2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) 350 BlueTEC 4Matic 7AT (252 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Mercedes-Benz introduced a long-awaited facelift for the fourth generation of the E-Class in late 2012 for the 2013 model year.

When the W212 broke covers in 2009, during the world financial crisis, customers were in shock. After two generations fitted with round headlights, this new model came with four squared-looking ones. And they didn’t look appealing at all. Yet, they created a controversy that helped the sales. But Mercedes-Benz knew that it would have to fix that issue along with the refreshed version, which occurred in 2012.

The new front fascia featured two swept-back headlights adorned with LED daytime running lights. In addition, the hood and the lower bumper were redesigned. Thus, from a boxy look, the updated E-Class W212 changed to a waved, curved styling. As a consequence, the front fenders, the doors, and the rear quarter panels were also replaced. The car also lost its enlarged wheel arches, which were not exactly suitable for a premium vehicle. Another significant update was for the taillights, which ditched the regular bulbs for LEDs.

Inside, there were other significant improvements. Thus, at the front, the reshaped dashboard featured a new infotainment screen placed atop the center stack. It was still controlled by a rotary knob and a touchpad placed between the front seats. For vehicles fitted with automatic gearboxes, the carmaker moved the gear selector from the center console to behind the steering wheel in the shape of a stalk.

Another significant upgrade was for gearboxes, which were either six-speed manuals or seven-speed automatics.