A dealership gave me one for 24 hours to test drive. It was an E500 Avantgarde with options including dual panoramic glass roof (with solar panels), 4 zone climate and 18" AMG wheels with 245/40 fronts and 265/35 rears. Without typing a full road test (which I have done for the next issue of the club magazine of the Mercedes-Benz Club NSW, Australia) I will summarise here with:

Likes:
1. Superb engine.
2. Very quiet but with glorious engine induction noise when worked hard.
3. Nice transmission.
4. Strong acceleration although not in the league of an SLK32 AMG I drove recently.
5. Flat cornering (Airmatic semi-active air suspension).
6. Excellent fuel economy.
7. Strong brakes.

Dislikes:
1. Brakes lack feel and too sensitive at low speed (in traffic).
2. Ride can be too firm for poor road surfaces.
3. Transmission can become confused briefly after sudden change in driving style.
4. Prominent windsceen washer nozzles almost more visible than star on bonnet (hood).
5. Wood on steering wheel (would prefer all leather).
6. No grab handle on leading end of door armrests.
7. Transmission won't hold car on hill after releasing brake (like my W124 does).
8. Windscreen pillar close to driver causes blind spots.
9. Why do head restraints need to change height when seats are moved?
10. Instruments not as easy to read as my older cars (especially with white faces of Avantgarde).
11. Complicated looking dash with very "plastic" look and feel to interior.
12. Styling not to my liking.

Don't get me wrong. It is a fine car but I don't have any great urge to want one. Possibly the Elegance would be more to my liking. I'm actually happy with what I've got! The W210 and W124 before that are extremely hard acts to follow (and improve on).

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107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.