Driven: E300 BlueTec Hybrid

[BimMerc]

Well guys, I got a Bluetec Hybrid to test out for 4 days.

Its a W212 Avantgarde in Cavansite Blue, with the standard AG spec etc.

After some 400 miles (of which 280 has been motorway) the car is showing a dismal 45mpg average. This having reset all counters, and monitoring the actual fuel spend.

Oddly I found most of the press seemed to be raving about this car, apart from one fleet driver magazine who tested an estate which was proving to be similarly off the mark in the mpg stakes - bearing in mind the stated 67+mpg

Its lovely in every other way, as would be an E250CDI with a little extra poke, but I just can't see how its possible to achieve these figures of mpg, as when tested on different routes, varying the style of drive and checking all things 'eco' are doing their job, the best I could get on an immediate 'motorway only' run was 49.6mpg.

There is an Aston Martins' worth of mpg missing here - I'm just wondering if having an E220 is the one that makes the most sense for a company car driver at the end of the day.

I will be adding pics of the car in the coming days (still have it yet!)

 

[st4]

I'd have expected more but around town the electric drive will provide more refinement and T other times it'll be pokier than the 250.

Plus cheaper in company car tax bands

 

[redbaron]

How many miles has it done in total? This will have a massive effect - have seen new tight 220cdis struggle for 30mpg over the first couple of tanks.

Also there is, in my experience a knack to hybrid driving that takes a while to become apparent. I did some miles in my mum's prius when i was without a car for a couple of weeks.. she never sussed it and could get 55mpg... i avg 72 for 3.5k miles over 3 weeks.. yes i did more motorway work.. but tbh that isnt where hybrids "win".

 

[st4]

How many miles has it done in total? This will have a massive effect - have seen new tight 220cdis struggle for 30mpg over the first couple of tanks.

Also there is, in my experience a knack to hybrid driving that takes a while to become apparent. I did some miles in my mum's prius when i was without a car for a couple of weeks.. she never sussed it and could get 55mpg... i avg 72 for 3.5k miles over 3 weeks.. yes i did more motorway work.. but tbh that isnt where hybrids "win".

Usually Prius are the fastest moving cars on the motorway.

It's a very cleverly designed car, very slippery so I imagine on a motorway mpg should be good

 

[Dryce]

Usually Prius are the fastest moving cars on the motorway.

I've always suspected that a % of them are driven by nutters who I suspect just cane them out of contempt because they'd prefer something else and want to get the journey over with ASAP.

 

[st4]

I've always suspected that a % of them are driven by nutters who I suspect just cane them out of contempt because they'd prefer something else and want to get the journey over with ASAP.

That's my theory about radio 4. It's that bad toy speed up to escape it

But you'll be right they'll be piloted by company car pilots and I expect more senior company car pilots will pilot the E class hybrid

 

[BimMerc]

The E300 had 4800 miles on it when delivered to me, so it's had some running in.
It's a large heavy car, but 67+ mpg seems awfully exaggerated. Maybe it needs more miles on it before it truly loosens up. I'm on a 230 mile round trip tomorrow of all motorway so will report back on that, and will use a different station to fill up.

I'm considering it as a company car, but then if the mpg isn't far off the E220 cdi then u would opt for that I think.

 

[BimMerc]

I've always suspected that a % of them are driven by nutters who I suspect just cane them out of contempt because they'd prefer something else and want to get the journey over with ASAP.

Agreed!

 

[gIzzE]

The E300 had 4800 miles on it when delivered to me, so it's had some running in.
It's a large heavy car, but 67+ mpg seems awfully exaggerated. Maybe it needs more miles on it before it truly loosens up. I'm on a 230 mile round trip tomorrow of all motorway so will report back on that, and will use a different station to fill up.

I'm considering it as a company car, but then if the mpg isn't far off the E220 cdi then u would opt for that I think.

Problem you have with those figures are.....


Urban is 4 miles with 4 stops involved.
The E300 Hybrid will be using the battery for that as soon as it gets going, hence excellent figures.

The Extra Urban is reaching 70mph and then cruising at 31mph to average 39mph over 7 miles.
So again, this will see excellent figures, I can get over 70mpg doing 31mph in my 220cdi, but it is not realistic of real world driving.
You will also probably find the electric motor is working as well, hence the same figure as urban.

The combine is just a mean average of the two above figures.


This is one of the best examples of why the official figures are stupid, unless this is exactly the same as your journey, they mean f**k all.

Tomorrow, reset the mpg counter while doing 31mpg and see what you get, this will tell you how close the official figures are.
Doing 70 on the motorway tells you sweet fa.

 

[igk1]

Even so, I have to say it sounds disappointing as my E220CDI with less than 3000 on the clock managed 52.5 MPG on a recent 275 mile motorway trip.

 

[st4]

I've noticed with threads on here some BE engines seem to do a lot better than others.

Has this got anything to do with the injection calibration as some seem to return amazing figures and some really duff ones.

 

[The Polisher]

E220CDi 7G auto Estate.

Brand new, now got 700 miles on it, so I hope it will get better as it beds in.

240 miles trip today, 95% motorway, cruising at 70mph.

Fuel computer says 43.2mpg........ :-(

Had expected better, but hoping to improve with miles.

 

[Dieselman]

Even so, I have to say it sounds disappointing as my E220CDI with less than 3000 on the clock managed 52.5 MPG on a recent 275 mile motorway trip.

It does sound disappointing, but I can't see how the hybrid can return worse figures than a 220cdi as that is what it is, but has the advantage of fully disconnecting the engine when stationery or on battery power, whereas the 220Cdi has a torque converter and permanent connection.

The O/p needs to compare the hybrid to a standard 220Cdi. I suspect driving style plays a part in the figures.

 

[Billigmeister]

The E300 had 4800 miles on it when delivered to me, so it's had some running in.
It's a large heavy car, but 67+ mpg seems awfully exaggerated. Maybe it needs more miles on it before it truly loosens up. I'm on a 230 mile round trip tomorrow of all motorway so will report back on that, and will use a different station to fill up.

I'm considering it as a company car, but then if the mpg isn't far off the E220 cdi then u would opt for that I think.

Had my e220 estate auto (2010) a few weeks now. not getting great mpg - more like 36mpg on my 30 mile commute, it is a bit urban but i was expecting more. I am very light on the right foot too.

maybe there is a difference between the 300 and the 220 in mpg but not as much as you would think

 

[gIzzE]

The 2010 E Class doesn't have great mpg at all, DPF, first gen 7g 'box etc.
The 2011 version with the 7G+ does far better, mid thirties vs mid forties.

It was the same with the BMW 520d, the early ones would get 34mpg, then they got the newer ZF auto gearbox and they jumped to 44mpg average, then the new 8 speed 'box arrived and people started getting nearer 50mpg.


I have gone from a 2010 E350cdi estate which would average 33mpg and get 38 on a steady run to a 2001 C220cdi (with no dpf) that is averaging 47mpg. Today I did 98 miles and it returned 62mpg.
I can get 44mpg average from the current E220cdi saloon, so I bet I could see 50+ from the E300 Hybrid no problem.

 

[Merco]

I have to agree abut the E220. I osted on this several months ago when I first got it and have now done almost 13k. Dealer told me it needed to loosen up but ams till getting mid-30s. Very disappointing as I upgraded and chose with fuel efficiency in mind. I keep thinking something's wrong but interesting to see others sharing the same fate. Grrr...

 

[blue gnome123]

All this discussion of E220/E250 fuel in-efficiency makes me more certain that I'm going to get a 7G+ s212 350cdi this summer!

 

[isleaiw]

All this discussion of E220/E250 fuel in-efficiency makes me more certain that I'm going to get a 7G+ s212 350cdi this summer!

I have done nesrly 5000 in the 7 weeks i have had my E220 CDi (AG, 2012). A fair chunk has been commuting the M1 - so rush hour and some stop start but lots of 70 to 75mph cruising. So far since setting the computer when i fetched it the read out says about 46mpg.

I do have some short journeys - some days across town from the hotel to work, some short trips to shops. On those journeys it struggles to better 33mpg. On an individual long motorway journey the computer can easily say 51 or 52mpg for that journey.

I'm pretty happy with what I get considering it is a big auto estate.

Ian

 

[Jonobigblind]

The E300h I have on test churned out 55.4mpg on the 175 mile motorway / dual carriageway trek back from Sheffield today. It was fresh out of the packet when delivered to me for the week's test. Impressed and would expect to increase that when the engine beds in.

 

[BimMerc]

It does sound disanpointing, but I can't see how the hybrid can return worse figures than a 220cdi as that is what it is, but has the advantage of fully disconnecting the engine when stationery or on battery power, whereas the 220Cdi has a torque converter and permanent connection.

The O/p needs to compare the hybrid to a standard 220Cdi. I suspect driving style plays a part in the figures.

I am due to get an E220cdi 1st week of April to test. Driving style isn't the main thing it's driving routes (motorways, a/b roads etc)