“I like this car a lot!” Were the first words written in my notebook about this Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+. The look, the power, and the tech of this heavy hitting E-Class offers the complete package for what a modern family sedan should be.
At the front, an immediate statement is made with the AMG-specific radiator trim with vertical slats in high-gloss chrome. Wider front fenders (plus 11mm on each side compared with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class) make room for the larger track width on the front axle. The final touch is the AMG spoiler lip on the trunk lid, the AMG rear apron with diffuser and two round double tailpipe trims on the left and right. I also absolutely love that this sedan has been called the E 53 and isn’t pretending to be an E 63, less the infamous AMG V8 engine, which was one of the mistakes Merc made with the four-cylinder C 63 version in my opinion.
The E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ comes with 20-inch light-alloy wheels as standard and my E 53 was fitted with optional ($3,800) 21” cross-spoke forged wheels in matt black with a high sheen finish available exclusively with the Night Package. The AMG Night package ($3,000) finishes the exterior elements such as the front splitter and exterior mirror housings are finished in high-gloss black. Further design elements are finished in black chrome, including the radiator shell, the door handles and the Mercedes star at the rear together with the black chrome-plated tailpipe trims.
The basis for the sporty and efficient drive in the E 53 is the clever AMG 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo engine combined with a 120kW electric motor integrated into the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission to save space. By default, E 53 hybrid model starts silently in the “Electric” driving programme when the electric motor is switched on. Once the charge level of the battery is too low or the driver requests more power and overcomes the pressure point of the haptic accelerator pedal, the intelligent operating system switches seamlessly to the power of the combustion engine and emanates an augmented engine sound in the cabin.
The electric motor’s maximum torque of 480 Nm is available instantly and boosts maximum system torque to 750 Nm, translating into dynamic acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds when you use RACE START, offered as standard for the Australian market. The standard all-wheel drive provides optimal traction and I appreciated having it the week I drove the E 53 as it was raining quite a bit.
The plug-in hybrid high-voltage battery also enables an NEDC tested electric driving range of 100 kilometres, but the most I saw on the on-board computer with a fully charged battery was 80 kilometres. The official combined fuel economy is 1.7L/100 km and for my week I used 10.7L/100km. The charge port is located at the rear on the vehicle on the passenger side and a green light illuminates next to the port when charging is in progress.
The all-new E 53 Hybrid is equipped with an 11kW onboard AC charger. In the “Battery Hold” driving programme, the combustion engine and electric motor run in a co-ordinated manner depending on the situation. The operating strategy keeps the battery charge level almost constant and the use of the electric motor is limited and optimised for low energy consumption while recuperation balances the energy balance again.
Twist the drive mode knob on the AMG performance steering wheel and the new Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ can be driven in a selection of modes, in addition to Electric and Battery Hold. These include Slippery, Individual, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Hybrid. I spent most of my time in Sport+ because this is AMG it would be rude not to.
For each mode you can still adjust the drive, suspension, and dynamics or save your personal selection to Individual mode. The E 53 has excellent ride quality and it was even comfortable in my preferred Sport+ mode. The second knob of the steering wheel has controls for ESC off or for manual gear selection using the lovely metal wheel-mounted paddle shifters. I found the mode selection/set up to be much simpler to use than that on the BMW M5 I drove earlier this year.
It goes without saying that the E 53 has puddle lights and the door handles that illuminate at night have keyless entry on all four doors and keyless start, so the key fob can remain in your handbag at all times. Beyond that there are plenty of special features on this E-Class that I wasn’t expecting including the very cool start up and shutdown display from the headlights that even display ‘AMG’ as they are dancing.
The light show continues inside the cabin, not just thanks to the MBUX Superscreen with a 14.4-inch central display, a 12.3-inch passenger display and head up display. But because the E 53 has Active Ambient Lighting, that beats in time with the music you blast on the exceptional Burmester 4D surround sound system with 17 speakers to complete the atmosphere. This is the best ambient lighting of any vehicle I have ever driven and it made me very happy.
The passenger’s screen has the same menu options as the main screen, but also includes Disney+ (sign-in required), YouTube, and an internet browser that can be used by the passenger even when the vehicle is in motion. When the web or entertainment options are being displayed on the screen the technology is such that the driver can’t see the screen and the passenger needs headphones Bluetoothed to the screen in order to hear it. This makes the passenger a real-life co-pilot and I love everything about this screen and it’s easily the best passenger screen I have seen on any vehicle that I have driven. The only downside of the superscreen setup is they do get bad finger marks on them.
Thankfully the Merc-AMG has an excellent ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control assistant that tells pretty good jokes as well. The voice control is also good for practical things like making phone calls, tuning the radio and setting a destination on the sat nav. Starting with the all-new CLA, customers will be able to access the latest version of the Meetings for Teams app and utilise the internal camera for Microsoft teams calls from your car, the video is disabled while driving, but the microphone isn’t.
The wireless Android Auto worked well for me, offering seamless smartphone integration with the MBUX. Under the sliding centre console lid, which is thankfully not gloss black, is a wireless phone charger, two USB-C ports, two cup holders that can be pushed back out of the way, and wireless key charging. If you leave your phone on the wireless charge pad the vehicle will tell you it is still there when you go to exit the vehicle. Under the split flip up arm rest is another USB-C in port and the Merc has good sized drink bottle storage in the front door cubbies.
The basic equipment includes a front and rear sunroof (only the front opens) and the AMG performance steering wheel in Nappa leather with powered adjustment and AMG steering wheel buttons. I’m still not a fan of the knobs on the steering wheel or the touch controls on the steering wheel that are a little fiddly to use. My E 53 was fitted with the optional AMG Performance seats ($5,000) with multi-contour adjustment, integrated head restraints, including embossed AMG emblem, and seat kinetics. All that leather gives the cabin a lovely aroma and the seats are lovely to touch as are the arm rests in the doors.
Both front seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height/tilt front and rear, and seat leg extension with three memory positions with these controls located within easy reach on the front doors. The front seats are heated and cooled with both working well, the only thing I noted was that the cooling was a little noisy when operating. In addition to seat controls on the door you also have controls from infotainment for adjustment of lumbar support and side bolster using your finger on the screen to ‘draw’ where you want the support. The E 53 also has digital front air vents as well, but I would prefer to have old fashioned manual air vents instead.
The rear seats have ample head and leg room and good under thigh support as well and rear passengers also get individual digital controls for temperature, air speed, and mode with two central air vents with individual direction control and one on/off switch and B pillar air vents as well. You can also control rear climate from front of the vehicle as well.
The E 53 has two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points, but in reality, only enough room for two car seats due to the overall width available. The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two pop out cup holders and a phone holder in it and there are two USB-C ports below the air vents. Large drink bottles can be stored in the rear door cubbies, which are cloth lined to prevent rattles. If I’m being really picky, I could say that the rear floor mats are not moulded exactly to the shape of the rear floor, but this says more about how many positive features there are on this E-Class that this is the level I needed to go to find a negative feature.
The gesture open/close boot worked well or you can open/close the boot from the exterior button, key fob, or button in the cabin. The boot space is deep lengthways but shallow from an overall height perspective. It has two hooks, four substantial tie down points, one small light and two charge cords and the tyre repair kit stowed in bags. If more space is required you have 60:40 split fold rear seats with a button in the boot to lower them, but you have to manually fold them back up, and the seats do not lay flat. The centre seat can be folded down separately to stow longer items as well.
Advanced driver assistance systems that to support braking, steering, and more, are fitted to the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ and include adaptive cruise control, active lane keep assist, and active blind spot assist that includes a red flashing light along the door trim when it is triggered. The innovative Mercedes-Benz PRE-SAFE system uses a network of sensors to detect potential collisions and reduce the risk of harm to occupants should an accident occur. For convenience you also have a 360-degree camera and multiple other camera views, 3D walk around function and front and rear parking sensors. Along with auto lights with auto high bean and auto rain sensing wipers.
All new Mercedes-Benz vehicles come with a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and this also includes 24/7 roadside and accident assistance. The service interval for the Mercedes-AMG E 53 is one year/25,000km and service plans can be purchased upfront for $4,110 for the first three scheduled services, four services cost $5,410, and five services $7,570.
This is one of the new generation Mercedes-AMGs that I really liked and I could see myself in this sedan knowing that not only I would be happy, but my family would be as well. Prices for the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ start at $199,900 excluding dealer delivery and on-road costs. As tested with Patagonia Red paint ($2,600), 21-inch AMG cross-spoke forged wheels ($3,800), Night Package ($3,000), and the AMG Performance seats ($5,000) this Mercedes-AMG E 53 was $213,300 excluding dealer delivery and on-roads. You can Build & Price your Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid online and check current vehicle stock levels or visit your preferred Mercedes-AMG retailer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| The active ambient lighting | The touchscreen gets bad finger marks on it |
| The passenger screen | It has digital front air vents |
| An enjoyable plug-in hybrid powertrain | The fiddly touch pads on the steering wheel |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.