2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a beautiful car inside and out, but after driving the sleek-looking coupe, my admiration for it quickly stopped.

Inside the E350 coupe, I couldn't get comfortable. No amount of seat adjusting and lumbar support helped me find a good driving position. My visibility was impeded by the coupe's squatty greenhouse with its low ceiling and large A-pillars. To make matters worse, the E350 didn't make up for these inconveniences with stellar performance, impressive gas mileage or dazzling features.

With a 268-horsepower V-6, the E350 coupe easily reaches highway cruising speeds in good time. There were no jolts of acceleration and no rushing past fellow drivers screaming, "Ha! Eat my dust!" The E350 is far too refined and mature for such idle amusements. But the brake pedal's slow response and loosey-goosey feel was unnerving.

The 2011 E350 coupe has a starting MSRP of $48,850. My test car had an as-tested price of $59,225.

See also:

DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the steering column. P Park position with parking lock R Reverse gear N Neutral D Drive The DIRECT SELECT lever ...

Engaging park position P
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction of arrow P. The automatic transmission shifts automatically into park position P if you open the driver's door when the vehicle is stationary o ...

Maintenance
The Service and Warranty Booklet describes all the necessary maintenance work which should be done at regular intervals. Always have the Service and Warranty Booklet with you when you bring the ve ...