Review: Mercedes-AMG E 53 HYBRID 4MATIC+
Like many performance PHEVs, the E 53 Hybrid is still trying to find its identity.
On paper, the E 53 Hybrid ticks all of the boxes. A whopping 585 hp and 750 Nm from its 3.0-litre straight six and electric motor; 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds; fully variable all-wheel drive and rear-axle steering; over 100 km of electric driving. What else would you want, really?
But in reality, in trying to be a master at every trade, the E53 Hybrid hits the mark in some areas, while misses quite dramatically in others. As with all things, something’s got to give.
Let’s start with the good things first. The car’s EV range is achievable in the real world; this allows the possibility of commuting daily to work and back, while running some errands, without ever having to turn on the engine. In EV mode, the car is brisk enough and you’d not need to burn fossil fuels unless your right foot is particularly angry. For a performance vehicle, this versatility is pretty astounding.
Comfort and luxury levels are also what you’d expect. The car rides very well, giving you a plethora of options for suspension stiffness so you can find what you like. I prefer the most comfort-biased setting, which makes the car ride as a Mercedes should. The noise insulation is also great, shutting out most of the vagaries of the world.
Objectively speaking, the E53 Hybrid handles very tidily. Its suspension geometry gives its front end a very planted feel, giving you lots of confidence to plough into a corner with speed. The monumental levels of grip would sort you out even if you get into slight trouble, while rear-axle steering gives a bump up in agility. Even with the ferocious combined power of the engine and electric motor, the car copes with it very well.
Now, for the bad. The authenticity of the whole experience is somehow missing. The sportiness feels manufactured rather than being actual fun. Just hear the exhaust note. Even with the louder setting on, it just sounds artificial. That’s such a shame for a wonderful I6 engine. It extends to the sound synthesizer in the interior as well. It just detracts from the mood, really. But perhaps this is not Mercedes’ fault; regulators are slowing strangling the voice of ICE cars.
Next, the drivetrain sometimes feels like it is juggling too many things on its hands. EV mode is great, but when you require the transition to ICE, it can feel quite abrupt when you are pushing it hard. It doesn’t help that the gearbox feels pretty slow to downshift, although it does do good upshifts. Once the battery is depleted, the car is noticeably more sluggish too. While this is expected of PHEVs, new generation PHEVs know how to manage the battery charge such that this lull can be avoided.
I don’t doubt that there is greatness to the idea, and Mercedes will probably nail the concept after several iterations. But all of the complication that has been brought about by emissions and noise regulations by powers that be are making it especially difficult for car manufacturers to build cars that we actually want to drive. Even as Mercedes innovates, I hope that regulations would loosen a bit too.
Photos by Sean Seah
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