Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Evergreen executive car takes pointers from the electric EQE for its sixth generation On sale November Price from £50,000 (est)

- Neil Winn

WALKING OUT OF our swanky hotel situated in the heart of Vienna's historic Petersplatz square, a fellow journalist and I head towards our test car for the day the all-new, sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class - and attempt to open the door. The salient word here being 'attempt', because it's only when the retractable door handles fail to deploy from their recessed cubbies that we realise we're trying to jump inside an S-Class support car.

Mistaking one car for another is a rather embarrassing faux pas for an automotive journalist, but since Mercedes has purposely designed the new E-Class to closely resemble its big brother, it can hopefully be excused. More conservatively styled than its all-electric parallel, the EQE saloon, it retains a classic saloon 'three-box' design with a long bonnet, a large grille (two grille designs are offered in Europe, with an optional illuminated surround) and the traditional array of wheel designs, many being optional upgrades.

When it comes to engines, the new E-Class is offered with mild hybrid or plug-in power, with every model receiving a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Mild hybrids start with the 201bhp E200, which uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that's boosted by a 23bhp electric motor, and then there is the perennial E220d (available with four-wheel drive), which comes with a 2.0-litre diesel that produces 195bhp.

Arguably the most intriguing model, however, is the E300e plug-in hybrid. Thanks to a massive, 24.1kWh battery, the rear-wheeldrive version (four-wheel drive is available as an option) can officially be driven for up to 71 miles on a single charge without its petrol engine stirring, making it one of the most long-legged PHEVs on the market.