At first glance the Mercedes E400 has a simple mission: Take the luxury and sophistication of the E350 and add a healthy dose of power. Look past the output figures and you'll find the E400 brings much more to the situation -- and is possibly the best value in the E-Class line.
What's New for 2016
Paint-code obsessives take note: Palladium Silver has been replaced by the very slightly darker Selenite Gray on all E-Class cars. Otherwise the E400 is unchanged from 2015.
Choosing Your Mercedes-Benz E400
The E400 is a medium-sized four-door luxury sedan with an MSRP of $64,025 including delivery. Power is generated by a turbocharged 3-liter V6 which makes 329 horsepower and a stout 354 pound-feet of torque. A seven-speed automatic transmission sends motivation to either the rear wheels or, if you've checked the box and paid an additional $2500, to all four via the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. The boosted engine is paired with significantly upgraded brakes.
The available option list for the E400 is remarkably short, mostly because packages and items which are options on other E-Class cars are made standard here. The E400's asking price includes the Premium Package with navigation and a Harman Kardon sound system, the Sport Styling package, the Lane Tracking package, KEYLESS-GO proximity locks and keyless starting, and a fair number of other details which would run extra on an E350 or an E250 BlueTEC.
All this included equipment makes for an interesting comparison within the E-Class family: An E350 optioned as close as possible to the base E400 will sticker at only $1200 less -- and will naturally lack the upgrades to the engine and brakes. If you are selecting more than a handful of options on an E350, serious consideration of the E400 is warranted.
Should even all the standard equipment on the E400 seem somehow incomplete, there are available enhancements. The Lighting Package will train its LED headlights in the optimum direction for an additional $1500. Driver Assistance is also available separately; this $2100 upgrade adds radar-operated Distronic Plus cruise control, Brake Assist Plus, and enhanced blind-spot and lane-keeping systems. Other normal Mercedes options such as the Panorama roof, Parktronic, and a reality-warping Bang & Olufsen BeoSound sound system are also on the menu at appropriate prices.
Unless you live someplace where the skies and pavement are always dry, opting for the 4MATIC system is almost a given. It's the perfect finishing touch to this formidable assembly of supremely capable roadgoing technology.