Review: Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan - does it get any better?

Mercedes E350

By all accounts, I am a Mercedes fan. I love the grille and hood emblem and the prestige that the brand represents. Last weekend I treated myself and rented an E350. My expectations were fully met; click through for my impressions.

Mercedes E350

My particular E-Class rental was in white, which looked especially regal and stood out from other cars on the road. I probably wouldn't get a white car, but have to admit that it looked great. The E-Class is, in my opinion, one of the best looking sedans on the market today, more aggressive looking than the BMW 5-Series, more striking than Audi A6, and lightyears ahead of the Japanese competition (Infiniti M and Lexus ES). Whereas I think Mercedes may have gone a little too far on the new CLS design, the E is perfection. The headlights and LED DLR lights are menacing, the side profile is angled perfectly with large rear fenders, and the taillights are elegant and restrained. Some people are put off by the regality of the E Class and don't like the hood ornament; I think that is all part of the car's greatness.

Mercedes E350

The E-Class' interior is fantastic; maybe not as technologically dazzling as the Audi A6's or as slick as the BMW 5-Series', but it rather exudes luxury and taste. The little details make the E-Class' interior so special: the powered rear sunshade, the little button to automatically lower rear headrests for better visibility, and the cool yellow ambient lighting throughout the cabin. The COMAND system, while not as visually pleasing as BMW's iDrive system, is very easy to use. By the end of my 2-day rental, I was an old pro at navigating the little silver button in the center console. The Harmon/Kardon speaker system was top-notch and the air-conditioning unit was easy to use.

The seats were extremely comfortable. The electronic lumbar support buttons on the side of the seat cushion were a nice surprise, as was the electronically controlled head rest. The voice-activated controls were surprisingly accurate, and especially convenient for entering coordinates in the GPS while driving.

Mercedes E350

The 302 horsepower, 3.5L V6 in the E350 is by no means as fast as the CLS and C 63 AMG models that I drove last year, but it sounded great and had ample power to maneuver on highways. I wish there was a little more power in the lower RPMs, but I guess that's what the 550 and 63 AMG are for? Suspension was very nice and the tires were quite grippy; the car satisfyingly sunk into each turn, and bumps were hardly noticeable.

In short, I would buy this car in a heartbeat (of course, preferably the 63 AMG). Mercedes has to be careful in the next redesign...please don't mess with perfection.

Hyundai Veloster is quirky ... and I love it

Hyundai Veloster

I noticed Zipcar started offering the Hyundai Veloster near me, so I hopped at the opportunity to drive it. The Veloster is a sporty 3-door hatch (similar set-up as the old Saturns) with Hyundai's attractive styling and high quality interior. The only thing I didn't like about it was the engine (no surprise, as just about every auto reviewer seems to agree). Click through for my impressions.

Hyundai Veloster

The Veloster is an odd looking car - people look at it when you drive by. But not the same way people look at a Honda Crosstour (in disgust), but rather with curiosity. The front end has the same attractive grille as the rest of Hyundai's lineup, and the stance of the car is low and sleek. The 3rd side door is really useful for rear passengers and loading bags from the store. The wheels are pretty cool too. Overall, the car looks really sporty.

Hyundai Veloster

The rear end is really cool looking, and thanks to the glass roof, rear visibility is satisfactory, even despite the small back window. The twin port exhaust mounted in the center reminds me of the first-gen Porsche Boxster. The huge flared rear fenders give the car an athletic, grounded stance. The little details on the Veloster make the car unique and special.

Hyundai Veloster

The interior of the Veloster is top-notch. Given the large size of the doors, Hyundai has affixed large silver handles to aid in opening and closing the doors. The Zipcar I was driving was a base model, but still had a working center screen, which displayed radio stations and trip functions in an easy-to-use interface. The use of aluminum and silver throughout the dashboard was done tastefully, and the seat was low slung, so I felt like I was driving a high end sports car.

Hyundai Veloster

My only real gripe was the engine, which felt underpowered and clunky. Although the engine revved high, shifting seemed slow and bumpy. Power - especially in ECO mode - was limited and predictable. It was, frankly, a little embarrassing given how cool the car looks, inside and out. I can imagine the small engine is probably in place to keep the MSRP down to be competitive against other entry level coupes and hatchbacks, but given the high standard of the rest of the car, I was disappointed.

The moral of the story here is: wait until the 2013 Veloster Turbo comes out. The 201hp engine and upgraded body kit and fascias will be worth whatever the pricetag is.