While the marketing team at Mercedes-Benz is eagerly referring to the 2014 E-Class as a redesign, we’re a bit reluctant to go along with them in that regard. See, while the mechanical changes are relatively minor and the reworked styling is largely a refresh rather than a major revision, we’re more apt to label it an update. With that said, this is a considerably significant update however.

E-Class sedans and wagons get the styling refresh, while the coupes and convertibles remain unchanged. However, all models do get new interior design elements, and there are new engines across the board too. OK, so maybe the MBZ team is more on target than we initially gave them credit for. You decide.

However you slice it, the E-Class is one very important model line for Mercedes-Benz. Given that one quarter of all cars the company sells have an “E” on their trunk lids, and when you consider Mercedes offers some 13 model ranges, that’s a huge statement. Essentially, the E-Class Mercedes-Benz is the tent pole of the brand. Remarkably though, the E-Class could almost be a brand within itself. Comprised of coupes, cabriolets, sedans, and station wagons, and powered by a choice of eight different engines (in both rear- and all-wheel drive), there really is an E-Class Mercedes product for just about every category of driver.

With that said, the subject of this review is the E250 BlueTec sedan, powered by a 2.1-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. The powerplant produces 195 horsepower and 369 ft-lbs of torque starting at 1,600 rpm. A seven-speed automatic transmission routes its power to all four wheels via Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive. Auto start and stop is applied as well, shutting the engine down at traffic signals, railroad crossings, or any other situation in which the engine would otherwise be left idling for an extended period.

By the way, 2014 marks the first application of diesel power to an all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz E-Class passenger car. It is also the first time Mercedes-Benz has offered a four-cylinder engine to an E-Class model for North America. Naturally, we were curious to see how it would measure up. And frankly, with 369 ft-lbs of torque available to it, the E250 BlueTec was measuring up big time.

And despite the fact it consumes diesel fuel, the 2014 E250 BlueTec accelerates smoothly, quietly, and steadily. You have to be told the car houses a diesel engine. None of the traditional vibrations, smells, or any other untoward aspects of diesel power are discernible. Additionally, the seven-speed transmission-playing nicely along-shifted seamlessly. We were barely aware of gear changes. Netting superior fuel economy, rated at 7.4 L/100km city, 4.6 highway and 6.1 combined, while sacrificing little in the way of performance, we were quite impressed with the diesel Benz.

As for the overall driving experience, the handling-if you’ve any familiarity with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class model-competently straddles the line between comfortable ride and proficient cornering. In other words, the Benz will let you go quickly, while still delivering ride quality comfortable enough to keep your passengers contentedly settled.

In other news, the 2014 model year marks the incorporation of the latest suite of Mercedes-Benz’s safety technologies into the E-Class platform. The Mercedes-Benz intelligent drive system integrates a new stereoscopic camera system, enabling the car to “see” in three dimensions. The system can stop the car if it spots an imminent collision. Further, it can help keep the car centered in its lane of travel, anticipate traffic flow, recognize pedestrians, and mitigate pedestrian injuries in potential collisions if it surmises the driver is inattentive.

Other sensors mounted on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will prevent a lane change if a vehicle is in the driver’s blind spot, prep the car to protect occupants if it senses they are about to be subjected to a rear-end collision, and it can stop the car completely at speeds of less than 50 kilometres per hour if the driver is about hit a stationary object.

What’s more, the styling changes have made what was arguably one of the best looking cars in the class even better looking. With the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class we have even more of what was already a very good thing.

Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec 4Matic pricing starts at $57,800.
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