Mercedes Benz E240 Buyer's guide review

Benz, a renowned name in the automotive industry, was established in Germany and the company would go on to revolutionize transportation with the invention of the first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine. Benz E240 or W211 car of the Benz E class was introduced to the market in 2002. There are 5 generations of the E class or Executive Class. The Mercedes Company had spent more than 2 Billion euros to develop the E240. It has stepped forward from the design, options, power, and efficiency. The Company has raised the bar by introducing W211, by challenging other companies that manufacture full-sized executive Sedans, showing that it is the standard. Today, we delve into the 3rd generation car of the E240 encapsulating European styling and comfort.

Talking about the engine, the 3rd generation of E240 has a powerful 2.6L V6 naturally aspirated engine. The word 'Kompressor' in this generation means the superchargers that come with forced induction methods. The naturally aspirated engine gives a maximum horsepower of 177 at 5700 rpm and a maximum torque of 240Nm at 4500 rpm. It is slightly a high-revving engine. The E240 has a 5-speed automatic transmission gearbox. In performance versions or AMG versions, 7-speed automatic transmissions can be seen. The maximum fuel consumption is around 10-12 km per Liter as the engine is big and powerful and the car is heavy. The fuel tank of the vehicle is 65 liters, which is considerably large. One can travel a good distance once the tank is filled.

The signature Mercedes grill is present as a part of the bonnet in E240. There's a chrome finish around the elegant grill and a matte finish in the middle of it. That has provided a beautiful look. Although the hood is heavy, it can be easily lifted with the support of the hydraulics. There are LED lights separated into 2 parts. But the versions after 3rd generation have a single light. The stand-alone Mercedes badge can be seen on the front. There's another beautiful chrome stripe which can be easily damaged. There are invisible stickers to reduce the damage. There are fog lights and working vents. The E240 has considerable ground clearance at the front.

Moving on to the side, 16-inch alloy wheels are present. There are ventilated disc brakes at the front, and solid disc brakes at the back with good stopping power. An independent double wishbone suspension system can be seen in the front and a multi-link suspension system can be seen at the back with anti-roll bars. The E240 has a complicated, stable, comfortable suspension system. There are standard air suspensions in upper versions like AMG, or top-level models to increase or decrease the ride height. A 4-way ABS and traction control can be seen in the vehicle. There is a chrome stripe and a body line from the front to the back that give a beautiful look. The car is round shaped than the previous versions. Winker mirrors having the same body color are present. Pull-out door handles which are famous in Mercedes vehicles can be seen. Even though the door is heavy, no need to put in a big effort to open it. They have done the design to a good extent. There is a good space to enter and exit from the vehicle.

The chrome stripe on the side has been continued to the rear as well. Break lights, signal lights, and reverse lights are found as a single big unit. The Mercedes badge can be seen as an elegant chrome line. The car has a clean look as the silencer or the exhaust is invisible. The boot of 540 liters can be automatically opened by pressing the button in the sensor programmed key. As a long car, there is a good passenger space and a good boot space. Under the boot floor, a full-sized tire and the battery can be seen with the equipment.

There is a beautiful wooden trim like teak on the doors, rear side, front, middle of the center console, and in buttons. The boot opening button and the side mirror control buttons are on the door of the driver's side. The position of the headlights can be adjusted to the preferred position. There is a beautiful leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel that can be held from hands well and used to control the phone when it is connected. Volume controls and the options to control the infotainment system, screen, and media can be seen with a center horn. Signals and wipers can be controlled from the lever on the left. Cruise control can be done using the lever on the left and locked according to the moving speed. Speed adjustments can also be done. A four-zone climate control system is present to control the temperature and the fan speed of the driver and the passengers. Becoming a vehicle of 2002, the infotainment system is a bit old. There are FM radio, CD, and cassette piece/ tape options but no Bluetooth option. There is an in-built Nokia telephone that gets charged when it is plugged in. The hazard lights, lock/unlock buttons, or central lock can be seen in the middle. There is a leather, conventional gear lever that can be grabbed by the hand well and has Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive options. Usually, the automatic gearbox gives the option to change the gears up or down manually. But in E240, there is sideways. There is a cigarette lighter but not USB inputs, HDMI inputs, and AUX cables.

Coming to the gauge cluster, there is a speedometer in the middle, an rpm meter on the right side, and a clock on the left side. The temperature and the fuel gauge are shown on either side digitally. A digital circular screen can be seen in the middle. The gear position, distance traveled, and driving information are presented on that. Storage areas can be seen all over. Under the center armrest, there is a good storage space with a light that can hold many things. The door bins are not very large. A water bottle of about 500ml can be kept horizontally, but not vertically. The glove compartment can be locked using the key. There is a sufficient amount of space inside that, but not much. 6-way adjustable electric seats are present for both the driver and the passenger. The comfortable electric seats are big and keep passengers cozy. The Benz E240 is a very sturdy car with a good overall built-in quality. In some variants, the sunroof is also present.

On the rear side of the W211, reading lights are present at the center for the passengers. Side airbags are also seen at the back. The rear passengers get two separate AC vents in the B pillar and also two other AC vents can be seen in the middle. The door bins have an average space that can place around 2, or 3 water bottles of 500 ml. There are storage covers behind the driver's seat and the passenger side. A good leg space and headroom are present although the front seat has adjusted to its last position. The leather seats are very comfortable. When three people are traveling, it might be a bit difficult for the person in the middle because of the floor hump of the rear wheel drive car. There is a leather armrest with two cup holders for the rear passengers. Under the armrest, there is a storage area with a soft padded material, not plastic. The luxury of the car has been uplifted by small things.

The E240 has a long hood or a bonnet to keep a 6.2l engine or even a 6.2l V8 engine. So, the driver needs to be mindful as the length and the width are higher than others. When turning from one small road to another, it is difficult to see the vehicles on either side without moving forward. But there are clear side mirrors for the help. The visibility has been reduced due to the three headrests at the back. With the stable and comfortable suspensions of the car, the bumps are also felt lightly even falling into pits. It needs to steer a little more than other cars. Although the car is heavy compared with other versions, it is very fun to drive even in traffic. The power delivery of the vehicle is very smooth. If power is instantly needed, it can be get. Not only the accelerating but also the brake and the steering are very smooth. The E240 is a strongly built car to go on any long ride comfortably. They have built the luxury type well in the car, but not the sporty type. In AMG versions, the sporty type is higher than the luxury type. But the 3rd generation E240 is more towards the luxury side.

As of April 2024, the average Sri Lankan market price for Mercedes Benz E240 lies around 7.5 Million LKR depending on its condition. You can find the latest price with more details and cars of this model for sale from the following link Mercedes Benz E240 Latest Price