you like. During my time with the vehicle I
found Comfort and Sport to fit the E400 best.
With Eco dialed in, the car felt lethargic, at
best, and when you switched to Sport+ the
motor and transmission just weren’t feeling
like they weren’t working in harmony.
Driving through downtown San Francisco,
which doesn’t have ideal pavement, gave me
some perspective on the E-Class Cabriolet’s
suspension. Whether in Comfort or Sport
mode, I found the E400 to absorb imperfections
rather impressively. Although it can get
shaky in many drop tops, this isn’t the case
with the Mercedes. During my time with the
vehicle I didn’t encounter any peculiar vibrations
coming through the steering column or
chassis.
Where the E400 Convertible may surprise
you though is with its steering. Although it is
not tuned to provide you with a communicative
experience, the weighting is spot on. Not
too heavy nor too light, it’s ideally set up for
working your way through windy, country
roads. Don’t get too excited though: The
E400’s body has some roll to it. Remember, it
is not a purpose-built sports car as it is, ideally,
a cruiser.
I have to admit. After spending time with
the E400 Cabriolet, I had difficulty finding
things I didn’t like. In fact, I really couldn’t
spot anything that was objectively a miss. All
in, the E’s a rather impressive package. From
the high-resolution rear camera to the wellbuilt
soft top to Mercedes striking the right
balance with the vehicle all around, there’s a
whole lot to like.
Well, except one thing. The as-tested price
of the E400 Cabriolet was $85,735. While I
typically find myself defending automakers –
when it comes to pricing – as prices climb due
to an increase of safety features and additional
technologies, there’s something about this
particular vehicle that seems a bit off-putting
to me. I’d be fine spending $70,000-75,000
on an E400 Cabriolet but the closer it gets to
$90,000 the more my eyes start to wander. If
you try to find an apt competitor though, it’s
difficult. That’s because no one vehicle really
squares up against the E-Class Convertible.
I guess one could surmise that it’s in a class
of its own.