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Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon (2002-2008) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 2.5 out of 52.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

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Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 24 - 46 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

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The Mercedes-Benz E-Class isn’t cheap, but the model does hold its value well. Of course, this is dependant on the right specification which usually means paying extra. The good news is that the diesels are exceptionally frugal, although insurance groups from 15 to 19 are typical for this class. And it’s important to be aware that although Mercedes-Benz dealers are upmarket, their labour rates when servicing or repairing a car are renowned for being among the highest in the industry.

Look at the E-Class model line-up overall and it appears to be quite a polluting model, emitting an average of 208g/km of CO2 – not helped by the larger petrol models. However there are some greener models like the E220 CDI which puts out 160g/km of CO2 (with the standard manual gearbox) and can return 46mpg.

Some early models from 2002 suffered from some electrical glitches, but Mercedes has eliminated most of the problems for the 2006 revisions. It’s certainly mechanically robust and interior quality has improved in the last few years.