Mat Watson reviews the Mercedes-AMG E53: fast and luxurious, but I wouldn鈥檛 buy one
June 20, 2025 by Mat Watson
Car changing is a big deal
I recently reviewed the Mercedes-AMG E53, and while this plug-in hybrid performance car may make sense for company car drivers, I鈥檇 rather spend a bit more on a BMW M5.
This is the new Mercedes-AMG E53, a faster and more sporty version of the E-Class saloon. It鈥檚 a plug-in hybrid with 612hp and all-wheel drive, and it gets some visual upgrades both inside and out.
I鈥檓 going to walk you through the things I like and don鈥檛 like about the new E53, and explain why I would buy a BMW M5 instead.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on 莲花直播. And you can sell your car, too. We鈥檙e here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
Mercedes-AMG E53: things I like about this performance saloon
There鈥檚 plenty to like about this new performance saloon, here are a few things which stood out during my time with the car.
1. The interior is properly posh
Mercedes knows how to make a good-looking interior, and the E53 has a lovely cabin. The upgraded sports seats in this car hug you in place without being too tight, and I like the carbon fibre steering wheel on this car 鈥 even if the touch-sensitive buttons are annoying (more on that later).
You get open-pore wood on the centre console as standard, although this car has the carbon fibre option at no additional cost. It even has a webcam on the dashboard which you can use to join remote meetings while you鈥檙e parked up.
2. It鈥檚 quick
The new Mercedes-AMG E53 is powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six engine which is paired to an electric motor. As standard it puts out 585hp, however this car has the Driver Performance Pack which boosts power to 612hp. That鈥檚 actually the same as the old V8-powered Mercedes-AMG E63 S.
Mercedes says it鈥檒l do 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds, but my specialist timing gear recorded a 3.7-second sprint when I tested it myself. That鈥檚 only 0.2 of a second off the much more powerful BMW M5.
3. I like the way it looks
I already quite liked the shape of the new Mercedes E-Class, but this AMG version looks even better with its sporty upgrades. This car is riding on 21-inch alloy wheels, although you get 20-inch rims as standard, and it has the Night Package which blacks out a load of the trim.
You also get a more aggressive-looking front bumper with functional air intakes, although I鈥檓 not so sure about the grille on this car with its sort of egg crate horizontal and vertical slats. Other than this though, the Mercedes-AMG E53 is a pretty good-looking thing.
Mercedes-AMG E53: things which got on my nerves
There were a few things which really annoyed me during my time with the Mercedes-AMG E53, and there鈥檚 one element which would put me off buying it completely.
1. It sounds naff
Fake engine noise is an epidemic in new performance cars, and the Mercedes-AMG E53 sounds terrible. BMW knows how to make its straight-six engines sound nice, but this car has a horrible fake sound pumped into the cabin.
It even sounds fake from outside the car 鈥 I thought for a while that there was a speaker under the rear bumper. If you like your sporty saloon car to have a nice engine note, avoid this one.
2. The door handles are infuriating
I鈥檝e always had a problem with Mercedes鈥 pop-out door handles, because they鈥檙e completely unintuitive. You鈥檙e meant to swipe them one way to lock the car and the other to unlock it, but it seems to be completely inconsistent.
They don鈥檛 feel very nice to use either, which is especially disappointing on a car costing over 拢90,000.
3. Irritating tech
There were a couple of features on the E53 which proved really annoying when I was reviewing the car. The first was the touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons, which are fiddly to use and too easy to brush when you鈥檙e driving.
The other was the 鈥淗ey, Mercedes鈥 voice command system. It鈥檚 really over-sensitive and pipes up every time you say a word vaguely resembling Mercedes, so you end up shouting at it to just shut up and leave you alone.
Mercedes-AMG E53: Why I would buy a BMW M5 instead
Finally we come to the biggest problem 鈥 have with this car, and that鈥檚 the way it drives. It鈥檚 not bad by any means. You get plenty of grip, the steering feels nice and it鈥檚 easy to drive quickly down a country road.
However, it just feels heavy. That鈥檚 mostly due to the fact it is 鈥 the E53 tips the scales at around 2.3 tonnes. A BMW M5 weighs around the same, but it has much more clever suspension which does a better job of hiding it.
The E53 also feels firmer and more lead-footed than the BMW, and you get quite a lot of tyre noise at speed. It鈥檚 not the most comfortable performance car out there.
Now I know what you鈥檙e thinking 鈥 the BMW M5 is in the class above the E53 鈥 and you鈥檙e right. However, the Mercedes-AMG E53 starts from over 拢92,000, and this car has almost 拢11,400 worth of options fitted to it.
That brings it within 拢15,000 of the M5, and if you lease or finance your car that鈥檚 not going to be a huge jump up in monthly payments. Using 莲花直播鈥檚 PCP finance calculator, I estimated the jump up from the Mercedes to the BMW to be around 拢400 per month, going from approximately 拢2,100 to 拢2,500 with 拢12,000 up front and a 拢20,000 balloon payment.
All things considered, I鈥檇 rather pay the extra for the BMW M5. It feels just as posh inside, and it鈥檚 much better to drive. The Mercedes-AMG E53 is worth considering. It鈥檚 quick, has loads of grip and it鈥檚 posh inside. It鈥檚 just lacking a bit of fun factor, which is why it鈥檚 not one for me.
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