Category: Executive 
Price Range: £33,285 to £48,360
Quality cabin, high comfort levels, punchy 2.1-litre and 3.0-litre diesel engines.
Not very exciting to drive, limited headroom in rear seats, gloopy manual gearbox.
Lacks coupe-like road manners despite the Coupe tag - it's more of a comfortable cruiser.
We tested the 250 CDI with a manual gearbox, the 350 CDI with the 7-speed auto, the 250 CGI with auto and the 500 with auto and paddleshift. The pick of the bunch is the 350 CDI - it offers the best balance of performance with practicality and we think it is the most appropriate engine for what has been touted as a genuine 'coupe'. However, the 250 CDI, which will probably be the best seller, isn't far short of the 350 for genuine driving enjoyment.
On paper the E-Class looks good: the 250 CDI will go from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds and then on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. The 350 CDI will complete the same sprint in 6.7 seconds with the same restricted top speed.
The 204bhp 250 CDI offered just enough performance and low-end torque (368lb-ft at 1,600-1,800rpm) to make it mildly entertaining, but it's hardly the grunt you expect from a proper coupe. The 250 petrol was smooth with a predictably linear power delivery and the 500 - well, it's alarmingly swift in a straight line. Our choice is the 231bhp 350 CDI, which delivers a hearty 398lb-ft of torque at lowly 1,600-2,400rpm and it does its business effortlessly. It's just about on the money for this type of car.
The E-Class Coupe, in any guise, is hardly riotous. We tested the car on the sinuous roads in Tuscany and although it did remain nicely planted in fast flowing corners it seemed cumbersome in the twistier bits. It grips reasonably well but you don't get the reassurance you get from the BMW 5-Series, the A5 coupe or even the Passat CC. It's a little more prone to understeer and if you give the throttle a hearty prod you will be reined in by Mercedes' stability control, blunting any attempts at lairiness.
You can adjust the setting for a more sporty driving experience but the change is negligible: it feels softly sprung in the 'Sport' mode as well as the 'Comfort' mode and as a result you do experience quite a bit of body lean in the tighter bends. The steering feels nicely weighted - if a little light in a straight line - and although it's precise on turn-in you never feel that connected to the road. The brakes, however, cannot be faulted - they are progressive and they'll stop you in a hurry if need be.
Mercedes says it wants to increase the number of manuals, but we think it shouldn't bother because the manual we tested was quite horrible. It's got a very rubbery feel and because of the foot-operated parking brake, is a complete horror when undertaking hill starts.
