The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class marked a significant redesign, bringing advanced safety features and earning top marks in crash evaluations. For those prioritizing safety in a luxury vehicle, understanding the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2017 safety ratings is crucial. This detailed analysis, based on Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, provides a thorough overview of its performance in various crash scenarios and safety assessments.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side Evaluation
The driver-side small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts an object. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class achieved a “Good” rating in this demanding test, indicating robust protection for the driver in this type of accident.
Key takeaways from the driver-side small overlap test include:
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good,” signifying that the structural integrity of the E-Class held up well, maintaining the occupant compartment space.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were rated “Good,” demonstrating excellent protection across all critical body regions.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Also rated “Good,” indicating that the seatbelts and airbags worked effectively to control the dummy’s movement during the crash, minimizing injury risk.
The technical measurements further support these ratings, showing minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment. For instance, the maximum intrusion at the lower hinge pillar was only 2 cm, and the steering column showed no intrusion at all. Driver injury measurements were also low, with a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of 173 and minimal chest compression.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side Evaluation
The passenger-side small overlap front test mirrors the driver-side test but assesses protection for the front passenger. Like the driver-side, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class earned an overall “Good” rating, reinforcing its commitment to passenger safety.
Highlights from the passenger-side small overlap test include:
- Overall Evaluation and Structure/Safety Cage: Again, achieving a “Good” rating, confirming strong structural performance on the passenger side.
- Passenger Injury Measures: “Good” ratings across head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot injury measures, ensuring comprehensive passenger protection.
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Rated “Acceptable.” While the airbags generally performed well, there was some concern about the dummy’s head movement towards the gap between the frontal and side curtain airbags. However, the side curtain airbag still provided sufficient coverage.
- Driver Injury Measures: Notably, driver injury measures were also assessed in this passenger-side test and received “Good” ratings across the board, indicating consistent safety performance for both front occupants.
Technical data reveals slightly more intrusion on the passenger side compared to the driver side, with a maximum lower hinge pillar intrusion of 5 cm and 6 cm at the upper hinge pillar. Passenger injury metrics remained low, with a HIC-15 of 205 and low chest compression. Driver injury measures during this test were even lower than in the driver-side test.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front crash test, a more traditional frontal impact assessment, evaluates vehicle performance when a significant portion of the front end impacts a barrier. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class continued its strong performance, earning a “Good” rating in this test as well.
Key findings from the moderate overlap front test:
- Overall Evaluation and Structure/Safety Cage: “Good” ratings, reinforcing the robust structural design of the E-Class in frontal collisions.
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures, including head/neck, chest, and leg/foot (both left and right), were rated “Good,” demonstrating excellent protection in this common type of frontal crash.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Rated “Good,” confirming the effectiveness of the restraint systems in managing crash forces.
Measurements showed minimal footwell intrusion and instrument panel movement, contributing to the “Good” structural rating. Driver injury measures were also favorable, with a HIC-15 of 180 and low femur forces.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Test
The side impact crash test assesses how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class once again demonstrated exceptional safety, achieving a “Good” rating in the side impact test.
Notable results from the side impact test:
- Overall Evaluation and Structure/Safety Cage: “Good” ratings, indicating a strong side structure capable of withstanding significant impact forces.
- Driver Injury Measures: “Good” ratings for head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg injury measures, showcasing excellent protection for the driver in side collisions.
- Driver Head Protection and Rear Passenger Protection: Both driver and rear passenger head protection were rated “Good,” and rear passenger injury measures (head/neck, torso, pelvis/leg) also received “Good” ratings, demonstrating comprehensive side impact safety for all occupants.
The E-Class exhibited minimal B-pillar intrusion in the side impact test. Driver and passenger injury measurements were low across the board, further validating the “Good” ratings.
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test evaluates a vehicle’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover accident. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class earned a “Good” rating for roof strength, signifying a strong roof structure capable of protecting occupants in such events.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
With a strength-to-weight ratio of 6.18, the roof of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class demonstrated its ability to withstand over six times the vehicle’s weight, exceeding the IIHS requirement for a “Good” rating.
Head Restraints & Seats Evaluation
Beyond crash tests, head restraints and seats play a crucial role in preventing whiplash and other injuries in rear-end collisions. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class with power leather seats received a “Good” overall rating for head restraints & seats.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
Both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated “Good,” indicating effective design and performance in protecting against neck injuries in rear impacts.
Headlight Performance
Headlight performance is vital for accident prevention, particularly in nighttime driving. The IIHS evaluated two headlight variations available on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
For the E 300 trim equipped with the Premium II and Premium III packages, featuring LED projector low and high beams with curve-adaptive functionality and high-beam assist, the overall headlight rating was “Good.”
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating (Premium II & III Packages) | G |
However, the standard E 300 trim with LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams, without curve-adaptive features or high-beam assist, received an “Acceptable” overall rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating (Standard Trim) | A |
While both headlight systems offer decent performance, the premium package headlights provide superior illumination, especially on curves, contributing to safer nighttime driving.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are increasingly important in mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers two front crash prevention system variations.
With the optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function (part of the Premium 3 Package), the system earned a “Superior” rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation (Optional Active Brake Assist) | Superior |
The standard Active Brake Assist system also achieved a “Superior” rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation (Standard Active Brake Assist) | Superior |
Both systems successfully avoided collisions in IIHS tests at both 12 mph and 25 mph, and meet the requirements for forward collision warning, demonstrating excellent front crash prevention capabilities.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors (LATCH) ease the installation of child safety seats and enhance their security. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class received a “Good” rating for child seat anchors.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
The E-Class offers two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor, providing flexibility for child seat installation. The LATCH system components were found to be easy to locate and use.
Conclusion: 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – A Safety Leader
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class demonstrates outstanding safety performance across a range of IIHS crash tests and safety evaluations. Earning “Good” ratings in all crashworthiness tests, a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention, and a “Good” rating for child seat anchors, the 2017 E-Class stands out as a top safety pick in its class. While headlight ratings vary by trim, the optional premium headlight system further enhances safety. For buyers prioritizing safety, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2017 is a compelling choice, offering advanced protection and peace of mind.
