New E Class Estate – Disappointing.

[HumberMart]

And if you value the nice discreet Ambient lighting your 211 has you can wave goodbye to that in a 212 as well. Why remove a good feature you've just thought up?
Personally think the 212 dash is hellish. Silver and black plastic and switches scattered everywhere.

It's only the base spec SE that misses out on ambient lighting, but maybe your point is that it's not 'nice and discreet' - I think it was Car Magazine that described it as looking like a Jazz bar!

All a matter of taste of course, I'm pretty hard to please, and change my car like socks, but I do like the W212 interior, even in basic SE spec.

Some cars just seem to 'feel right' and for me the W212 (saloon) does. I didn't think the SLK I had did (too 'hard' inside, unresponsive auto gearbox, less direct steering than the E Class). I don't think my wife's B180 feels right either (ride/steering) although it looks good inside and out. The W212 is certainly better than the 520D I had, even though it was the SE on 17" wheels and had luxury/memory pack etc. it was still too much of a compromise in terms of ride and cramped low driving position.

I must say that the R Class came very close to 'feeling right', just the sheer size of it stopped it.

There are some aspects of the W212 that do feel a bit 'lightweight' and tend to question the solidity of the build, but I think the key is the term 'lightweight', to help earn the BE tag, but also to cut production costs. You can pay the same money for a well spec'd Insignia/Mondeo and prob even a Golf by the time you've added a few toys.

The W212 seems to be taking a bit of a kicking in this thread (mainly from non-owners?), but I find it a very likeable car. OK we have the horror of the injector issues hanging over us (if you have the 2.1D engine that is), but I'd recommend them wholeheartedly.

 

[J400uk]

Interesting points. I suppose one could counter argue that the W212 is cheaper to buy than the W211, so sacrafices have had to be made?

My main issue with the W212 is the looks, and lack of an Elegance trim, so I still prefer the W211. Having said that, it was the same when the controversially styled E60 BMW 5-Series came out, and that grew on me over the years, so the same will probably happen with the W212 E-Class.

 

[st13phil]

The W212 seems to be taking a bit of a kicking in this thread (mainly from non-owners?), but I find it a very likeable car.

Many of the comments are very close to those levelled against the W204 when that was introduced - perhaps unsurprisingly, because it was a similar shift from swoopy curves to slabby with hard crease lines. The W204 has turned out to be extremely successful, so maybe Mercedes have got it more right than some current owners think?

 

[fuzzer]

I really like the 211 and think it looks great

It will be on my shopping list next time for sure.

 

[hawk20]

Many of the comments are very close to those levelled against the W204 when that was introduced - perhaps unsurprisingly, because it was a similar shift from swoopy curves to slabby with hard crease lines. The W204 has turned out to be extremely successful, so maybe Mercedes have got it more right than some current owners think?

Forget looks for a second. I could live with them. My gripe is that the C class (and the A and B class) now have more legroom than the E estate (surely odd).

And secondly doesn't the C class have a flat load bay with the proper estate car system where the rear seat squab folds forward and makes a bulkhead between the luggage and the back of the front seats?

 

[renault12ts]

Had a look to-day.

In pure convenience terms this car is light years from the 210. A simple pull at the rear or in the back doors and the seats drop.

Now you can drop either side, whereas with the cover attached you can only drop the single seat in the 210.

No need to remove headrests.

The seat falls almost flat. But with a bit of weight, it goes totally flat.

In the 210 to get the same length of load bay you must remove the seat squabs and store them somewhere.

Actually...I liked it.

 

[scumbag]

And secondly doesn't the C class have a flat load bay with the proper estate car system where the rear seat squab folds forward and makes a bulkhead between the luggage and the back of the front seats?

no!

 

[Satch]

However, there is somone who really does think "Comfortable head and leg room awaits motorists when inside the vehicle". Sadly that was Richard Hammond writing in the daily Mirror.....

IIRC when the W212 was launched there was some blurb along the lines of that "reducing manufacturing complexity"" had enabled them to "offer more value."

You do not need to be a genius to work out what that means in reality, something reinforced by the following extract from a Daily Telegraph in relation to the Coupe, which MB UK somehow seemed to think was a happy thing to put on their website.....

".....the E-Class Coupe will "strike right at the heart of Mercedes-Benz’ target audience - a niche market bristling with folk who have had to downsize both home and car, but still feel the need to keep up appearances".

Value for money offered by Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe | Mercedes-Benz News

Yes, thank you. E class Coupe = Vehicle of choice for the Downsized Investment Banker trying not to show himself up as Nouveau Poor. Hmmm, novel marketing tactic.

 

[prprandall51]

This is great news. I am a failing investment banker with ego problems and a desire to maintain the lifestyle image that is now slipping away fast. Because of this, I had been looking at a 5 series, but I will now definitely buy the E class coupe.

You see, MB's targeted marketing does work!

 

[renault12ts]

A quick revival of this thread.

I was sitting in my car listening to the radio at lunch time when my mind wandered to the new estate. I pondered the differences between a 210 and a 212. Specifically the number of actions needed to load a large item into the back of each car necessitating the folding of the seats.

S210:

1 Open offside rear door ( must be this way because load cover prevents
other seat being lowered first).
2 Lift seat squab.
3 Remove headrest.
4 Insert headrest into seat squab.
5 Lower back of seat.
6 Close off side rear door.
7 Open near side rear door.
8 Lift seat squab.
9 Remove first head rest.
10 Insert headrest into seat squab.
11 Remove second head rest.
12 Insert head rest into seat squab.
13 Lower back of seat.
14 Close rear door.
15 Open tailgate.
16 Load item.
17 Close tailgate.

S212:

1 Open tailgate.
2 Pull either handle to lower first seat.
3 Pull other handle to lower other seat.
4 Load item.
5 Close tailgate.

 

[hawk20]

A quick revival of this thread.

I was sitting in my car listening to the radio at lunch time when my mind wandered to the new estate. I pondered the differences between a 210 and a 212. Specifically the number of actions needed to load a large item into the back of each car necessitating the folding of the seats.

S210:

1 Open offside rear door ( must be this way because load cover prevents
other seat being lowered first).
2 Lift seat squab.
3 Remove headrest.
4 Insert headrest into seat squab.
5 Lower back of seat.
6 Close off side rear door.
7 Open near side rear door.
8 Lift seat squab.
9 Remove first head rest.
10 Insert headrest into seat squab.
11 Remove second head rest.
12 Insert head rest into seat squab.
13 Lower back of seat.
14 Close rear door.
15 Open tailgate.
16 Load item.
17 Close tailgate.

S212:

1 Open tailgate.
2 Pull either handle to lower first seat.
3 Pull other handle to lower other seat.
4 Load item.
5 Close tailgate.

You can paint a room badly very quickly.

As for the claimed flat load floor -go try it. It is not flat and cannot be so without the rear squab folding as it does in the much better designed 211 E class estate. And no mention that at the forward end of the load floor there is now a large gap before the front seats for objects to fall in. And nothing to stop stuff in the back sliding into the drivers and passenger seats. Written I felt by someone who does not regularly use an estate car.

In the 211 version the squab folds forward and provides a firm bulkhead for stuff to press up against without hitting the seats. Dearer but better IMO.

 

[renault12ts]

Thats my car in the picture

Is the arrangement for the 211 as I've described above?

Ah...just seen your post in the other thread...you were referring to the journo??

 

[prprandall51]

211

1 Open offside rear door ( must be this way because load cover prevents
other seat being lowered first).
2 Lift seat squab.
3 Headrest lowers automatically if raised.
4 Hitch belt onto clip to prevent snagging.
5 Lower back of seat.
6 Close off side rear door.
7 Open near side rear door.
8 Lift seat squab.
9 Headrest lowers automatically if raised.
10 Hitch belt onto clip to prevent snagging.
11 Lower back of seat.
12 Close rear door.
13 Open tailgate.
14 Load item.
15 Close tailgate.

 

[renault12ts]

211

1 Open offside rear door ( must be this way because load cover prevents
other seat being lowered first).
2 Lift seat squab.
3 Headrest lowers automatically if raised.
4 Hitch belt onto clip to prevent snagging.
5 Lower back of seat.
6 Close off side rear door.
7 Open near side rear door.
8 Lift seat squab.
9 Headrest lowers automatically if raised.
10 Hitch belt onto clip to prevent snagging.
11 Lower back of seat.
12 Close rear door.
13 Open tailgate.
14 Load item.
15 Close tailgate.

So I could have added 2 more steps if I had included clipping the seat belt out of the way !!

 

[prprandall51]

So I could have added 2 more steps if I had included clipping the seat belt out of the way !!

Well, you won't believe this, but I read that the addition of that safety belt clip was new to the 211 and that the engineers were very pleased with it. I remember reading this before I bought the car and when I saw this fragile, midget bit of plastic, I couldn't believe it was a new "feature"! Clearly you have that clip, too.

 

[prprandall51]

I think that those rear release handles in the estate hatch opening only function properly on the 212 if you specify the full electric seats, which motor forward automatically to allow the rear seat backs to drop down unhindered by the front seat backs (whcih would otherwise foul the rear headrests)?

 

[renault12ts]

Well, you won't believe this, but I read that the addition of that safety belt clip was new to the 211 and that the engineers were very pleased with it. I remember reading this before I bought the car and when I saw this fragile, midget bit of plastic, I couldn't believe it was a new "feature"! Clearly you have that clip, too.

Actually...not sure I do...will check later.

But if you remove the bits about the headrests lowering automatically and the bits about clipping the seatbelts out of the way you get it down to 11 compared to my 17...both nowhere near the 5 of the 212.

 

[crockers]

There is always the Skoda Superb Estate .......

 

[w124coupe]

Actually...not sure I do...will check later.

But if you remove the bits about the headrests lowering automatically and the bits about clipping the seatbelts out of the way you get it down to 11 compared to my 17...both nowhere near the 5 of the 212.

11 that take, in total, less than a minute. How many times a day do you convert the loadbay?

This is another example of marketing crap versus reality. I save 50 seconds and get, in return, a non-flat loadspace that risks the leather on the back of the front seats and leaves a gap for stuff to fall through either side of the headrests if I actually use it.

As an estate user, 50 seconds is an excellent price to pay for a practical, flat floor that I can USE.

Definite backwards step in my opinion and enough (with the rear-end ugliness and the uncomfortable, flat drivers squab) to take the car off my list.

 

[renault12ts]

I think that those rear release handles in the estate hatch opening only function properly on the 212 if you specify the full electric seats, which motor forward automatically to allow the rear seat backs to drop down unhindered by the front seat backs (whcih would otherwise foul the rear headrests)?

No, they were present on the one I tried without full electric seats.