Mercedes-Benz AMG E-Class 2018 Review

In the luxury high-performance GT market, consumers often seek a balance between extreme power and everyday practicality—wanting both the adrenaline rush of high-speed thrills and the comfort of family travel. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ is designed to meet this demand with its ferocious 612 horsepower, all-wheel-drive system, and interior appointments rivaling those of executive sedans, making it a representative in its class of "both elegant and fast." The core purpose of this test drive is to verify whether it truly delivers on both track passion and daily commuting needs.

From the exterior, this car successfully balances the elegance of the E-Class with the sporty DNA of AMG. The body dimensions are 4988mm×1907mm×1463mm, with a wheelbase of 2939mm. The overall silhouette retains the elongation of the E-Class, while the details exude a performance-oriented vibe. The front features an AMG-family style vertical-louvered grille paired with large lower bumper intakes, enhancing the visual impact; the side profile shows smooth lines, with 20-inch multi-spoke wheels and wide tires sized 265/35 R20 in the front and 295/30 R20 in the rear, further reinforcing a sporty stance; the rear sports dual side quad-round exhaust tips and a small spoiler, symbolizing performance without being overly ostentatious. The lighting system comes standard with LED across all trims, and the daytime running lights adopt the classic three-pointed star design, which is highly recognizable when illuminated at night.

Opening the doors, the sense of luxury is overwhelming. The overall layout continues Mercedes' latest family design, with a 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel integrated with a 12.3-inch central control screen, exuding a strong sense of technology. In terms of materials, the dashboard and door panels are extensively wrapped in soft leather, complemented by metal trims and piano lacquer panels, offering a tactile quality far superior to most performance cars in the same class. For features, the standard Burmester 13-speaker sound system, HUD head-up display, dual-zone automatic climate control, and independent rear air conditioning ensure the needs of both front and rear passengers are well considered. The front seats are power-adjustable with memory functions, provide good support and wrapping, and are comfortable even during long-distance driving. The rear seats can be folded down in a 40:20:40 split, and the trunk offers a capacity of 540 liters, which is large enough to accommodate several suitcases, equalling the practicality of a regular executive sedan.

The spatial performance lives up to the Grand Tourer's positioning. After adjusting the front seats to a comfortable posture, a 180cm passenger can still have about a fist's worth of headroom and spacious legroom; similarly, when a 180cm passenger is seated in the rear, there is four fingers' worth of headroom and two fists of legroom, without feeling cramped. In terms of storage, the door storage slots, center console storage, and glove box are all fairly capacious, providing adequate space for daily essentials. The rear also features air conditioning vents and power outlets, ensuring the comfort of rear passengers during long-distance journeys.

Power is the core selling point of this car. Equipped with a 4.0T V8 twin-turbocharged engine, it delivers a maximum power of 612PS and a peak torque of 850N·m, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission and a 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system. Officially, it accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.3 seconds. During actual driving, as long as you press the accelerator hard during takeoff, the immense torque bursts out instantaneously, providing a strong push-back sensation. Even at high speeds, the transmission downshifts quickly, delivering power on-demand. Switching to Sport+ mode enhances the exhaust note, increases shift speeds, and makes the overall driving feel more aggressive; in Comfort mode, power delivery becomes smoother, and the transmission prioritizes higher gears, delivering a driving experience closer to a standard E-Class, making it more suitable for daily commutes.

In terms of handling, the steering is precise with minimal slack and can clearly feedback road information. The suspension system adopts a front four-link and rear multi-link independent suspension, tuned to be firm yet resilient. The body leans very little when cornering, providing good stability. When dealing with bumpy roads, the suspension can filter out most of the fine vibrations, ensuring it doesn't feel too bumpy, balancing both handling and comfort. The four-wheel-drive system primarily operates as front-wheel drive during daily driving but can intelligently distribute power between the front and rear wheels on slippery roads or during aggressive driving to ensure vehicle stability. In terms of fuel consumption, the official combined fuel consumption is 9.1L/100km. In real driving scenarios, if primarily using the comfort mode, fuel consumption is around 11-12L/100km, which is quite impressive for a performance car with 612 horsepower.

Regarding ride comfort, noise control is done very well. Even at high speeds, wind and tire noise are not obvious, and the Burmester sound system contributes to better insulation. The comfort of the seats has already been mentioned; they provide good support and wrapping, ensuring you won't feel fatigued during long drives. The braking system also performs steadily with short stopping distances, giving enough confidence to the driver.

To sum up, the core advantage of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ lies in its versatility — it offers supercar-level performance, combines the luxury and practicality of an executive sedan, and doesn't fall behind in terms of power performance when compared to its peers like the BMW M5 and Audi RS6 Avant. Its interior luxury is more prominent, comfort features are more abundant, and its performance also doesn't disappoint. This car is very suitable for those who pursue driving thrill while needing to accommodate family outings, such as middle to high-income individuals aged between 30 to 45. They may need a car for daily commuting, family trips, and occasional moments of speed and excitement.

In summary, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ is a "well-rounded" Grand Tourer. It can fulfill all your performance fantasies and provide a comfortable travel experience for you and your family. If you're looking for a luxury performance car that can be used for daily commuting and occasional spirited driving, this is definitely a great choice.