The 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: More power and more luxury

The 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class looks and feels quite similar to the 2002 model, despite undergoing a thorough overhaul. Even if the new model’s changes aren’t immediately obvious to the typical user, they do make the vehicle better than its predecessor in a number of ways.

The exterior design and passenger amenities have not altered considerably. The 1996 E-Class was the first production Mercedes to use the “four-eyes” face. There have been seven additional Mercedes models that have followed suit since then.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class models

The new E-Class is really rather attractive, being lighter and more aerodynamic than its German rivals. Although the new E-Class isn’t radically different from its predecessor, loyal Mercedes customers will notice a number of improvements.

The 2003 E-Class is offered with a choice of two engine options: the E320 with 221-horsepower V-6, a 3.2-liter, and the E500 with 302-horsepower V-8, a 5.0-liter . There is a five-speed manual gearbox available for both engines.

The E-4Matic Class’s all-wheel-drive system, which was discontinued for the 2003 model year, will be offered again in 2004.

The E500 uses an air suspension, which Mercedes calls Airmatic DC rather than just an air suspension, to set itself apart from its less powerful sister. The suspension works invisibly to keep the vehicle level.

P245/45R17 tires replace the smaller P225/55R16s on the E500.

Both E-Class models include an overwhelming quantity of technological safety equipment. The E-Class is the first production Mercedes-Benz to have electronic brakes. A computer instructs the valves on how strongly to apply the brakes.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Overview

Mercedes maintained the sedan’s total length, but added an inch to both the wheelbase and the width. There is clearly more head and shoulder room, but the extra room between the wheels does not manifest itself within the vehicle.

Instead, there is a roomier trunk and a front end that is better able to withstand a head-on collision. Because Mercedes employed a bigger person (the auto industry’s term for the 95th percentile male) as a model for cabin design, larger front-seat occupants will feel more comfortable despite just a slight increase in interior room.

This means the steering wheel may tilt and telescope more and the seats can move further forward and backward. This means it has one of the most spacious interiors available.

German designers took the 5th-percentile woman (representing the lowest body size) into account while crafting the vehicle’s interior. Adjustable pedals, which would have made it exceptional in this crucial comfort and safety aspect, were not included.

You’ll also notice other improvements, such as the two-stage airbags, brake-by-wire system, enhanced ventilation controls that totally seal the cabin when pressing the “recirculation” button, A-pillar head airbags, rain-sensing wipers, and increased illumination from the headlights.

Everything listed above is standard, and other amenities may be included or available as add-ons in the E-Class versions sold in the United States, depending on the specifications chosen by Mercedes-Benz.

These features include a panoramic sliding sunroof, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a solar-powered auxiliary ventilation system, in addition to a Keyless-Go entry system similar to that found on the CL and SL.

Each new E-Class model will outperform the outgoing model when subjected to dynamic stress. Mercedes has included as standard or optional equipment innovations that keep it stable under stress, without sacrificing the highway cruiser comfort that frequently leads purchasers to choose Mercedes over the more aggressive BMW models.

Every each model year brings with it greater ride quality and stability thanks to a firmer chassis and body compared to the model it replaces. Mercedes upgraded the suspension of the previous E to a four-link arrangement, allowing the inclusion of ABC (Active Body Control) in 2003 models.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Expert Review

To address your question, the newer models are neither faster nor slower. While the E320’s V6 remains at 3.2 liters, the V8 model’s name has changed from the E430 to the E500 to reflect the increase in engine size from 4.3 to 5.0 liters.

At 5,600 rpm, the V6 generates 224 horsepower, and between 3,000 and 4,800 rpm, it offers 237 pound-feet of torque. The engine’s V8 produces 306 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 345 lb-ft of torque from 2,700 to 4,250 rpm.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Performance

The E500 remains calm during acceleration, even when the wheels are pumping frantically due to the road surface. There is plenty traction for every turn you may make on public roads, with 0.81 g of cornering adhesion available.

At faster speeds and in tighter corners, though, the steering effort is much greater. This level of exertion makes the handling seem more solid, but it also makes the E500 feel less eager and nimble than it actually is.

The E500 test was a quick one, getting only 15 miles per gallon on the highway.

The new E-Class features all the bells and whistles, including miles of electrical cabling and circuitry, as well as the quiet, assured ride that Benz purists have come to expect.

Hardly noticeable changes were made from the present model. Yet the ever-increasing technology seems excessive. After all, there’s no finer luxury than a life of ease.

Yet, as expected by Mercedes-Benz customers, it’s fully automated, and it comes in a sleeker body than ever before.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Safety

Everyday interactions appear to bring out the best in the new E500, maybe because the updated cabin provides the welcoming feel that previous buyers craved. All of the dashboard panels are molded from low-gloss soft plastic that feels wonderfully rich to the touch, and the strip of wood and polished metal running across the door panels and dashboard is particularly nice-looking.

The gathered leather panels that cover the door and the middle armrest are of the same quality. As your knees brush up against the bottom sections of the dash, they yield a little. The brakes have plenty of stopping force.

The Sensotronic technology efficiently distributes brake force to each wheel so as to maximize stopping power. Yet, the system interprets a sudden release of the accelerator pedal as a preparation for an emergency stop, preloading the hydraulic circuit in preparation for braking.

Because of this, you may find yourself dipping the nose more than intended before the brakes bite. As choosing a stiffer mode of the Airmatic DC suspension only shuts out the more robust modes of the suspension, leaving it at the softest setting is probably ideal in most instances.

The firmest of the three modes provides a jarring ride quality on most surfaces, but we didn’t test it on a racetrack. If we had our druthers, we’d make the existing soft mode the intermediate level and develop an even gentler setting for regular cruising.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Interior

Everyday interactions appear to bring out the best in the new E500, maybe because the updated cabin provides the welcoming feel that previous buyers craved. All of the dashboard panels are molded from low-gloss soft plastic that feels wonderfully rich to the touch, and the strip of wood and polished metal running across the door panels and dashboard is particularly nice-looking.

The gathered leather panels that cover the door and the middle armrest are of the same quality. As your knees brush up against the bottom sections of the dash, they yield a little.

What’s more, you can add a mobile phone if you choose, and there are plenty of controls near the audio and on the steering wheel for easy access to other features.

This may be frightening if the time shown on your VCR is always 12 p.m. Don’t give in to it. Despite its many high-tech features, the new E-Class provides the same smooth and composed ride for which Mercedes is renowned.

This year’s dashboard design is just as sleek and cutting-edge as the rest of the car. The space is bathed in a gentle glow from the steady, low-level ambient lighting.

The chairs are quite stiff and lack depth. Nevertheless, the seat warmers are not a standard feature and must be purchased separately. The steering wheel may be heated as an extra feature.

Mercedes also offers what it calls Drive Dynamic seats as an extra. Inflatable bolsters on the seat’s sides provide extra side support. In addition, there is a massage function on the seat.

Although the front seats offer plenty of space, the backseat is cramped for a vehicle of this size. Certain concessions may be necessary for carrying tall people since the interior is noticeably tighter than the 2002 E-Class. When did we run out of room? Put it in the trunk, which seems roomier than its 15.9 cu. ft. capacity would indicate.

2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Comfort and Driving

During cornering, the system may adjust the brake pressure individually for each tire, applying more force to the outside wheels.

When a passenger is detected by a sensor in the front passenger seat, the airbag deploys.

The ride height is also modified by the driver’s choice of shock absorber setting. The car drops about half an inch when you use the sport mode. Acceleration and yaw sensors, in combination to the electronic braking system and traction control, make up the electronic stability program, and that’s simply what your eyes aren’t catching.

Mercedes-Benz offers an optional multi-function trip computer called COMAND. It is a part of the GPS navigation system that may be purchased as an extra. A parking assist detects when it is getting close to an obstacle electronically.

The backseat headrests can be collapsed at the touch of a button, thanks to some clever electronic engineering. The front seats also provide a motorized option. Pressing a different button raises a sunshade in the back. The E500 has a temperature control system with four separate zones. The air pressure may be adjusted individually for each passenger.

Conclusion

Mercedes-Benz is unlikely to raise prices for the new car, thus the 2003 model might be a better bargain than the outgoing one because of its enhanced handling, quicker acceleration (especially in V8 variants), safer construction, and longer list of standard amenities.

The new Mercedes-Benz midsize car may not be a huge departure from the outgoing E-Class, but it is unquestionably an improvement.