Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet (10 on) - Review

The E-Class Cabriolet is longer, wider and a little lower than the CLK model it effectively replaces. These gains in length and width show up in extra cabin space, though adult rear seat passengers will still find it pretty snug for their knees and legs with taller front seat occupants in place. However, rear headroom is decent for this class of car, while those in the front are very well catered for. All models come with heated front seats, but Mercedes’ clever AirScarf system that blows warm air onto the front seat occupants’ necks is an option. However, every Cabriolet will have as standard Mercedes’ new AirCap. This is a little spoiler which is raised and lowered at the touch of a button, rising from and retracting into the top rail of the windscreen. It may not look very pretty when raised, but you can’t see it from inside the car and yet you can feel it working to greatly reduce wind buffeting. Roof up, the E-Class Cabriolet is very quiet, almost matching the coupe’s refinement, and only the occasional murmur from one of the smaller capacity engines can be heard when cruising.

Few people will rank practicality high among their criteria when considering an E-Class Cabriolet, but they’ll get plenty. With reasonable cabin space and easy access to the rear seats, with the hood up or down, the Cabriolet has good passenger space. The boot is reasonable with the roof lowered and can expand from 300 litres with the roof down to 390 litres when the hood is raised. The roof itself works electrically and takes only 20 seconds to fold away or be raised, and this can be done on the move at up to 20mph.

Mercedes spends many hours and much money making sure that every switch works with the same precision. This means each and every button presses in 1.4mm to make it work and it’s this kind of attention to detail that makes the E-Class Cabriolet's driving seat such a great place to sit. All of the ergonomics are spot-on and every type of driver can find the ideal position thanks to electrically adjustable seats and a steering wheel that moves for reach and height. All of the dials are clearly visible and the latest E-Class centre console is much simpler to navigate, even if there is still a profusion of buttons for the stereo and ventilation. The optional satellite navigation screen is big and clear, but the Cabriolet cannot be ordered with Mercedes-Benz's Night Vision Assist as the drop-top’s windscreen would be obscured by the sensors needed to work this system. The driving position is excellent and easy to alter for drivers of different shapes and sizes.