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2008 Mercedes-Benz E Class Safety Review

August 18, 2008

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Four stars, front impact protection; five stars, side impact protection; four stars, rollover resistance
NHTSA

Good," frontal offset; "acceptable," side impact; "good," rear crash protection
IIHS

standard is PreSafe, which anticipates an imminent crash and automatically takes measures to better secure occupants
Edmunds

A full complement of standard safety features and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class' high marks in crash tests make it one of the safest luxury sedans available.

In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class fares well. The Mercedes-Benz 2008 E-Class sedan receives four stars for front impact protection, five stars for side impact protection, and four stars for rollover resistance. In tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class "good" for frontal offset, "acceptable" for side impact, and "good" for rear crash protection.

"All 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class models come with stability control, antilock brakes, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and the TeleAid emergency system," according to Edmunds.

Also standard is what Mercedes-Benz 2008 reviews call PRE-SAFE. Cars.com explains: "If the radar sensor predicts an impending collision, Pre-Safe cinches the front seat belt pretensioners and can even change the position of the front passenger seat for optimal protection by the restraints." Furthermore, "In a serious skid, the [Mercedes-Benz E-Class' PRE-SAFE] system closes the moonroof and any open windows, a step to prevent occupant ejection, which can occur in a collision or, especially, a rollover."

Cars.com notes other unique safety features of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: "an adaptive brake light that flashes when the car is under rapid or panic braking." That's a safety feature meant for people following behind the Mercedes-Benz. They conclude, "If all else fails and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class does crash, the standard Tele-Aid -- which is similar to GM's OnStar -- will contact authorities and send them to your location."

Avoiding accidents is partly the result of being able to see well from the driver's seat. Explains Edmunds: "Long a Mercedes feature, the power drop-down of the rear headrests made parallel parking less of a hassle, although it would be nice if Mercedes included parking assist as standard equipment. (It's optional.)"

Conclusion

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class leaves very little to want in terms of safety features or capabilities.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:Four stars, front impact protection; five stars, side impact protection; four stars, rollover resistanceNHTSAGood," frontal offset; "acceptable," side impact; "good," rear crash protectionIIHSstandard is PreSafe, which anticipates an imminent crash and automatically takes measures to better secure occupantsEdmunds A full complement of standard safety features and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class' high marks in crash tests make it one of the safest luxury sedans available. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class fares well. The Mercedes-Benz 2008 E-Class sedan receives four stars for front impact protection, five stars for side impact protection, and four stars for rollover resistance. In tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class "good" for frontal offset, "acceptable" for side impact, and "good" for rear crash protection. "All 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class models come with stability control, antilock brakes, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and the TeleAid emergency system," according to Edmunds. Also standard is what Mercedes-Benz 2008 reviews call PRE-SAFE. Cars.com explains: "If the radar sensor predicts an impending collision, Pre-Safe cinches the front seat belt pretensioners and can even change the position of the front passenger seat for optimal protection by the restraints." Furthermore, "In a serious skid, the [Mercedes-Benz E-Class' PRE-SAFE] system closes the moonroof and any open windows, a step to prevent occupant ejection, which can occur in a collision or, especially, a rollover." Cars.com notes other unique safety features of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: "an adaptive brake light that flashes when the car is under rapid or panic braking." That's a safety feature meant for people following behind the Mercedes-Benz. They conclude, "If all else fails and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class does crash, the standard Tele-Aid -- which is similar to GM's OnStar -- will contact authorities and send them to your location." Avoiding accidents is partly the result of being able to see well from the driver's seat. Explains Edmunds: "Long a Mercedes feature, the power drop-down of the rear headrests made parallel parking less of a hassle, although it would be nice if Mercedes included parking assist as standard equipment. (It's optional.)" ConclusionThe 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class leaves very little to want in terms of safety features or capabilities.  2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS STYLING | [7 out of 10] Edmunds: "Sleek and dignified design inside and out" Kelley Blue Book: "easy choice for those that prefer making a more stately arrival" Cars.com: "the E-Class is due for an update, and it shows inside" The 2008 Mercedes-Benz ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

When you're spending upward of $50,000 on a car, you'll get something good when you pick from this group. Your choice must factor in the manufacturer's attitude and approach to vehicles, as this affects everything about their car's character.

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See the Mercedes-Benz E Class in Other Years:

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (3 total)

  1. By LWW #1, Posted: 9/8/2008

    Mr.

    The "comment" about the placement of the cruise control is completely bogus. I have been lucky enough to own various MBs since December of 1983. I have inadvertantly touched the cruise control once in all those years. Care to guess when? December of 1983. I have owned a 240D, a 190D, and several E Class [both diesel and gas]. Several hundreds of thousands of miles, and I have inadvertantly touched the cruise control once. Hell, I have touched the "open trunk" switch more often than that, or the wrong window switch. This concern re the placement of the cruise control started with Consumer Report many years ago. It was bogus then, it is bogus now, and it will be bogus next year when some so-called car reviewer can't think of anything original to say.
    BTW, you are also wrong re the transmissions for the various cars. The diesel has the 5 speed, the gas models currently have the seven speed.

  2. By David Shkhyan #2, Posted: 9/11/2008

    The best

    The others can only copy,no others can make

  3. By Westcott #3, Posted: 12/17/2008

    What a great luxury sedan!!!

    I test drove them all. BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Jaguar, Audi, and Infinity. The E550 won out over the next closest Jaguar. BMW lost points on the transmission, interior, and road feel on less than ideal surfaces. Jaguar came the closest but resale and reliability were too hard to overcome. Lexus and Infinity lost points on power, styling, and prowess. Both were quiet and well appointed. After 4000 miles, I can safely say I feel I made the right choice for my driving style. The occasssional spirited jaunt, but, usually the hour drive to work and back via highway. Makes time rush by. The AMG package really sets this car off from the standard E class and the improved suspension design is a happy compromise over the standard coil spring configuration. Thanks for a great review!

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