2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class Cabriolet Review

The US engine line-up remains unchanged for the moment. However, you won’t be forced to choose between the naturally-aspirated V6 E350 and the twin-turbo V8 E550 for too long now. That’s because the E400 is also coming to the US later this year.

This unit is the kind of downsizing example that you take to school for show and tell day. Its torquey, suiting the E-Class perfectly. Sure, it lacks the sheer pace of the V8, but it more than makes up through its smoothness. It also makes the car feel a bit more agile altogether, losing some of the front-end nose.

And there’s something else down the pipe - Mercedes has skipped a gear, moving from the current 7G Tronic Plus to a 9G Tronic automatic transmission. Probably due to not having sorted out the production yet, the Germans aren’t bragging too much about their new nine-speed auto at the moment.

The first European customers received the gearbox without knowing they would get a nine-speed. German humor. Don’t worry though, the nine cogs are set to land in America too, sometime in 2014.

With an engine like the one in the E250, the chassis balance isn’t even overcome in the corners. The car is obedient, providing a flat driving experience. To achieve this, the engineers have fitted the E-Class range with the Agility Control active suspension.

Opt for the Dynamic Handling Package and you’ll get the sports version of the Agility Control. Regardless of the version, you can choose between “Comfort” and “Sport” via a button on the center console. As for the aforementioned pack, this also offers a selectable sportier mode for the engine and gearbox.

And if we are to talk Mercedes ride and handling, we have to mention that we prefer any of the two to the German carmaker’s air suspensions. Yes, the latter may be better with road imperfections, but whether you use them on the ML or S-Class, they come with the bad kind of wafting. The create oscillations that can make you dizzy, especially in the back seat.