TESTDRIVE: 2007 Mercedes-Benz E230 "Classic" (W211)

cawimmer430 · 08-31-2007, 04:30 PM

Reviewer: Christian A. Wimmer
Weather Conditions: Cool & Wet
Photoshoot Location: Mößling & Annabrunn, Germany

2007 Mercedes-Benz E230 Classic (W211)

Testdrove a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E230 Classic today.

I was initially expecting the E230 to be a little on the slow and underpowered side. The smallest gasoline-powered E-Class I drove in the past was an E200 Kompressor with 163-horsepower and whole enjoyable to drive when relaxed, it was slow in general acceleration and midrange punch was non-existant. With an empty weight of 1680 kg one might think the E230 is a heavy and underpowered car. Not the case. An enjoyable 45 minute testdrive later, I came away mightily impressed with the car.

My testcar was a 2007 E230 Classic, the cheapest trim level available for the E-Class. If you're ever in Germany, this is the trim that the vast majority of taxis, police or business fleets use. This means the exterior lacks some flashy features such as chrome strips here and there. The overall look is "basic" - all you need is a car to get you from A to B, basically. The base price of the E230 is 38,420 Euros. The car I drove was fairly well equipped with the basic features a normal human being would need such as the 7Gtronic automatic transmission, Parktronic and heated seats (front) - which bumped the price up to 45,719 Euros.

The E230 itself functions as the entry-level V6 E-Class and is slotted inbetween the E200 Kompressor (183-horsepower) and E280 (231-horsepower). According to the guys at the local Mercedes dealership, it doesn't sell that well amongst private buyers who generally go for the E280. Surprisingly, the E230, according to the salesmen, sells well in the business fleet car market.

As usual, I find the E-Class offers an excellent combination of interior space and easy, well-thought-out ergonomics. Everything is within reach and where'd you expect it. The spartan looking interior was well made with the materials feeling good and the overall atmosphere of the cabin feeling expensive. I personally didn't like the light colored and glossy wood with the darker materials, but overall the interior felt like it should: premium. The cloth seats were very soft and comfortable and offered decent side grip as I later found out.

When starting the engine I was surprised at the refinement. You could just feel it. It was a quiet motor and it instantly felt more refined and cultured than the old 3.2-l V6 ticking in our E320. With 204-horsepower and 245 Nm of torque, it wasn't exactly weak either. At this point I wasn't expecting the car to drive well - boy was I wrong. The moment I drove the car off the dealer lot, I was amazed at how smooth it sounded and how it effortlessly moved the car. This was further reinforced when the engine was properly warmed up and I could properly test her.

Out on the proper roads I began exploring her a bit. Here I could properly test the car and how she responded. Once again, the engine response was good and the car accelerated effortlessly. I was amazed at this. The car nearly weighs 1.7 tons and is powered by a 204-horsepower engine with 245 Nm of torque. I suppose that in this day and age this somewhat counts as "average", does it not? Either way, the acceleration was fluid and quick. Mercedes claims a 9.1 second 0-100 km/h time, probably underrated as the car felt much quicker when I hammered her. Indeed, the engine responded instantly, the transmission, which up to this point couldn't be felt, shifted down two gears (I imagine) and the E230 surged forward quickly. Impressive given the weight of the car and the power output of the engine. "Effortless" is a word that comes to mind when describing the acceleration, I swear.

From a handling point of view, she wasn't bad, but she wasn't sporty either. Being a Classic trim level car, it obviously didn't have the sporty setup of the Avantgarde trim. The suspension was soft and comfortable, almost boat-like, but a bit harder than what you'd expect from a cushy suspension. The steering feel was initially vague, but after about a centimeter of turning the wheel, became very direct and made up for the soft suspension. But at the end of the day, you didn't feel like driving this car sporty. The E230 certainly had the power to be driven sporty, but it felt like a comfortable long-distance cruiser at heart. I settled into a relaxed driving mode and just cruised around exploring the car here and there and occasionaly pushing it here and there. For the most part though, I drove her in a relaxed and stately manor because I felt that's how the car wanted (and was meant) to be driven. If you want an E-Class that handles, select Avantgarde trim.

Overall, I was quite impressed this entry-level V6 E-Class. First, the engine is far from underpowered and is very smooth as well. The peformance was completely satisfactory and if you're realistic, this is basically all you need (ok maybe an E280 and then that's it!). The car was also very comfortable, as expected and perfect for long distance journeys. Add to that classic Mercedes traits such as safety and build quality and you're all set to go. A superb machine. I'd probably order mine in Avantgarde trim though. I like a blend between comfort and sport and the Classic trim was just a bit too soft for my tastes.

Would I recommend the E230? Yep. Definitely.

NarutoRamen · 08-31-2007, 05:38 PM

Nice review Wimmer. for something that's supposed to be "basic" it looks quite nice. As for the engine, I'm sure it's nice but it's too small to be a premium.

Amo · 08-31-2007, 05:42 PM

Thanks for the review. Just shows you dont need to buy the top of the range model with a huge engine to enjoy the luxuries of a Benz.

ree · 08-31-2007, 06:16 PM

Thanks for this review!! It's a great car, I think - but it would be definitely nicer, if it had the Avantgarde Trim...

Monster · 09-01-2007, 12:15 AM

Thanks Christian, nice review and nice photos as usual. Even in classic trim, the E still looks respectable. Mercedes has managed to retain the basic MB feel in their traditional passanger range, from the basic C-class to the top S-class, it doesn't matter if the engine is small or the trim is basic, the driver and the passanger always get a taste of the genuine MB flavour, ofcourse the more you spend the better it gets.

The wood trim does look a bit too bright, but other than that, this is a top quality interior.

cawimmer430 · 09-01-2007, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarutoRamen

Nice review Wimmer. for something that's supposed to be "basic" it looks quite nice. As for the engine, I'm sure it's nice but it's too small to be a premium.

Anytime.

Different markets, different perceptions of premium. Here, even an E200 Kompressor is a respectable luxury car. The E230, being a V6, carries even more cache than an E200 Kompressor.

Most Europeans, in my experience, purchase a car with this thought in mind: "How much do I need?" This applies to performance, options etc. Basically, if you're sensible, you'll realize that you can own a nice luxury car with a powerful, yet efficient engine such as the E230.

Of course in say North America, people probably won't understand the concept of why such a car exists. To them, a car in this class needs to be overpowered, rock to 60 in 5-6 seconds and have a top speed that can never be verified on their roads.

cawimmer430 · 09-01-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amo

Thanks for the review. Just shows you dont need to buy the top of the range model with a huge engine to enjoy the luxuries of a Benz.

Exactly.

cawimmer430 · 09-01-2007, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ree

Thanks for this review!! It's a great car, I think - but it would be definitely nicer, if it had the Avantgarde Trim...

Agreed. I can't stand Classic trim much. Elegance / Avantgarde are the way to go, especially if you place emphasis on exterior appearances.

cawimmer430 · 09-01-2007, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

Thanks Christian, nice review and nice photos as usual. Even in classic trim, the E still looks respectable. Mercedes has managed to retain the basic MB feel in their traditional passanger range, from the basic C-class to the top S-class, it doesn't matter if the engine is small or the trim is basic, the driver and the passanger always get a taste of the genuine MB flavour, ofcourse the more you spend the better it gets.

The wood trim does look a bit too bright, but other than that, this is a top quality interior.

Thanks.

Agree about the interior, the colors don't mix. A darker, less glossy wood would have suited the cockpit better. I have to say that the cockpit, despite the spartan appearance, was pretty HQ for a Classic level car. I remember the W210 Classic E-Classes. They had a cockpit that could only be described as CHEAP.

Not the case here.

Benzboi_inoz · 09-01-2007, 08:00 AM

Hi Christian

Great review, and great pictures as usual!

It pains me to say it, as a Merc fan, but I don't really like the light wood with dark trim combination either in the interior picture.

I've not seen that combination before, and I really can't think of many polite words to use to describe it.

If some folks think Japanese cars can look 'crass' with 'fake' wood, that Benz would be worse IMHO.

Usually here we have dark birds eye maple with a black interior as regards the E Class. Looks much nicer IMHO.

Thanks again for a great review.

Best Regards

John...