedes E Class is hassle free with Vanarama. Not only are our experts on hand to advise on car leasing, but you’ll also get the best price – guaranteed with our Price Promise. There are lots of ways to customise your deal too. Check out our car leasing offers today.
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