Item: Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 2009-2017
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/coupe/used-review/n236">Audi A5 Coupé</a> was a bit of a smash hit when it first came out, because it was wilfully stylish and had a vast range of engines. However, it's no sports car in the bends and the pedals are horribly offset in models with a manual gearbox.

If you fancy a flash two-door that handles nicely, take a look at the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/coupe/used-review/n847">BMW 4 Series Coupé</a>. In terms of practicality, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/bmw">BMW</a> nearly matches the E-Class Coupé for rear seat space and has a slightly bigger boot. However, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes</a> lacks central pillars, making for easier entry and egress.

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<h3 dir="ltr">Starter motor current limiter might catch fire</h3>

In the unlikely event that the engine seizes and the driver continues to try starting the car, the current limiter for the starter motor can potentially overheat and catch fire on cars built between 1 August 2014 and 31 December 2016.

<h3 dir="ltr">Seatbelt pre-tensioners might not function correctly</h3>

The front seatbelt pre-tensioner ignitors might not perform as expected, and this could increase the risk of injury to front seat occupants in a collision. It affects E-Class Coupés made between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, so check with your local Mercedes dealer for further clarification.

<h3 dir="ltr">Airbag might&nbsp;not deploy correctly</h3>

The propellant mixing ratio in the igniters of the front passenger airbag assembly might not meet specification. In a collision, they might not deploy as intended, increasing&nbsp;the risk of injury to occupants. This applies to models constructed from 1 August 2016 to 31 March 2017.

<h3 dir="ltr">Fuel feed hose might not be installed correctly</h3>

The fuel hose might be incorrectly routed and therefore could potentially lead to chafing and leakage. Mercedes dealers are to check the routing of the fuel feed hose on affected cars and rework it if necessary. This applies to E-Class Coupés built between 1 October 2015 and 31 November 2017.

<h3 dir="ltr">Power steering might stop working</h3>

The connector on the electric power steering control unit might not be properly sealed against water entry. If water enters the control unit, the power steering assistance can be lost. This applies to cars made between 1 August 2015 and 30 June 2016.

Newer <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes</a> models that are less than four years old don’t have the best reputation for reliability, but older examples perform significantly better. So, while newer cars&nbsp;managed to finish only&nbsp;26th out of 31 car brands, older ones jumped up to 15th out of 31. That's still not perfect at any rate, but it's a better result than both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/bmw">BMW</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a>.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">What Car? Reliability Survey</a> pages for more information.

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Coupe

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

E CLASS

The E-Class Coupé is a really classy four-seater with plenty of equipment and a desirable image. Just make sure you can manage the high running costs

Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 2009-2017

All of the diesels and the four-cylinder petrols are actually pretty frugal. Both the E200 and E250 petrols have an NEDC economy figure of 42.2mpg and kick out 156g/km of CO2. The E220 diesel is the best on fuel, at 57.6mpg and 131g/km, but the more powerful E250 diesel isn’t far off that, at 55.4mpg and 134g/km.

The six-cylinder E350 petrol has an average figure of 40.4mpg and 164g/km, while the E350 diesel is better, at 47.1mpg and 157g/km. The big V8 petrol E500 is the thirstiest of the range, at only 31.7mpg and 209g/km, which is probably why the&nbsp;E400 with its&nbsp;smaller turbocharged 3.0-litre&nbsp;six-cylinder engine was brought in to replace it after the facelift. The E400 has much more palatable figures of 37.2mpg and 176g/km.

Most examples of this generation of E-Class Coupé will fall under the previous road tax system, which was based upon the amount of CO2 a car emitted, with only the very last examples registered after the 1 April 2017 changeover date to the current flat rate&nbsp;system. On those, watch out for the surcharge for cars that cost&nbsp;£40,000 or more when new, because it will make them much more expensive to tax. Read more about <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs here</a>.

Servicing costs will be higher than they are for rivals from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/audi">Audi</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/bmw">BMW</a>, and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a>&nbsp;doesn’t do cheaper main dealer servicing for older cars, so running an E-Class Coupé could be expensive. It might, therefore, be a good idea to investigate whether there's an independent Mercedes specialist near you that can carry out the same level of service using the same genuine parts, because they'll&nbsp;charge an awful lot less.

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The E-Class Coupé is a really classy four-seater with plenty of equipment and a desirable image. Just make sure you can manage the high running costs

Early models with high mileage start at £5500, but we’d suggest you spend a bit more for a sub-100,000 mile car with a full service history that will&nbsp;start at around £7500-£8000. A facelifted model&nbsp;from late 2013 or later with an average mileage should be around £13,000, while the newest examples can cost as much as £24,000, depending upon the specification and engine.

Check the value of a used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

Which version you should buy&nbsp;depends upon whether you want a more traditional look or something sportier. If you’re not a fan of big wheels, side skirts and sports suspension,&nbsp;you should probably pick an SE car.

Sport (later renamed AMG Sport and then AMG Line) models still ride pretty well considering they have firmer suspension and often&nbsp;bigger wheels. They will suffer a bit more from road noise, mind.

Unless you must&nbsp;have a petrol car because you don’t do many miles, we’d go with a diesel-powered E-Class Coupé. The E220 diesel provides more than enough performance for most people's needs without costing you a fortune to run.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a>&nbsp;E-Class Coupé: E220 CDI SE

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Good balance between ride and handling</li> <li>Excellent build quality</li> <li>Decent practicality</li> <li>Sophisticated interior</li></ul>

Coupés are all about style, but while practicality undoubtedly takes a back seat to aesthetics, these cars still need to be easy to live with on a daily basis. It’s this that distinguishes a coupé from an out-and-out sports car.

Fortunately, there’s a wide range of style-focused models available, and you don’t even need to spend silly money to buy or run one.

For a blend of&nbsp;rock-solid resale values, punchy engines and an interior to die for,&nbsp;the Audi TT is a brilliant option. But the Mercedes CLA offers plenty of style and substance to match, while the Aston Martin DB11 will give you serious performance.

Thankfully, you get front and rear parking sensors on any E-Class Coupé, so you shouldn’t need to worry too much about parking scrapes. However, do check that all of the bodywork is nice and straight and that there are uniform panel gaps around the car, otherwise&nbsp;it might have been repaired poorly after an incident.

Check also that the alloy wheels are unmarked and don’t have any nasty gouges in them, because&nbsp;it’ll be quite an expensive job to repair them. Also, damaged wheels might be an indication of potential suspension alignment problems, which is likely to&nbsp;be indicated by uneven tyre wear.

Make sure all of the electrics work inside the car and that the electric sliding mechanism works correctly on the front seats, because if it doesn't,&nbsp;you won’t be able to get into the back of the car.

The New Radicals threatened to smash one up,&nbsp;Lenny Kravitz bemoaned that they were the only cars that interested his crush and Janis Joplin asked a higher power for one. Indeed, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> is&nbsp;one of those cars that&nbsp;features on many&nbsp;fantasy lottery win shopping lists.&nbsp;However, you can actually buy a previous-generation E-Class Coupé for a piffling £5500.

Perhaps the widespread admiration of this posh two-door coupé exists because there's&nbsp;an engine for everyone. The range begins with various four-cylinder petrol and diesel units before&nbsp;rising to snappier V6s and a thumping V8 for those with no worries about fuel bills. The four-cylinder diesels can be a bit gruff when accelerating, but all the engines are nice and quiet when cruising.

There are two different suspension setups for the E-Class Coupé, depending upon which trim level you go for. If you value comfort above all else, go for an SE model to get&nbsp;softer springs. If you want something sportier, try a Sport (later renamed AMG Sport and then AMG Line) for a firmer set. Either way,&nbsp;the E-Class Coupé&nbsp;manages to soak up bumps well.&nbsp;Just don’t expect it to handle as sharply as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/coupe/used-review/n847">BMW 4 Series Coupé</a>, because it rolls too much in the corners and its steering is quite slow.

Inside the E-Class Coupé has lots of high-quality plastics and fine leathers. Some SE cars feature a traditional bit of wood, but Sport and AMG Sport models have a more contemporary look to them, and all the buttons and controls are well laid out. Only the single stalk that controls the indicators and windscreen wipers&nbsp;and the foot-operated parking brake take some getting used to.

The front seats can pose a bit of a problem for shorter drivers, because the base is quite long and the head restraints are mounted a bit too far forward.&nbsp;The pedals in cars with a manual gearbox are offset, but going for an automatic solves this.

Space inside is pretty decent for a four-seat coupé,&nbsp;and there will be no complaints from those in the front. Anyone over 6ft tall&nbsp;will find their head brushing the rooflining, but leg and shoulder room are fine. The boot opening is shallow, making&nbsp;it difficult to load and unload large items. At least&nbsp;there's a 60/40-split folding rear seat bench for when you need to transport longer loads.

Standard equipment was generous, with all models getting climate control, front and rear parking sensors, leather seats, Bluetooth and automatic lights and wipers. 
 
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Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 2009-2017 review

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