The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been named Car of the Year for 2021 by a panel of experts at MotorTrend. The luxury sedan beat out five other finalists for the top prize. Those finalists were an eclectic collection of four doors: the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, Hyundai Sonata, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Nissan Sentra and Porsche Taycan.
Over a period of 10 days, the panel appraised each vehicle in six different categories, rating the models’ performance in terms of Advancement in Design, Engineering Excellence, Efficiency, Safety, Value, and Performance of Intended Function.
While the 2021 E-Class is not a new, or next-generation model, exactly, Mercedes-Benz did give it a number of substantial modifications and improvements for the new model-year, making it eligible for consideration.
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One of the elements that particularly impressed the jury members is that all of the model’s variants did well in each of the categories being looked at; those would be the E 350, E 450, Convertible, Coupe and E 63 S wagon. MotorTrend gave a notable tip of the hat to the convertible version, which it felt rid itself of the “terrible cowl shake” of the outgoing model, and now “feels like an E-Class: solid, refined, luxurious, better than the competition.”
Among the other qualities of the E-Class that helped it beat out the competition, the panel noted the “robust yet efficient responsiveness of its engines” and the large number of advanced technologies, as well as its overall modernity, family-friendly practicality and highly luxurious interior.
The competition this year included a number of all-new models, including the Cadillac CT4, Porsche Taycan and Polestar 2.
