Mercedes has pulled out all the stops when it comes to the cabin tech of the new E-Class though. The Hyperscreen from the S-Class has been supplanted with the Superscreen, which is equally impressive and perhaps even more practical. The 14.4in central touchscreen and the 12.3in passenger side screen are identical to the Hyperscreen, but the 12.3in digital instrument cluster is another standalone screen instead of being concealed in the single pane of glass. This makes for better viewing angles in a lot of sunny conditions. Now in its second generation, the MBUX’s Zero-Layer UI feels more direct and refined than ever, keeping almost every function within your reach in a single or two taps. Even the app icons are large and chunky so you can’t miss the touchpoints even while driving over rumbler strips. Very impressive indeed. The climate and media controls always appear on the screen at the bottom and telephony is just a tap away too. Sure, you can use your voice too but we all know what a hit or miss that is. Having said that, things such as the electric sunblinds that otherwise would be hidden deep in the system settings work effortlessly with voice control.
Certain modernities like the digital AC vents feel over-engineered though and also have a learning curve attached to them. It’s not something you want to learn when it’s scorching outside and you just can’t get the cool draft on your flushed face! Counterintuitively, certain creature comforts that you would expect in a car of this caliber are missing, like ventilated seats. Some are not so common, but still available in cheaper Mercs, like the Augmented Reality navigation is missing too. Engineered specifically for the Indian market, the LWB E-Class in RHD form had to be heavily localised and hence, the development times and different architecture of the electrical systems are to blame for these omissions, but hey, it still gets a lot of other party tricks.