A black sedan lurked in the underground parking lot, reflecting the glare of ceiling lights in its polished sides. A real beauty! The facelift has definitely refreshed the 'E-class' — the new grille and front bumper have added dynamism to its appearance. Classic solidity and dynamics in one bottle! The only thing that puzzled me was the unusually modest 16-inch wheels for a business sedan. I had to walk around the car to the rear and look for the badge. And then a surprise: E200 Kompressor, the base version! Well, that makes it even more interesting to see if the most affordable E-Class can hold its own. The interior greets you with light leather and polished walnut trim. Beautiful! The quality of materials is top-notch, with no hint of cost-cutting. And when darkness falls, it gets even cozier inside: soft ambient lighting creates an almost homey atmosphere. The overhead 'chandeliers' with diffused light are especially nice. For this ambiance, I'd gladly give it a 'five'. And at the bottom of the center console, I found a curious hideaway: press the chrome strip under the hazard light button — and the panel slides away with a quiet whir of the electric drive, revealing a compartment. A small detail, but damn pleasant! But enough enjoying the calm — time to start the engine. The key, by the way, is unusual: a 'truncated' fob without the usual 'blade', replaced by an infrared reader. A stylish gadget! Insert it, turn it — and under the hood wakes up... no, not a V8 or even a V6, but a modest inline 'four' with 1.8 liters. Yes, yes, not even a two-liter! Sounds like a joke? Well, no — the engine is not simple, but supercharged, i.e., a compressor unit. I slowly pull out onto Leningradsky Prospekt, which, as usual, is stuck in a sluggish traffic jam. A great opportunity to get accustomed to Moscow conditions. And to these very conditions, the Mercedes is perfectly adapted! Crawling in traffic is easy. Changing lanes is no problem: you turn on the turn signal, and the adjacent lane seems to brake on command. It feels like there's an invisible radio channel between the steering column stalk and the brains of surrounding drivers. Secret psychotropic weapon? Or do Mercedes designers consult hypnotists? It turns out you can enjoy even a traffic jam, and even the notorious single steering column stalk — Stuttgart's family trait — doesn't spoil the impression. You get used to it in a couple of minutes. But sooner or later, traffic jams end, and the driver finds freedom. I bring the 'business jet' onto the acceleration lane — pedal to the metal! The 'automatic', which had been dozing in the jam, instantly wakes up and briskly drops a couple of gears. With the signature whine of the supercharger, the 1600-kilogram sedan takes off with surprising ease. Not a supercar, of course, but 184 'horses' and 250 Nm pull quite confidently. After all, a solid sedan isn't meant to race from traffic lights! On the highway, the E200 Kompressor continues to delight with 'airplane' sensations. Despite the modest displacement, the speedometer needle easily reaches '200' (thanks to excellent aerodynamics), and the claimed 236 km/h raises no doubts. At cruising speed, the Mercedes seems to ignore the ruts in the left lane of the MKAD, and random 'test pilots' of domestic cars and budget imports nervously yield to the flying sedan with its intimidating bi-xenon headlights. Inside, it's quiet: you can chat with a passenger or enjoy music — the audio system plays surprisingly well. By the end of the 'flight', you half-expect a flight attendant's voice from the speakers: 'Our airliner is approaching landing, outside temperature — five degrees...'. The soft 'landing' is aided by the superb suspension, which swallows any bumps, and excellent brakes. Yes, they're electronic, without a direct connection to the pedal, but the drive's calibration is convenient and informative. The 'automatic' also pleased: it dutifully downshifts, working as unobtrusively as a waiter in a fine restaurant who ensures your glass is never empty. After dropping off passengers, you can try to turn the comfortable airliner into a fighter. Put the automatic in sport mode, pedal to the floor! And here's the first corner. Hmm, very good indeed! Even on simple Goodyear Eagle NCT-5 tires sized 225/55 R16, the E200 Kompressor confidently holds its line on wet asphalt. And if you want, you can even slide: the stability control isn't too strict. The behavior is excellent and predictable, clearly the result of meticulous engineering in the facelift. However, there's a fly in the ointment: the overly 'light' steering and slight delays in responses require getting used to. After all, the E200 Kompressor isn't a sports car and doesn't even try to be. But if the owner suddenly wants to hit a mountain pass, it won't embarrass itself. Okay, enough 'aerobatics' — business jets shouldn't be doing loops. Besides, fellow drivers would twirl a finger at their temple. And again, the Mercedes creeps slowly along the avenue, offering silence and comfort. Then a downpour hit Moscow — and behind the 'wheel' of the E200, you barely notice it. The rain sensor works precisely, saving you from fiddling with wipers, and deep puddles cause no concern whatsoever. Surprisingly, with the Mercedes-Benz E200, I've changed too. The daily grind, the hustle, the ever-rushing drivers. Nerves? Not a bit — at least behind the wheel of the E200. It's above all this fuss. It just drives calmly, bothering no one, and no one dares to bother it. The car is completely self-sufficient. Classic forms are appreciated worldwide, and competitors consider it the benchmark. Here's the perfect balance between handling and comfort — and that's without the optional air suspension! And finally, the car wins you over with the thoughtfulness of every little detail. It's no wonder Mercedes-Benz has been building cars of this class for so many years — oh, not for nothing! Even the base version proudly carries the 'E200 Kompressor' badge on the trunk lid through Moscow's smog and twilight. Specifications | Specifications | €46900 | |---|---| | Number of cylinders/arrangement | 4/R | | Engine displacement, cc | 1796 | | Rated power, hp at rpm | 184/5500 | | Torque, Nm at rpm | 250/3500–4000 | | Acceleration 0–100 km/h | 9.1 | | Top speed (km/h) | 236 | | Tire size | 225/55 R 16 | | Urban fuel consumption (l/100 km) | 11.7–12.4 | | Extra-urban fuel consumption (l/100 km) | 6.3–6.7 | | Combined fuel consumption (l/100 km) | 8.2–8.8 | | Fuel tank capacity, l | 65 | | including reserve (l) | 5 | | Trunk capacity, max (measured per VDA method), l | 525 (575) | | Curb weight, kg sedan | 1580 | | Gross weight, kg | 2105 | Equipment of the tested vehicle - Automatic transmission, 5-speed - Parktronic parking assist system - Anti-lock braking system (ABS) - Brake Assist System (BAS) - Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Acceleration Slip Regulation (ASR) - Automatic low-beam activation - Thermatic dual-zone climate control with residual engine heat utilization, combined filter, and air recirculation - Rain sensor with stepless adjustment - Tire pressure loss warning - Front airbags with multi-stage deployment logic, side airbags for driver and front passenger, window airbags - Brown walnut wood trim around the gear selector with chrome inserts - Ambiente interior lighting front and rear with gradual brightness adjustment - 11-spoke alloy wheels 7.5J x 16 ET 42, tire size 225/55 R16 - Auto-dimming interior mirror - Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear selector - Telephone antenna, preparation for mobile phone installation - Engine underbody protection - Reinforced suspension with increased ground clearance - Anti-theft alarm with tow-away protection - Headlight washer - Bi-xenon headlights - Cornering lights - Heated front seats - Heated windshield washer The test vehicle was provided by ZAO 'DaimlerChrysler Automobiles RUS'. 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