Let's be honest. SUVs may even dominate the market, but when summer comes, many must be those who imagine themselves with their hair in the wind, in a late afternoon, with a convertible. Precisely like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet that we had the opportunity to test.
At a time when the German brand has already assumed that it will rethink its offer of convertibles, the E-Class Cabriolet remains in the range and sees its offer in Portugal rely on two Diesel engines and two petrol engines.
Bearing in mind that, for most petrolheads, combining a diesel engine with a convertible body is the equivalent of ordering a steak without a steak, we put the Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Cabriolet to the test to find out if it's such a “sin” great this “not approved” marriage.
Going unnoticed is not an option
As is usual with convertibles, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet turns many heads as it passes, something that becomes even more evident when we open the hood, which can be done up to 60 km/h, and which allows for the entire take a closer look at the elegant interior with light tones.
The carbon emissions from this test will be offset by BP
Find out how you can offset the carbon emissions of your diesel, gasoline or LPG car.
There, I have to praise the overall robustness — the hood guarantees good sound insulation — and the visual and tactile pleasantness of the materials. Already less deserving of praise is, as might be expected, the space in the backseats, with longer trips in those places not promising to be particularly pleasurable experiences.
As for the trunk, this ends up not “complaining a lot” about storing the top, losing only 75 liters in the process (from 385 liters to 310).
The interior in light tones and wood finishes evokes the nautical world.
focused on comfort
Dynamically, it doesn't take many kilometers to realize that the 4.83 m long convertible doesn't intend to win us over for its sporty dynamics — nor is that its objective.Despite having rear-wheel drive and direct steering and with good weight, this one forgoes the fun that rear-wheel drive could allow at the expense of predictable and stable handling.
Furthermore, the suspension is also more tailored for comfort, inviting us to take long road trips with the sea as a “backdrop”. And it is precisely because of this “relaxed” and relaxed character that the Diesel engine starts to seem like a suitable choice….
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the sound of diesel
Obviously I'm not going to tell you that we barely realize it's a diesel engine. Of course, when we put it to work we don't hear the silky working of a gasoline engine, but the traditional chatter of a four-cylinder Diesel. However, it is not at all difficult to live with him.
With 194 hp at 3800 rpm and 400 Nm between 1600 and 2800 rpm, the 2.0 l from Mercedes-Benz starts out as more than adequate for the task of moving the 1870 kg of the E-Class Cabriolet, allowing us to print rhythms well. higher than the laid-back character of the German convertible would even invite. However, it is in frugality that its greatest quality lies.
In total we have five driving modes (Individual, Sport, Comfort and Eco) that allow us to adjust the response to our mood.
Calmly and on the open road I managed averages as low as 3.6 l/100 km, even when I explored it further, they didn't go much further than 7.5 l/100 km and at the end of almost 1000 km covered at the wheel of the German model the average was set at 4.8 l/100 km!
And it is this frugality that makes this engine a good choice for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet, especially when taking into account the more relaxed character of the German proposal.
Now, since the E-Class Cabriolet does not seek to offer the dynamic experience of proposals like the BMW M440i xDrive Cabrio that Miguel Dias tested, the Diesel engine allows us to enjoy a relaxed driving in the “outdoors” for… longer.
As for the sound, you can always turn up the radio volume or open all the windows to better hear the environment around you, but at constant rhythms Diesel “sings softly”. Only when we tighten with him does his Diesel nature clearly come to the fore.
Is it the right car for you?
I am well aware that the experience of driving a convertible has several “prongs” and one of them is precisely having an engine with a pleasant sound. However, the Diesel engine that powers the E 220 d Cabriolet has so many qualities that it ends up making us forget its “thickest” voice.
For those who want to enjoy all that is good about having a convertible, but don't want to give up traveling long kilometers at a good pace without having special concerns about fuel consumption, then the Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Cabriolet is the ideal choice.
To the qualities of its engine, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet also combines the typical quality of the Stuttgart house's proposals, a high level of comfort on board and a style that remains current, even four years after its arrival on the market.