premium hybrid automobiles tend to feature plug-in technology, and although this equipment typically adds to the cost, the higher price label of a premium device implies it’s not as big a penalty.
The Mercedes E-Class is no stranger to this award, having picked up the gong in this category last year with a two-pronged plug-in offering. Updates to the automobile for 2020 have only added to its appeal, so with the petrol-powered E 300 e and the turbodiesel E 300 de, the Mercedes E-Class is once again our premium hybrid automobile of the Year.
New Mercedes E 300 e 2021 review
We’ve already covered the tweaks this 2020 E-Class received, making it our preferred executive model, while the plug-in powertrains are superbly refined, thanks to the electrical support they offer, taking the load off the engines and adding to the unwinded atmosphere inside the cabin.
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The stats are impressive; the E 300 e combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 13.5kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor set-up for a total of 316bhp. That’s as much as the Honda Civic type R that won our hot Hatchback award.
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The E 300 de uses a 2.0-litre diesel engine combined with the same battery and motor set-up for slightly less power, at 302bhp, but the same 700Nm of torque, so both machines are much faster than you might think. However, this class is about efficiency and a little luxury, rather than outright speed. Both models will cover 34 miles on electric power alone and travel at up to 30mph in electric mode, but they work best if they’re left to their own devices, when the electric motor assists the combustion engine to keep things quiet and give an instant increase to the acceleration.