Climb in and there's no mistaking this is a Mercedes. There's plenty of burlwood and leather and lots of switches, dials and gauges. The dashboard layout is elegant and ergonomic. It's a little stark, however, when compared to the warmer interior of the new Audi A6 or the even the new Mercedes CLK. The climate control is easy to operate and features individual driver and passenger settings. It's also smart enough to automatically seal off the outside world if in case you pull up behind a smoke-belching diesel bus. As is the norm, the seats in our E320 were Mercedes firm. You ride on them, not in them. The base seats feature electric controls handily mounted on the door that are intuitive and easy to use. An optional seating control system lets driver and passenger dial in just the right level of back support. And for those used to Mercedes models of old, there's a switch that lets you not only tilt, but telescope the steering wheel. There's also a genuine remote trunk release mounted on the center console. Room is one thing you get plenty of in an E-Class. There's more than enough room to push the front seats back without cramping the back passengers, and you'd have to be an NBA All-Star to bump the roof. If cargo space is a checkpoint on your shopping list, explore the new E320 wagon. It boasts 43.8 cubic feet of cargo space. That's a full third more than the new Audi wagon, 15 percent more than the Volvo V70, and nearly 10 percent more than the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
|