Mercedes E-Class Estate long-term test: report 1
The Mercedes E-Class makes for an exceptionally comfortable cruiser, but can those credentials be boosted with its unconventional diesel-hybrid set up? We're running one to find out...
The car Mercedes E300de Urban Edition Estate Run by Stuart Milne, digital editor
Why it’s here Diesel plug-in hybrids are few and far between, so we’re seeing whether the combination of long-legged diesel economy and PHEV smoothness delivers
Needs to provide a comfortable, upmarket experience for a family in need of space – with stellar fuel economy
Miles covered 3540 Price £69,970 Target price £69,970 Price as tested £69,970 Official economy 166.2mpg Test economy 86.1mpg Options fitted None
24 July 2025 — Hybrid theory
History is littered with musical supergroups boasting phenomenal talent but which never really made much of a dent on the charts: Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers in The Firm; the Taylors from Duran Duran and Robert Palmer in The Power Station. Yet the same concept has delivered huge success for the likes of the Foo Fighters, Mike + The Mechanics and Traveling Wilburys.
It’s a point I was mulling over as I collected my new Mercedes E-Class Estate from the brand's vast showroom in Brooklands, Surrey. I was particularly excited to take delivery because the E300de model blends two bits of automotive brilliance: a long-legged diesel engine and the serenity and zero-emissions ability of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). And over the next few months, I’ll find out whether it’s top of the pops or lands outside the top 40.
Early signs have been positive, starting when I met product specialist Danisz Barczynski. He took me on a tour of the impressive venue, which sits on the edge of the iconic Brooklands racing circuit. Customers receive a bit of VIP treatment and take delivery in a swanky handover bay.
Although diesels have fallen out of favour, often unfairly, I’ve long been a fan of them for their fuel economy. And I like the muscular way in which they deliver their power, letting you ride on a wave of torque without the need to thrash them. However, I also like the latest crop of PHEVs with long electric ranges for their promise of smooth, clean, near-silent motoring around town. On paper, then, the E300de could be a match made in heaven, with its frugal 2.0-litre diesel, combined power output of 308bhp and official electric range of 68 miles.
Urban Edition may be the entry-level trim, but it’s absolutely festooned with kit, ranging from a 14.4in infotainment touchscreen to electrically adjustable front seats with faux leather and suede-like upholstery. In fact, it’s so well equipped that I didn’t feel the need to spend a penny more on extras; even the Verde Silver metallic paint is a no-cost option.
Now, I’m not usually a fan of monochrome cars, but the paint on my car has an interesting green tinge to it that makes it more alluring. It’s still a fairly conservative choice, for sure, but that makes the black 20in wheels all the more striking.
Another easy choice was bodystyle; I’ve always preferred Mercedes’ estates to its saloons, for their styling, practicality and – in the case of my new E-Class – self-levelling rear suspension, which should come into its own when the car is loaded with camping gear. The boot loses a little space over non-hybrid models, but I don’t foresee any problems.
Dan from Mercedes took me through the infotainment system, pointing out that the built-in sat-nav uses Google Maps, so it delivers real-time traffic updates. Plus, he explained how the battery pre-conditioning function works with the sat-nav to ensure the battery is at the optimum temperature for charging.
That’s going to be crucial to unlocking the potential to charge at 55kW from public charger – unusually fast for a PHEV –
and get a full top-up in just 20 minutes. But even from my 7kW home charger, the 19.5kWh battery takes only three hours to fill. Those times are important, because, so far, I’ve been charging the battery every night to ensure I start my day with a full battery. As a result, I’m already seeing some spectacular economy figures on my 80-mile commute to the office.
There are more good reasons to choose this diesel hybrid. If you’re a company car driver taxed at 40%, the E300de will cost you £2513 in benefit-in-kind tax this financial year – about two-thirds less than what you’d pay for the cheapest mild hybrid diesel E-Class. Yes, that’s still twice what you’d pay to run a fully electric Mercedes EQE, but for those dipping their toes into the world of electrification for the first time, or for whose situation doesn’t suit an electric car, I reckon it’s the ideal compromise.
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