The new E53 has been hugely misunderstood since launch. It isn’t an E63 replacement, and it was never intended to fight the BMW M5 head-on. This is the successor to the previous six-cylinder AMG E53 — only now AMG has added a full plug-in hybrid system, giving us 585PS, 750Nm and around 60 miles of electric range, while retaining the practicality of an E-Class family saloon.
But adding that hybrid system has also brought a huge weight increase. So after living with the car every day — school runs, motorway journeys, winter use, charging and plenty of fast driving — has all that technology actually made it better?
Today we find out, as I show you my real EV usage, efficiency and charging experience after 15,000 miles, as well as what this car is actually like to drive hard on UK roads. We’ll compare it with the BMW M5, Porsche Panamera and new Audi RS5, and discuss why the E53’s smaller dimensions make considerably more sense here than some of its larger rivals.
Then there’s another experiment. I’m fitting the latest RaceChip GTS Black 5, which claims to raise the E53 to around 660PS and 850Nm. We’ll drive the car completely stock first, install the system, and then find out whether that extra power can genuinely move the E53 closer to M5 and old E63 performance!
And finally, there’s the biggest thing I still dislike about my E53: the sound. Because I’ve now driven the newly updated six-cylinder AMG powertrain in the GLC 53 back-to-back on the road — and it proves just how much better this engine can sound. That gives us a very interesting clue as to what could be coming for the E53 facelift.
In this video:
15,000-mile AMG E53 ownership review
Previous E53 vs new E53 Hybrid
585PS plug-in hybrid system explained
Real-world EV range and charging
Long-term fuel economy and hybrid usage
AMG E53 handling on UK roads
E53 vs BMW M5
E53 vs Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid
E53 vs new Audi RS5
RaceChip GTS Black 5 installation
660PS tuned E53
AMG E53 sound criticism
E53 vs updated six-cylinder GLC 53
What the E53 facelift needs
Would I buy one again?
After a year with it, I think the E53 is one of the strongest everyday hybrids Mercedes-AMG currently makes — but whether it’s a great AMG is a slightly different question. And after driving the updated GLC 53, I now know what I’m missing in my car. Would I go for this again if they fix it, or would I gravitate to a GT4 door ev? Stay tuned to RBR to find out!
