Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe 2009-2017 review

The New Radicals threatened to smash one up, Lenny Kravitz bemoaned that they were the only cars that interested his crush and Janis Joplin asked a higher power for one. Indeed, a Mercedes-Benz is one of those cars that features on many fantasy lottery win shopping lists. However, you can actually buy a previous-generation E-Class Coupé for a piffling £5500.

Perhaps the widespread admiration of this posh two-door coupé exists because there's an engine for everyone. The range begins with various four-cylinder petrol and diesel units before rising to snappier V6s and a thumping V8 for those with no worries about fuel bills. The four-cylinder diesels can be a bit gruff when accelerating, but all the engines are nice and quiet when cruising.

There are two different suspension setups for the E-Class Coupé, depending upon which trim level you go for. If you value comfort above all else, go for an SE model to get softer springs. If you want something sportier, try a Sport (later renamed AMG Sport and then AMG Line) for a firmer set. Either way, the E-Class Coupé manages to soak up bumps well. Just don’t expect it to handle as sharply as the BMW 4 Series Coupé, because it rolls too much in the corners and its steering is quite slow.

Inside the E-Class Coupé has lots of high-quality plastics and fine leathers. Some SE cars feature a traditional bit of wood, but Sport and AMG Sport models have a more contemporary look to them, and all the buttons and controls are well laid out. Only the single stalk that controls the indicators and windscreen wipers and the foot-operated parking brake take some getting used to.

The front seats can pose a bit of a problem for shorter drivers, because the base is quite long and the head restraints are mounted a bit too far forward. The pedals in cars with a manual gearbox are offset, but going for an automatic solves this.

Space inside is pretty decent for a four-seat coupé, and there will be no complaints from those in the front. Anyone over 6ft tall will find their head brushing the rooflining, but leg and shoulder room are fine. The boot opening is shallow, making it difficult to load and unload large items. At least there's a 60/40-split folding rear seat bench for when you need to transport longer loads.

Standard equipment was generous, with all models getting climate control, front and rear parking sensors, leather seats, Bluetooth and automatic lights and wipers.

Early models with high mileage start at £5500, but we’d suggest you spend a bit more for a sub-100,000 mile car with a full service history that will start at around £7500-£8000. A facelifted model from late 2013 or later with an average mileage should be around £13,000, while the newest examples can cost as much as £24,000, depending upon the specification and engine.

Check the value of a used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé with What Car? Valuations

All of the diesels and the four-cylinder petrols are actually pretty frugal. Both the E200 and E250 petrols have an NEDC economy figure of 42.2mpg and kick out 156g/km of CO2. The E220 diesel is the best on fuel, at 57.6mpg and 131g/km, but the more powerful E250 diesel isn’t far off that, at 55.4mpg and 134g/km.

The six-cylinder E350 petrol has an average figure of 40.4mpg and 164g/km, while the E350 diesel is better, at 47.1mpg and 157g/km. The big V8 petrol E500 is the thirstiest of the range, at only 31.7mpg and 209g/km, which is probably why the E400 with its smaller turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine was brought in to replace it after the facelift. The E400 has much more palatable figures of 37.2mpg and 176g/km.

Most examples of this generation of E-Class Coupé will fall under the previous road tax system, which was based upon the amount of CO2 a car emitted, with only the very last examples registered after the 1 April 2017 changeover date to the current flat rate system. On those, watch out for the surcharge for cars that cost £40,000 or more when new, because it will make them much more expensive to tax. Read more about road tax costs here.

Servicing costs will be higher than they are for rivals from Audi and BMW, and Mercedes-Benz doesn’t do cheaper main dealer servicing for older cars, so running an E-Class Coupé could be expensive. It might, therefore, be a good idea to investigate whether there's an independent Mercedes specialist near you that can carry out the same level of service using the same genuine parts, because they'll charge an awful lot less.

Which version you should buy depends upon whether you want a more traditional look or something sportier. If you’re not a fan of big wheels, side skirts and sports suspension, you should probably pick an SE car.

Sport (later renamed AMG Sport and then AMG Line) models still ride pretty well considering they have firmer suspension and often bigger wheels. They will suffer a bit more from road noise, mind.

Unless you must have a petrol car because you don’t do many miles, we’d go with a diesel-powered E-Class Coupé. The E220 diesel provides more than enough performance for most people's needs without costing you a fortune to run.

Our favourite Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé: E220 CDI SE

The Audi A5 Coupé was a bit of a smash hit when it first came out, because it was wilfully stylish and had a vast range of engines. However, it's no sports car in the bends and the pedals are horribly offset in models with a manual gearbox.

If you fancy a flash two-door that handles nicely, take a look at the BMW 4 Series Coupé. In terms of practicality, the BMW nearly matches the E-Class Coupé for rear seat space and has a slightly bigger boot. However, the Mercedes lacks central pillars, making for easier entry and egress.

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