I’ve heard people say, the middle child always gets the least amount of attention from the parents. It’s possibly true, as the oldest one is supposed to be the responsible one and the youngest one is the “baby” and most spoiled. In automotive terms, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class used to be the middle child, when things were simpler and we had the C, E, and S Class (and few of niche sports/touring cars) before all the SUV craze and many other offerings by the German automaker.
However, things could not be farther from the truth of my opening statement. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets a lot of attention from its parents. How? If the E-Class had the least amount of attention, it would be offered just as a sedan but that’s not the case. The E-Class can be had in many different forms. We have the standard E-Class sedan, E-Class Wagon, E-Class Coupe, E-Class 4-door Coupe (CLS) E-Class Cabriolet, and then there are AMG versions of these cars. To take things even further, there are various SUV/CUVs based on the E-Class chassis and they also have AMG versions. So, in reality, the E-Class is actually the favorite child, judging by the number of variants it has.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to review a 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupe. I spent 15 days with this car and bellow are my thoughts and information on this coupe.
How much is a Mercedes AMG E53 in Canada?
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is offered in two trims in Canada. The E 450 4MATIC and E 53 4MATIC+ AMG. The E 450 has a starting price of $82,700 and the E53 has a starting price of $93,700. If you tick most of the option boxes, prices can reach well into the $120,000 range.
Our review 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupe had a price of $116,350. Our review car included the following optional packages: Exclusive Package ($1,300), Premium Package ($6,000), Intelligent Drive Package ($2,700), AMG Track Package ($900), AMG Driver’s Package ($1,900), AMG Carbon Fiber Trim ($2,500), Designo Black DINAMICA Headliner ($1,500), Head-Up Display ($1,500), AIRSCARF ($600), Dash Cam ($300), and 20” AMG 5-twin-spoke aero, matte black wheels ($500).
There are numerous options available to make your E53 stand out from E53s. There are 13 exterior colors, 5 different wheel designs, 6 different leather materials/colors, and 9 different cabin trims available. Not all combinations are available with each other; by ticking many of the boxes, there’s a possibility you’ve optioned out your E53 Coupe in such a way that no other E53 with the exact same options exists in Canada.
Engine/Driving the AMG E 53 Coupe
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe is powered by a turbocharged inline-6 engine, with EQ Boost. The turbocharged I6 engine produces 429 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 384 pound-feet of torque between 1,800 and 5,800 rpm. Power is sent to all-four wheels via the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC+, which can send 100% of the power to the rear axle, depending on driving conditions.
Is the E53 a real AMG? What is a real AMG? That’s a question philosophers around the world have been debating since the dawn of the time…. Or not, maybe I’m thinking of something else. Like I said in my CLS 53 AMG review, I think the “53s” are as real AMGs as they get. Sure, they might not come with hand-built V8 engines, but they’re tuned by AMG and are a lot of fun to drive.
The AMG-tuned Inline-6 is an amazing engine with a beautiful sound and the perfect amount of power. The 429 HP is more than enough for driving around town or on long highways like the autobahn, you could even take your E 53 to a track and it would perform quite well. Like other AMG vehicles, the E53 comes with multiple driving modes that include Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Snow/Wet, and our car had the optional Race mode. This is a mode I haven’t seen on my previous review cars, it’s part of the AMG Track Package; this mode also has a “drift mode”. Changing modes can be done with the scroll wheel on the center console or the knob on the steering wheel, I’m a big fan of these two knobs, they remind me of more exotic cars, which are inspired by steering wheels from racing cars.
The two weeks I had the E53 Coupe for a review were snow-filled, and I don’t mean light dusting of snow. Over the two weeks, we must have had at least a foot and half of snow… the perfect weather to enjoy an AMG coupe. But I can’t complain, life is good when there’s an AMG in your driveway. Due to the weather conditions, I mostly drove in the Snow/Wet driving mode and thankfully the car was equipped with winter tires. The E 53 Coupe is actually quite a competent vehicle in the snow, I drove around town quite a bit in these challenging conditions and I didn’t have any issues with traction or losing control of the car, even though our municipality’s policy around plowing streets is nonexistent. Or should I say the policy exists, but it’s “just let the cars take care of the snow-covered streets, we don’t need snow plows”.
You might be asking, is the E53 fast? We did have one sunny and dry day before the snow storm and driving the E53 AMG was a lot of fun, especially in the Sport or Sport+ mode. In the Sport+, the E53 is quite aggressive with an incredible exhaust note and the signature pops and bangs at high rpm gear shifts. The E53 AMG is fast, like really fast. The 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe does the 0 – 100 km/h sprint in a blistering 4.4 seconds. It accelerates effortlessly and quickly; the overall package is so smooth that it’s hard to believe how fast you’re going.
The suspension is just about perfect, it’s not as harsh as some of the other AMG vehicles, the E-Class is more of a cruiser and the AMG version is just more powerful without having a suspension that’ll rattle your bones. The suspension is solid and sporty but you can still enjoy a comfortable ride even in the Sport+ mode. I didn’t bother with the Race mode, as that mode should be used on the race track, but I’m sure that mode is even more fun and most of the electronic nannies will be turned off. The steering weight is also perfect, it has a good amount of weight to it that gives it a sporty feel without being excessively heavy.
Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe Styling
Personally, I think the E-Class Coupe and the convertible are beautiful looking cars. I reviewed a 2021 Mercedes E 450 Cabriolet last year and I was in love with the styling on it. The AMG version is a bit more aggressive compared to the E450 but just in the front, with 12 vertical lines in the grill area, which makes the front opening look bigger and meaner. The rear looks identical but with quad exhaust tips.
One of the signature features of the E-Class Coupe, the lack of a B-pillar, is present on the E 53 AMG Coupe. Both the front and the rear windows roll down, giving the interior an airy feeling and the car looks really cool with all the windows down.
Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe Interior
If you’re familiar with a modern Mercedes-Benz interior, then the interior on the E 53 Coupe would make you feel right at home. The interior design is shared with most of the vehicles in the MB lineup, although an all-new interior design should be making its way into the newer cars, which starting with the new S-Class.
I have been a fan of these interiors, with their massive dual-screen layout. One for the gauge cluster are and the other for the infotainment area. The left side of the screen displays digital gauges, which can be changed to multiple pre-set looks, they can also be customized to display different pieces of information such power usage, fuel consumption, trip meter, and various other outputs.
The dashboard features MB’s signature air vents, in this case four. Below are some buttons for the climate control and a slot for wireless charging and a pair of cup holders. Below this is the main trackpad for controlling the infotainment system. The steering wheel is the same one we saw on the E 450 convertible, it features three twin-spokes and instead of the small trackpads found on most/all Mercedes vehicles, the entire spokes at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions have piano black material that are touch sensitive and are used to change the layout/display information on the gauge cluster and the infotainment system.
The voice command or MBUX is quite easy to use and can eliminate the need for taking your hands off the steering wheel. In addition to vocally adding an address into the navigation system, it can perform other tasks like opening the sun roof screen, changing temperature to a set temperature or letting the car decide for you by saying “Hey Mercedes, it’s cold in here” or “Hey Mercedes, it’s really cold in here”. The outcome to both of these commands is different, the first one increases the temperature a little bit and the second one cranks up the heat by a lot.
As with any Mercedes-Benz vehicle, the interior on the E 53 Coupe is extremely luxurious and an excellent place to spend time in. The fit and finish and the materials used are top notch. As I mentioned at the beginning, you can customize the interior with different materials and colors. The seats are comfortable and even though this is a coupe, a type of vehicle that’s not known for interior space, the E53 AMG has loads of leg and head room. It is based on the E-Class sedan after all. Having the front seats set to a comfortable position for myself (5’ 8”), I had more than enough leg and head room in the back seat. Getting in and out of the back seats is not too bad, the doors are quite large, however, the E53 sits quite low to the ground, so it’s makes getting out of the back seat a bit harder.
The Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe can be loaded up with pretty much all of the safety, tech, and convenience equipment consumers are looking for in modern cars. The E53 comes with a long list of standard equipment, but if you want all the bells and whistles, you’ll need to upgrade with optional packages, which are listed below.
Edition 429
- AMG Night Package
- Darkened AMG grille
- 20″ AMG 5-twin-spoke aero wheels, matte black
Premium Package
- Burmester Surround Sound System
- EASY-PACK power trunk closer
- Foot-activated trunk release
- KEYLESS-GO
- Enhanced heated front seats
- Heated front armrests
- Multicontour front seats with massage feature
- Climate Comfort front seats
- Active MULTIBEAM LED Lighting System
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus 360-camera
Exclusive Package
- ENERGIZING Comfort
- Air Balance Package
- Soft-close doors
- MBUX Interior Assistant
Intelligent Drive Package
- Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
- Active Steering Assist
- Evasive Steering Assist
- Active Blind Spot Assist
- Active Lane Keeping Assist
- Active Lane Change Assist
- Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function
- Congestion Emergency Braking
- Active Emergency Stop Assist
- PRE-SAFE PLUS
- Route-based Speed Adaptation
- Enhanced Stop-and-Go
- Active Speed Limit Assist
AMG Driver’s Package
- AMG Performance steering wheel in Nappa/DINAMICA
- AMG Performance Exhaust System
- 20-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke aero wheels
- Top speed increase
AMG Track Package
- Race and Drift modes
- Red brake calipers
Final Thoughts
After spending two weeks with the 2022 Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Coupe, I can say it’s definitely a real AMG vehicle. It’s a beautiful and elegant coupe that’s powerful, fast, comfortable, and great looking. It’s great to see some automakers are still producing coupes, a car segment that has been slowly dying. But we still have a handful of these luxury coupes left in the market place and hopefully automakers continue to offer these vehicles, because not everyone is looking for a sport utility vehicle.
