2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Carvana (opens in a new tab) calls 2015 the second model year after the major 2014 refresh of the fourth-generation E-Class, a trim and powertrain update rather than a redesign, and says the big change is the new E400, which brings a 329-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 to the sedan, coupe and cabriolet. eMercedesBenz (opens in a new tab) says the key new feature is a new internet-enabled telematics generation with high-performance multimedia devices and navigation, with Audio 20 CD standard and a preinstallation for a Garmin Map Pilot navigation system.

KBB lists fuel economy from 15/22 to 28/42 mpg city and highway, the top figure belonging to the E 250 BlueTEC diesel, and EPA rates the 2015 E-Class at 18 to 25 mpg combined and $3,100 to $4,300 a year in fuel.

NHTSA lists six recall campaigns for the 2015 E-Class. 17V627000 covers a driver's air bag that may deploy unexpectedly if an electrostatic discharge breaks the clockspring, fixed by adding grounding to the steering components, 17V177000 control units updated with incorrect software that could affect air-bag deployment, 16V899000 an electric power-steering control unit with improperly soldered contacts that could deactivate the steering assist, and 14V818000 a middle rear seat-belt buckle that could fail in a severe frontal crash. The others are 15V088000, a rubber engine-bay seal that can stick to the hood and fall into the engine bay, and 19V787000, an emergency-call software update delivered over the air.

Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA: air bags with 13, electrical system and unknown or other with 9 each, service brakes with 8, and steering and structure with 7 each. CarFactBase (opens in a new tab) quotes an E400 owner describing a Mercedes bulletin a year after purchase warning of a timing-belt harness problem that could cause engine failure, and Autojunket (opens in a new tab) points to expensive failures in the Airmatic suspension among the main risks.

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) lists the cheapest 2015 E-Class, the E 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC, at a Fair Purchase Price of $10,000, with trade-in values from about $5,325 to $18,250 and private-party values from about $8,875 to $22,900 depending on body style and trim.

EPA rates the 2015 E-Class at 18 to 25 mpg combined and $3,100 to $4,300 a year in fuel. The 2015 BMW 5 Series rates 19 to 30 at $3,000 to $4,100 and the Audi A6 21 to 29 at $2,750 to $3,700. On EPA figures the E-Class is the least efficient of the three at both ends of its range.