2021 Mercedes-AMG E 53 review, first drive

The Mercedes-AMG E 53 treads the middle ground between the E-Class sedan and the E 63 promising a delectable blend of luxury and performance and our review explores if that promise holds true in the real world.

Until recently, there existed a massive void between the vanilla E-Class and the manic AMG E 63 in the Indian market. The newly introduced 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+ sits smack in the middle of the two and, at least in theory, treads the middle ground between the two contrasting versions of the E-Class combining some practical bits of the sedan with the performance-oriented demeanour of the slightly unhinged E 63. That to me sounds enticing since the E 53 should then be able to tackle the daily grind comfortably without feeling out of its comfort zone on racetracks. The biggest giveaway that this isn’t your regular E-Class is the fact that it’s based on the standard wheelbase and, as we all know, India gets only the long-wheelbase E-Class so, one look at its side profile should let onlookers know that this is one of the AMGs. Despite a healthy sprinkling of AMG-specific exterior appointments like the Panamericana front grille, added muscle to the hood, quad tailpipes, 19-inch alloys and, of course, AMG badging all around, the E 53 can easily blend in with regular traffic without attracting too much attention. Personally, I’m not a fan of those 19-inch rims and per Mercedes-Benz India’s configurator, there are no alternatives. I would’ve also preferred a sportier all-black finish for the tailpipes and DLO surrounds.