2025 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Review: Fast, Frugal, Unforgiving

The on-paper recipe was basically perfect.

One thing I’ve learned after almost a decade of doing this job—and the hundreds of cars later—is that my real-world tastes diverge from those of the wide-eyed kid that started. A pared-back, no-amenities sports car sounds fun, and it is, but a daily driver needs to be a bit more rounded. That’s where the 2025 Mercedes-AMG E 53 comes in.

Taking one of the absolute best sedans I drove last year as a basis, the E 53 adds serious muscle, with more power than the outgoing E 63. It promises more frugality too, since it makes that power via a potent plug-in hybrid powertrain. Don’t forget the agility the AMG fettling provides.

Unfortunately, the E 53 is an example of how yes, maybe you can have too much of a good thing.

The E 53 joins the lineup as the only AMG-ified E-Class for now. Like the model before it, it features an Affalterbach-fettled 3.0-liter inline-six. Boost is up, and so is power: a perfectly acceptable 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque on its own. Adding to the tally is an electric motor integrated into the nine-speed automatic transmission, bringing a further 161 hp and 354 lb-ft (!!!) to the party. Take that, E 63; beaten by one pony. Torque peaks at 553 lb-ft. That electric motor pulls from a large 28.6-kilowatt-hour battery (21.2 kWh of which are typically useable), and unlike most PHEVs, this one is capable of DC fast-charging.

The rest of the package is beefed up to match. Wider front wheel arches (0.43 inches / 11 millimeters) make room for a wider track, with the requisite upgrades to wheel and brake sizes. Rear-axle steering is standard, capable of 2.5 degrees out of phase (under 62 mph / 100 km/h) or 0.7 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels (over). AMG has also tweaked the adaptive suspension and all-wheel drive system for E 53 duty, and fitted dynamic engine mounts.

This wouldn’t be an AMG without the now-typical visual adjustments, either. Chief among those include the signature grille with its vertical slats, with a trio of large intakes framed in black below. The rear sees a quartet of tailpipes framing a demure diffuser, complete with a carbon fiber lip spoiler as part of the Edition 1 package. That same package—more on it later—gives the E 53 its not-so-subtle side stripes and matte white paint. Personally, I’d ditch the former, but grew to like the latter, specifically for the contrast it provided to all the glossy carbon bits. The current E is arguably the most handsome car in the class; the AMG treatment toughens it up without going too far.

 I’ve sung the praises of Merc’s inline-six many times before. And the pumped-up version earns just as much affection from me, because it keeps that creamy-smooth power delivery in a way BMW’s M-branded sixes just don’t. There’s power everywhere, though you might not hear it in the E 53’s standard drive mode. This is a subtler AMG, and even switching over to a racier setting doesn’t uncork the exhaust too much. It also adds some unusual piped-in soundtrack.

The electric aspect is well-done too, capable of keeping the E swimming through city traffic with ease. So long as you’re measured with your inputs, it will do any posted speed limit in Canada or the US, too. There’s enough range (42 miles / 69 kilometers) to handle day-to-day activities, and I was able to beat that amount without effort. Truth be told, DC fast-charging is a neat addition, but owners will rarely need to ever actually use it.

To AMG’s credit, that truck-like curb weight isn’t too noticeable in most scenarios. The big steering wheel is typical modern Merc: light and a little numb off-center, but easy to read and nicely quick without feeling darty for a sedan of such girth. The default setting is too light for my tastes, but everything else aligns with expectations.

Low-speed stuff masks the weight better, as the rear-axle steering gets to do its thing and effectively shorten the wheelbase. It still feels a bit odd, especially if you’re sat in the back seat, but there’s no arguing with the results. Quicker sweepers reveal a slight hesitance that no amount of tech wizardry can ever fully solve, but again: expectations aligned. This is a hotted-up luxury sedan, and it drives like one.

If only the brake pedal weren’t awful. Feel is all over the place: initially strong, then soft, then strong again, it’s hard to modulate and find consistency. With the PHEV system eager to shut the inline-six down well before rolling to a stop, stop-and-go traffic can feel like riding with a learner.

It might not be the sharpest high-performance mid-sizer, but at least the E 53 … isn’t the best-riding one, either. A full cabin’s worth of added weight via the battery pack, and the stiffer suspension that is at least partially needed for it, has transformed the serene calm of the E 450 into a tough, busy ride in E 53 guise. How much of this falls to the bigger—and admittedly excellent-looking—21-inch alloys is unknown. Rolling settings back to their softest options makes the E 53 passable on the often brutal roads around my neighborhood, but higher settings remain too extreme for something meant to be everyday-useable. Tire noise is also above average.

At least the seats are excellent. Ignore the garish yellow bits and appreciate how well-bolstered yet accommodating the front seats are, with excellent thigh and lower back support. Heating and ventilation? Strong. The back row is excellent too, with good leg- and headroom, an appropriate level of rake, and good amounts of light from the big windows and sunroof.

This is the classiest of the modern Merc cabins. Yes, even compared to the S-Class, and even with the gratuitous carbon fiber center console. Without the angled-iPad look of the rest of the family, the E-Class cabin is more measured and mature, even if most of the dashboard is covered in screens. What few physical controls exist are all easy to use with actual, consistent feedback. The leather and bits of suede are all appropriately soft, too. Best of all, there’s no squeaking from faux-metal bits, an issue plaguing far too many modern Mercs.

The E 53’s trio of screens work as well as expected. The instrument cluster is incredibly customizable; a little daunting at first, but easy enough to sort out over a few drives. The car arrived with its 14.4-inch central screen running the familiar big-icon menu that Merc has used for years now; it’s much better than the alternative that the car would typically default to, which provides limited home-screen info and requires more pokes and prods. Wireless Apple CarPlay worked well the entire week. The passenger display is about as useful as it is in every other vehicle that offers it—that is to say, basically not—but it does provide passengers with access to a few more menu options than is typical. You know, in case handling the bigger, easier to read central screen is too much of an ask.

I know not everyone enjoys them, but I actually dig Merc’s small touch-sensitive thumb pads, making it easy to adjust the instrument cluster or central screen without taking my hands off the wheel. It does become awkward when trying to navigate CarPlay, however. Other highlights include the generously-sized head-up display (HUD), the variety of settings available via the wheel-mounted dials, and the AMG Track Pace app, which gives drivers plenty of info on things like acceleration and lap times. And of course, the most social media-friendly ambient lighting in the game.

 This Canadian-spec tester arrived with the exclusive Edition 1 package, a pricey ($18,700 CAD) option available only for 2025. It bundles together some standard options packs like the AMG Dynamic Plus and Exterior Carbon Fiber packages, plus unique touches like the yellow highlights and a car cover. Otherwise the only additions to the $108,995 CAD (including destination) starting price are the Multicontour Seating Package ($,2700 CAD), Exclusive Trim ($4,000 CAD), MBUX Superscreen ($1,800 CAD), and the matte white paint ($4,300 CAD). Total damage? $140,495 CAD. (Note: since Mercedes-Benz Canada allows dealers to charge up to $3,995 CAD for destination, we use that amount to calculate as-tested prices.)

In America, the E 53 kicks off at $90,850 including destination. There’s no way to exactly match the spec of this car, but the closest equivalent is $115,400.

The 2025 Mercedes-AMG E 53 is a very satisfying new-era AMG. Its PHEV powertrain has more character than the over-complicated four-cylinder in the GLC 63 S, and its combo of big power and remarkable fuel efficiency is enticing. While it isn’t the top-shelf AMG, its stiff ride seems aimed at that level of hardcore. That shouldn’t be a problem for buyers living around better roads though, and those folks will be getting one seriously accomplished over-achiever.

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