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2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

large luxury car / 4-door sedan

2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Superior
Standard system
Advanced

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2014-16 models built after January 2014

Tested vehicle: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4-door

The Mercedes-Benz E-class was redesigned for the 2010 model year. Beginning with 2014 models manufactured after January 2014, the footwell area of the occupant compartment was strengthened to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head mostly remained in contact with the frontal airbag, but the head still hit the A-pillar because the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy's head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked reasonably well together, but the seat belt allowed far too much forward movement of the dummy to the extent that its head hit the A-pillar.

Forces during the crash contributed to a moderate risk of injuries to the dummy's left and right lower legs.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1421
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 4
Footrest (cm) 8
Left toepan (cm) 5
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Parking brake (cm) 7
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 2
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 0
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 3
Upper dash (cm) 2
Lower instrument panel (cm) 2

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1421
Head
HIC-15 164
Peak gs at hard contact negligible
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Extension bending moment (Nm) 5
Maximum Nij 0.23
Chest maximum compression (mm) 27
Femur (kN)
Left 2.6
Right 3.2
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 2
Right 2
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 1
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.71
Right 0.73
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 4.6
Right 5.1
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 101
Right 88

How the driver-side small overlap front test is conducted

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2010-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4-door

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class was redesigned for the 2010 model year. Frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Mercedes-Benz as part of frontal crash test verification.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTF1001
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 1
Left (cm) 1
Center (cm) 2
Right (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 2
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) -1
Right (cm) -1
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -4
Rearward (cm) -8
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 0

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTF1001
Head
HIC-15 245
Peak gs at hard contact negligible
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.6
Extension bending moment (Nm) 10
Maximum Nij 0.37
Chest maximum compression (mm) 45
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 2.3
Femur force - right (kN) 2.6
Knee displacement - left (mm) 3
Knee displacement - right (mm) 5
Maximum tibia index - left 0.47
Maximum tibia index - right 0.60
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.8
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 3.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 73
Right 63

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2010-16 models built after April 2010

Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class was redesigned for the 2010 model year. Beginning with 2010 models built after April 2010, design changes were made to the front and rear door trim to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES1002
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -24.0
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID CES1002
Head HIC-15 177
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Compression (kN) 0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 37
Lateral force (kN) 1.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 38
Average deflection (mm) 32
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.85
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.51
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 1.9
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.0
Combined force (kN) 3.7
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.1
L-M moment (Nm) 80
A-P moment (Nm) 36

Passenger injury measures

Test ID CES1002
Head HIC-15 82
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.4
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 17
Lateral force (kN) 1.3
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 28
Average deflection (mm) 20
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.79
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.31
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.6
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.8
Combined force (kN) 2.3
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.3
L-M moment (Nm) 40
A-P moment (Nm) -38

How the side crash test is conducted

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2010-16 models

Tested vehicle: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4-door

Overall evaluation
Curb weight3,880 lbs
Peak force20,961 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio5.40

How the roof strength test is conducted

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Seats with auto-adjust head restraint AHR

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Seats with auto-adjust head restraint AHR
Geometry
Backset (mm) 22
Distance below top of head (mm) -24
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 12.7
Head contact time (ms) 46
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 29
Max neck tension (N) 427

How the head restraint & seat test is conducted
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.

System details

  • Optional Pre-Safe Brake
  • Standard Collision Prevention Assist Plus

Package name

  • Optional Driver Assistance Package

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Superior
Superior
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.

System details

  • Standard Collision Prevention Assist Plus

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Advanced
Advanced
  • This system does not meet the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 21 mph.

How front crash prevention is evaluated

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2014-15 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimE 350
Seat type leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimE 350
Seat type leather
1 2 3
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 0-2
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 48
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 0-2
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 47
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

Seat position 22

2

Lower anchor A
No lower latch for this seat position
Lower anchor B
No lower latch for this seat position
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 0-2
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 46
Lower anchor B
Open access rated No
Depth (cm) 0-2
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 52
Tether anchor
Location Rear deck
Confusing hardware present No
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor
No
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH
Not measured

How child seat anchors are evaluated