E Class Wins Best Exec Car

[hawk20]

E Class Wins Best Exec Car

AutoExpress claims its Driver Power survey of over 23,000 owners to be the biggest survey of UK car owners. They are asked to rate their cars for key factors such as reliability, comfort, performance, ride and handling, running costs, practicality and so on.

This year Mercedes E class came top dog in the Executive car class but more remarkably finished 3rd overall out of all hundred cars in the survey.

AutoExpress noted: -

Top Executive car and “a fantastic third place overall puts the E-Class' quality into sharp focus.”

Its “three best scoring categories are reliability and build, brakes and ride, with owners praising the Mercedes' seamless engineering and pursuit of perfection. Comfort and ease of driving were also marked highly enough for top-10 finishes. It's also fascinating to see that in the hands of everyday owners, the E-Class' handling has exceeded expectations, bettering the scores awarded to BMW's sportier 5 Series.”

Overall the BMW 5 series finished 11th, the 3 series 46th (amongst other things owners hated the hard ride) and most surprising of all the current Lexus IS finished 70th (yes 70th) with uber high running costs and less than average reliability.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I don't think it's fair.

Mercedes have got loads of exec cars available to them, and they go and win another. I just about have one exec car, it's the smallest and it's getting quite old, so if there was any justice in this world then I should have won the best exec car.

 

[blue gnome123]

These sureys can be quite odd since a lot of the scoring is related to reponse to expectations.

Hence Lexus are meant to be extremely reliable and if you find your car to be less reliable than you expect you score it low. The same as BWM - "the drive of your life" and when you find it just OK - you score it low.

By this logic. The E-class has done very well. People expect them to be well put together, refined and reliable. Thats want people have found.

It almost makes me want a S212!

 

[st4]

These sureys can be quite odd since a lot of the scoring is related to reponse to expectations.

Hence Lexus are meant to be extremely reliable and if you find your car to be less reliable than you expect you score it low. The same as BWM - "the drive of your life" and when you find it just OK - you score it low.

By this logic. The E-class has done very well. People expect them to be well put together, refined and reliable. Thats want people have found.

It almost makes me want a S212!

Try a 212. I got loaned a sport one and bar the seats which IMHO were poor the car was fantastic. Fast relaxing and capable was my view of it.

 

[Harrythedog]

That'll be the prices going up again then

 

[grober]

The overall winner = the Skoda Yeti Reasonably priced 4wd models reliable- well finished- roomy inside- cheap servicing- good fuel consumption-comfortable ride on UK roads with decent suspension and sensible tyres- a good practical family car dealers probably sell as many as they can get their hands on------- that's to owners who actually buy cars with their own money of course. Now if only MB made a vehicle like that they could sell lots and lots in the UK. Driver Power 2012 | Driver Power | Car Reviews | Auto Express

 

[gIzzE]

Try a 212. I got loaned a sport one and bar the seats which IMHO were poor the car was fantastic. Fast relaxing and capable was my view of it.

What did you not like about the seats Steve?

 

[hawk20]

Interesting; I found the same. The side bolsters on the backrest on Sport are alrge and pronounced to give support when cornering. But they feel quite restrictive. The multi-contour backrest solves that as the width between the bolsters is adjustable.

Avantgarde has different seats and I found them more comfortable and less restrictive. BTW if you order leather seats on Sport you get the Avantgarde seats. Personally I much prefer the ride on Avantgarde too and leather is standard, which is nice.

I had a 250cdi for a day or so and that engine is truly amazing for its combination of power and economy.

 

[Dieselman]

These sureys can be quite odd since a lot of the scoring is related to reponse to expectations.

Hence Lexus are meant to be extremely reliable and if you find your car to be less reliable than you expect you score it low. The same as BWM - "the drive of your life" and when you find it just OK - you score it low.

By this logic. The E-class has done very well. People expect them to be well put together, refined and reliable. Thats want people have found.

It almost makes me want a S212!

Except that's not the way the survey works...

They ask what faults you have had with specific areas of the car, whether the faults were each fixed at the first visit or it took more visits.

The Driver-Power survey is very specific.

 

[C240Sport97]

BTW if you order leather seats on Sport you get the Avantgarde seats.

only if you want non black leather seats.

 

[robpow]

Nice timing, just took delivery of a new E220 Estate today, loving the airy feeling of the panoramic sunroof.

Matt

 

[st4]

What did you not like about the seats Steve?

Too short a squab, I felt most of my legs were unsupported and that they were tad too unsupportive on the squab. Could have done with being an inch or two lower.

I have a back issue which is quite serious so my requirements really aren't the norm, but they a step back from a 212.

Ironically I thought the C class 204s were excellent.

 

[rhud]

The overall winner = the Skoda Yeti Reasonably priced 4wd models reliable- well finished- roomy inside- cheap servicing- good fuel consumption-comfortable ride on UK roads with decent suspension and sensible tyres- a good practical family car dealers probably sell as many as they can get their hands on------- that's to owners who actually buy cars with their own money of course. Now if only MB made a vehicle like that they could sell lots and lots in the UK. Driver Power 2012 | Driver Power | Car Reviews | Auto Express

Not completely convinced by the Yeti phenomenon. There is a groundswell of unease about its ride, with some owners trying to downgrade wheel size from 17" to 16" in an effort to improve it. I am biased, of course, but the interior struck me as several levels below even the A-Class Avantgarde.

Also these results can be distorted by well-organised 'make sure you fill in the form' campaigns.

 

[Dieselman]

Also these results can be distorted by well-organised 'make sure you fill in the form' campaigns.

How would that be good for a manufacturer if lots of people filled in the form but said the car was poor?

 

[rhud]

How would that be good for a manufacturer if lots of people filled in the form but said the car was poor?

Not likely if the source of the campaign was an owners' forum.

 

[Dieselman]

Not likely if the source of the campaign was an owners' forum.

I would have thought just the opposite, you get all the gripes on owners forums. Take this one for instance.

I have filled in the Driver Power survey a few times, it is very good at getting accurate detail.
It doesn't ask for opinions or a general rating, it asks for ratings and specific answers to specific questions, with each category broken down into a number of sub-category questions.

I really can't see how when it asks have you had any problems with the engine people can say anything other than Yes or No.

 

[st4]

People seem therefore very happy with their 212 E classes Will.

Don't hear of a lot of issues. As much as I love a good Merc bashing, bar injectors on early 4 pot dervs they don't have the issues early 211's had.

 

[Aswall]

Too short a squab, I felt most of my legs were unsupported and that they were tad too unsupportive on the squab. Could have done with being an inch or two lower.

Exactly my issues with the CLS seats. That and the appalling visibility caused by the horribly large and misplaced door mirrors, and the massive B pillars caused by the frameless windows (why?)

 

[Dieselman]

That and the appalling visibility caused by the horribly large and misplaced door mirrors, and the massive B pillars caused by the frameless windows (why?)

Because everyone wants to drive cars built like tanks now.

 

[st4]

Exactly my issues with the CLS seats. That and the appalling visibility caused by the horribly large and misplaced door mirrors, and the massive B pillars caused by the frameless windows (why?)

They are based on the 212s so not surprised. The E coupe seats are so good people should buy them purely for those.

Large door mirrors are bad for forward visibility and I noticed on the CLS they are mounted awfully far back on the door, not on the front on the door.

However, large mirrors are great for rearwards visibility. One thing I really miss my X5 for was the massive amount of extra visibility afforded by the larger mirrors.

Because everyone wants to drive cars built like tanks now.

Great in a smash though. Safety has moved on a lot. I know you will counter this argument with great forces needing dispersed when two cars collide but if one tank like car hits a wall, or spins into a barrier on a motorway, its safer these days.