Words by: Adam Allen
Many automakers these days are hitting the brakes on product plans they made years ago.
At the time, sure, the tea leaves being spilled made sense and even pointed to a prosperous future. Fast forward to the present day and things have changed quite a bit. There are many factors at work that have had an impact on the sudden about-face- tariffs, geopolitical unrest and trying to stay ahead of government emissions and fuel efficiency mandates are but a few that have thrown a wrench into the carefully curated roadmaps of so many brands throughout the industry. Just ask Ford, who genuinely believed the F150 Lightning EV pickup would sell like hot cakes- as it turns out, not so much. Dodge forecast with confidence that the electric versions of their vaunted Charger would find homes in many driveways, but the customers intended to buy them weren’t at all into it and those driveways sit empty. Heck, even Mercedes Benz, the manufacturer featured here, has had to pull the chute most recently on its C63 sports sedan. Apparently the market didn’t care much for a puffed up four-cylinder turbo under the hood, no matter how much power it churns out with the help of a dizzying array of electric motors and the tech necessary to make ‘em work harmoniously. Customers are demanding they bring back the charismatic V8, but until that happens, we can all agree that the pace of change is moving at breakneck speed these days, good or bad.
We have said it before, and we’ll say it again- plug in hybrids, or PHEVs as they’re known, represent the best path forward in the slow adoption to the inevitable adoption of electric power exclusively. The GLE 450e we drive last winter showed us why this powertrain setup is superior, leaving us free of any symptoms of range anxiety or the fury we’d experienced when trying to find a working public charger during winter’s icy grip. We dubbed it the best ‘have your cake and eat it too’ scenario while praising it for its fuel sipping behavior combined with stout power and brisk acceleration.
So until the V8 makes a comeback and before Mercedes goes all in on EV, our E53e tester will serve as an excellent vanguard of PHEV technology in the E-Class lineup. We admit, we were skeptical at first- how could this possibly make us forget the fire breathing E63? As it turns out, the combined output of the E53e’s turbocharged inline six and electric motors make for a sedan with a surprisingly effective turn of speed.
Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised after a deep dive into the spec sheet. Combining all available power, the E53e makes 604 horsepower and 553 pounds feet of torque. That’s one pony more than the burly V8 but down on twist by a deficit of 74 pounds feet. That’s enough to rocket the 53e to 100 km/h just a few tenths more than the E63. Impressive, yes, but offering the duality of scorching acceleration with stingy fuel economy is a whole other kettle of fish. We observed a sparkling 10.5L/100km on one journey traipsing rural two lanes and highways on a perfect summer afternoon.
It is possible to make shorter trips under electric power alone- when the batter is fully juiced, we managed to squeeze 72 kilometers of range without burning a drop of dino juice. In Comfort mode, the Benz artfully blended EV and gasoline to maximize efficiency and to prolong the battery’s charge as much as possible. It works, as evidenced by some of the frugal consumption figures we were able to achieve. But don’t get misled that this midsize Benz is trying to do its best compression of a Prius; the PHEV drivetrain in this case is meant to add speed without the guilt rather than be a fuel sipper.
Our tester was a degree more special that your typical E53e. Whoever spec ’ed this car at MB HQ- and they do have good taste- checked the options box on the AMG Editon 1 package ($18,700). That’s a lot of scratch for some visual enhancements inside and out, but we praised the AMG Dynamic Plus package which is included and brings goodies like upgraded brakes and an electronic limited slip differential to the party. No one can deny that the sum of these parts equals a very snazzy ride, and it never failed to turn heads, including ours- it’s one of those cars that you glance back at a few times after parking.
Since we’re suckers for sports sedans, the E53e spent most of its time in motion rather than languishing in a driveway. We were charmed by the prodigious acceleration of course, but we also relished in probing its handling chops as well. On a very sinewy, lightly travelled bit of tarmac just outside of Muskoka, the E53e showed us it loves inhaling corners nearly as much as it does straightaways. It offers good steering feel that allows you to place the car exactly where you want it; then its chassis takes a confidence inspiring set until you’re past the apex, allowing you to mat the throttle while the sticky Michelins, electronic diff and all-wheel drive conspire to rocket you towards the next one in drama free fashion. This is a car that can swallow up entire provinces at speed and in comfort as so many Mercedes Benz products have done before it in the past.
There are a few shortcomings that we noticed while playing Bruno Spengler in the twisties. We’ll start with the brake feel, or lack thereof. It was equal parts confounding and maddening that stepping on the brake pedal, depending on real time conditions and what drive mode we were in netted differing feel and stopping behavior. Once, while storming towards a sharp downhill right-handed turn we summoned what we thought was appropriate barking force, but the E53e responded with a much sharper input that we were prepared for. Similarly, while creeping along in stop and go traffic, it became difficult to keep our passengers heads from bobbing when slowing down for the car in front. Mercedes Benz is a company known for their engineering prowess; these brakes are not one of its finer moments.
Same with ride quality. Since this car does wear an AMG badge (many of them, thanks to the AMG Editon 1 package) it must be setup with sporting bent in order to hold its own on twisty tarmac or even the odd racetrack. We think the engineers succeeded but then overshot the runway. Even in Comfort mode, the suspension is simply too firm. We have always loved the E-Class for its sublime ride, but the E53e misses the mark. While we’re kvetching, we might recommend the E53e go on a diet. Sure, the battery pack and electric motors are going to add heft to the package. But an extra 404 kilograms over E-450? That seems excessive to us and it nudges the E53e’s curb weight firmly into SUV territory.
For those of you who spend time hanging around the Carpages Garage, you might be expecting us to conclude by saying that while the E53e is a great car, give us the venerable and gloriously phlegmy sounding V8 and day of the week and twice on Sunday, and you’d be right. There’s something about a V8-powererd sports sedan that gets us every time right in the feels, and especially so in Mercedes case- the old twin-turbo M176 engine was one of the all time greats. If you can’t wait until Mercedes starts teasing the resurrection of the mighty E63, or don’t want to sacrifice all-out speed at the altar of fuel swilling thirst, this one’s for you.
2025 Mercedes-AMG E 53e 4MATIC+ Sedan - Specifications
- Price as tested: $136,500
- Powertrain Layout: Front engine/all-wheel drive
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Engine: 3.0 litre turbocharged inline six cylinder, 24 valves, DOHC
- Horsepower: 604 @ 6,000 rpm
- Torque (lbs-ft.): 553 @ 2,000 rpm
- Curb weight: 2,430 kg (5,357 lbs)
- Observed Fuel Consumption: 10.7L/100km (23 mpg)