2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, part of the W213 generation introduced in 2017, showcased a departure from the sharper, boxier angles of its predecessor to adopt the fluid, curvier forms seen in the 2014 S-Class and 2015 C-Class. Mercedes' chief designer Gorden Wagener described this design theme as "sensual purity." The E-Class featured a slightly edgier front with squinted headlights and an inverted trapezoid grille, while the rear resembled the W212 with horizontal taillights cutting into the trunk lid. New bumpers with larger air intakes, new exhaust tips, and new wheels were among the major changes. Despite the absence of the classic standing hood ornament on sedans and wagons, the E-Class remained a handsome and elegant car, available as a sedan, wagon, coupe, or convertible.

Inside, the E-Class was a showcase of decadent materials and exuberant style, even in its base trims. Rich woods, aluminum, and carbon fiber adorned the cabin, sweeping across the curved dash, around the four circular air vents, and along the intricate doors. The interior featured metal speaker grilles, elaborate stitching, and incredible ambient lighting that interacted with the car's climate and mood settings. The black monolith on the dash revealed two 12-inch screens with crisp detail and brilliant color. For 2021, the instrument panel transitioned to a standard digital display, and all steering wheels were redesigned, making the E-Class feel ahead of its time. The interior of the E-Class was unmatched by any car at its price point.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid continued Toyota's legacy in the United States, with the Camry standing as one of the company's most important vehicles alongside the Corolla and Prius. The Camry earned its place as the default family sedan in the mid-1990s and continued to sell in respectable numbers. The current-generation Camry, which debuted as a 2018 model, received a mild makeover for 2021, with minimal changes for 2022.

The 2022 Camry Hybrid featured a futuristic and expressive exterior design, with a sneering front end and muscular features. The base model came with 16-inch steel wheels, while upper trim levels offered 17-inch, 18-inch, and even 19-inch alloy wheels. The interior was similarly futuristic and expressive, with a sweeping dashboard curve and a big infotainment touchscreen at the top of the center stack. The second row was roomy and comfortable, even for the middle seat, and Toyota's high level of fit and finish was evident throughout the vehicle. The Camry Hybrid offered 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, thanks to the low-mounted battery pack, and a passthrough allowed for long items to extend into the cabin.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class saw a significant change with the switch from conventional V6 engines to electrified inline-six powertrains for the highest-volume models. The E450 became a hybrid, featuring a 3.0-liter inline-six engine with a single turbo, producing 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, with an additional 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque from the 48-volt battery's overboost. The base E350's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, revised for 2020, produced 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The AMG E53 added a second turbo, powered by the 48-volt battery, resulting in 429 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. The AMG E63 S, with a hand-built 4.0-liter V8 engine, produced 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for the E-Class varied, with the E450 4Matic and E350 4Matic sedans returning 26 mpg combined and 25 mpg combined, respectively.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid focused on fuel efficiency, with the entry-level LE model achieving an EPA-rated 51 mpg city/53 mpg highway/52 mpg combined, while other trim levels achieved 44 mpg city/47 mpg highway/46 mpg combined. The hybrid system combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors, producing a total system output of 208 horsepower. An electronically controlled CVT sent power to the front wheels, and SE and XSE models featured paddle shifters to simulate a six-speed transmission. The Camry Hybrid's handling was improved by the low-mounted lithium-ion battery pack, resulting in a lower center of gravity. However, the car's focus on fuel economy came at the cost of responsiveness, and it was challenging to keep the car in EV mode.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a redesigned infotainment system with a touchscreen, making everyday tasks easier and faster. The touchpads on the steering wheel were reshaped, and shortcut buttons for navigation, stereo, and other settings remained. The cabin was spacious for four adults, with ample headroom and legroom, supportive cushions, and knee cutouts on the seatbacks. The E sedan offered 13 cubic feet of trunk space, while the coupe and convertible had 10 cubic feet or less with the roof down. The wagon provided 35 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 64 cubic feet with all seats folded. The E450 All-Terrain wagon, new for 2021, featured raised ground clearance and plastic body cladding.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid excelled in ride height, seating position, and general ease of use. The driver and front passenger had multiple storage options, including a spacious glove compartment and various nooks and crannies throughout the dash. The second row was easy to access and comfortable, with bottle holders in the doors and map pockets in the backs of the front seats. The Camry Hybrid offered 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, with a passthrough for long items and foldable second-row seats for additional cargo space. Toyota's basic warranty covered the Camry Hybrid for three years/36,000 miles, with a powertrain warranty of five years/60,000 miles and a hybrid battery warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured the MBUX infotainment system, with a touchscreen interface that was better organized and included shortcut buttons for major functions. Gesture control, natural voice processing, and online searches operated like Siri or Alexa. The system included features like live feed overlays from the front camera, massaging seats with side bolsters, and seat kinetics functions. However, the system did not update over-the-air, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not wireless. Optional driving assists included lane-changing, curve-slowing, and limited self-driving capabilities. The instrument cluster offered various display options, from traditional analog gauges to bar graphs and zany colors.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid came with Toyota's latest technology features, including a specially tuned audio system by Harman International's JBL division. The premium audio system, available on XLE and XSE models, included nine speakers and sophisticated algorithms for extracting audio information from compressed digital sources. Embedded navigation was also available on XLE and XSE models, while Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa were standard on all models. The LE, SE, and SE Nightshade featured a 7-inch touchscreen, while the XLE and XSE had a 9-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Toyota's smart key system, push-button start, automatic LED headlights, and dual-zone automatic climate control. A 10-inch color head-up display was available on XSE models, along with a bird's-eye view camera, intelligent clearance sonar, and multi-stage ventilated seats.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was one of the safest cars on sale, with a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The E-Class featured innovations like Pre-Safe Sound, which played a "pink noise" during a crash to protect eardrums, and side bolsters that shifted the driver or passenger away from the door in a side collision. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring, with 14 optional driver-assist features.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+), which included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, Lane Tracing Assist, automatic high beams, and traffic-sign recognition. The Camry Hybrid also featured Toyota's Star safety system, with stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop technology. The Camry Hybrid had 10 airbags, three-point seatbelts for every seating position, and LATCH lower anchors for child safety seats. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert was available on lower trims and standard on higher trims. The 2021 Camry Hybrid received the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, and the 2022 model was expected to receive the same rating. The NHTSA gave the 2022 Camry Hybrid a five-star overall safety rating.