WHY MERCEDES W211 is LOVED and W212 is HATED? ALL Problems of W211 and W212 E class

As a Nigerian, owning a W211 was the beginning of my endless love for Merc. It is a beast ❤a 🇳🇬

We have a w211 and a face-lift 212, the 212 is by far a more active car and more reliable especially suspension wise but the 211 is I'm my eyes the very last of the true mercedes brand

I have at present a W212 coming from a W211 and my take on it is they are both great cars but for me the W212 has the edge. I love driving it and it has been faultless. Its been with me now for 8 years and no intention of changing. In the right spec and the color combo they are a very attractive car.

Very relieved to hear someone agree with my thoughts. I was shocked the first time I saw the W212 interior - it looked like a Japanese car interior, especially around the radio unit. Also the beautiful curves of the W211 were gone. I have two identical w211's with cream interiors on travertine beige exteriors. I'm hoping these will last another 20 years.

I have both of these cars. The W212 is a better car overall. The W211 *feels* like a good luxury sedan. The W212 *feels* like a luxury sport car. They handle totally different. Edited: I notice you said that it has heavier handling. I also had a C-Class 2004. The handling was just as tight. I love that about this generation of Mercedes.

W211 has a perfection that no other car has in terms of headlights and interior and exterior door design, but the interior design of W212 is not eye-catching at all, they have simplified it very much, facelift models are like a jeweler's car.

You have told the 100% truth here. I think since the w211 , Mercedes have really failed the E Class buyers

Couldn’t disagree more I think the W212 was a better looking car than W211, in my opinion W212 is the best car or one of them ever made

I miss my w211 e320 Cdi ...heavy car, but one of the best cars I have owned.

In my opinion W212 facelift is the most beautuful E classe ever

I couldn’t disagree more! I had two 211’s and they were so bad that I almost didn’t buy another Mercedes. In the shop constantly and not fir a day or two but the E320 BlueTec was on the shop for months at a time. The E550 wasn’t quite as bad but still not a good car.
I’ve had 2 W212s and they’ve been a joy. The first one reached 150,000 miles with no issues. My current 2016 E350 4matic is one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. It’s comfortable, bank vault quiet and never a problem.
You can keep fhe 211s. I think that they’re terrible!

I have a W211 E350 4matic, from 2008 and is the Best Benz EVER and the last true Mercedes ☝️

I have W211 E200 Kompressor,. It is not the car it is rocket on the road... Looking at the car is like treat..... It is evergreen masterpiece of Mercedes Benz.. proud ownership.....

Just got w212 E220 estate for £4k @ 109k fully serviced. Seen a few bad ones, this was bang on the money.
Sold my w211 & got the w212 than the w213. Simply the w212 was better to drive over rough roads & more solid build quality.
Champane motoring for lemonade money.
❤🎉❤

Also have u drove the m157 e63s version 4matic that one will change ur mind if its running right

W212 is best sedan ever made on planet Earth 👌🏼

08:45. I’m curious… you compared the W211 E350 to the W212 E350. Was the W211 an Elegance or an AvantGarde edition? My W211 E350 AvantGarde comes with lowered ‘sports suspension’ that maybe trades off ride quality compared to the Elegance version but have not driven an Elegance. My M-B experience started with owning a W124 300E 1986. I had the suspension overhauled and shocks replaced, and the ride of the old 300E was sublime, perfect-no other car I’ve driven comes close, and handling was pretty good too. Anyway, I certainly agree that after 8 years of ownership, the W211 E350 AG is a heck of a safe, pleasing place to relax and enjoy, faced with any road conditions.

W212 Is my all-time favourite, especially the 2014 E63 S AMG

As much as i will like to agree with you W211 has major issues. I used the pre facelift E500 for 10 years driven over 250k kilometers. The performance was excellent but when you face issues with SBC and Airmatic - that will change your perception. The facelift version solved most of the problem but came with M273 (i wish Mercedes used M113 for the facelift version). As for W212, that's the best so far - at least in my 30years experience with E Class. Your view on W212 is based on your experience with the cheaper sub-models. The top end once with AMG package are in a different class. I have used W212 for 6 years now with the M278 engine (too much power). Its much better than W211. My favorite is still W124.

I have a 2003 E500, the ride is amazing, enough power when needed. Downside, I replaced the air suspension with regular shocks, it feels the same, and some issues with the battery drainage which was easily fixed. Overall 9.0

Love my 2005 W211 CDI. 275K miles, and still runs great.

Are the 7G gearbox in w212 E350 2012 not good ?

I own a 2006 E320 CDI. I have over 300,000 miles on it.
If I set the cruise control to 55 MPH, I can get around 57.6 MPG.
If I set the speed to 80 MPH I get around 40 MPG.
Love it.

I had W211 E 500 and W210 These two cars were best cars I have ever had

I just ran into a review that expresses my exact feeling and experience driving both cars. I currently own the W211 E550, and my wife owns a W212 E550. My personal feeling is that the W211 is a man’s car, and the W212 appeal to women. Don’t get all in your feelings about that statement. Fact is whenever I drive the W212, I feel no connection to the car. It is just boring. The interior feels cheap. The wood trim in the W212 faded soon after we got it. The steering wheel controls started pealing off, and the Lane Keep Assist feature is completely annoying; This review is spot on. The w211 has a “soul”; you can feel it. I experience it. I smile whenever I am going anywhere with my W211. If you have a W211 or is considering one, I suggest replacing the radio with a aftermarket (Pioneer, Kenwood, etc.) double din radio with Apple Car Play or Android Auto, reverse camera, and boom you have leaped forward to 2023. Make sure you use a reputable installer. Ask you Mercedes dealer to recommend someone.

I had them both but the 212.. the costs of fuel were very high compared to the 211 (e200 kompressor and e200 cgi)
Also the 211 felt more relaxed to drive in

Pre-facelift W211 Avantgarde 320/350/500 with little spoiler lip on trunk, black interior with heated memory seat, sunroof, airmatic….👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

I just bought a 2008 E320CDI avantgarde with almost full options (No solor panels) with only 116K km from the first owner I think I will never sell that car!

I'm thinking early W211 with M113, 722 transmission, coil over conversion, and SBC warranty work is the pick of W211. E55K would be nice but oil pump O-ring will rot away and cause oil pressure problem.

I love my 07 e550. definitely the rarest w211 and has a naturally aspirated v8 5.5 liter with around 385 hp and about the same amount of tq. keeps up with e55 and e63 to 60 and has all the luxury. its a sleeper for sure. just had to replace the air suspension with coilovers.

In the front W211 has a double wishbone suspension, w212 has the macpherson suspension. In the back they both have multilink setup. I prefer the driving feel of the w211, still drives like the old school mercedes.

Who says that E212 is hated? That's a very misleading statement on KRplus. Where's the survey that supports that?. As someone who had owned W211 and later W212. I can tell you that there's no comparison when it comes to reliability, fuel efficiency, HP etc between the two. W212 is much better than W211 any day!

CORDIAL SALUDO LE AGRADEZCO SU EXPERIENCIA Y CONOCIMIENTO ACERCA DE EL MERCEDES-BENZ 2008 E200 KOMPRESSOR 1.8 L 184HP TRANSMISIÓN AUTOMÁTICA DE 5 CAMBIOS.
EL MERCEDES-BENZ QUÉ QUIERO COMPRAR TIENE 90.000 KILÓMETROS , CON ÉSTE MOTOR KOMPRESSOR SON CONFIABLES, DURADEROS ???? GRACIAS POR SU RESPUESTA Y CONCEJO , SALUDOS DESDE BOGOTA COLOMBIA.

I own a w211 e220cdi from 2005 for 14 years now, and it currently has 460k km.
Man, I have abused this car so much that i have broken 5 power steering pumps while doing donuts 🤣. Aside from that and the sbc being replaced free of charge, this car delivers every day.

Magnum is a ice lolly in the uk.
Cool name?
😂😅❤

W211 is more affordable for a college like me. I have to drive to university and work everyday so I will need really a nice car. I’m sick of my new 2015 Hyundai Sonata not only it’s boring but new registration cost more and maintenance cost a little more than older Mercedes-Benz too since it use complicated computer for the engine on a Hyundai.

I have a brabus w211 and have owned a e55 in the past. I loved that car so much that i had to scratch the itch and buy another 5 years later. Prior to buying it i drove a friends 212 and i just didn't feel right or as comfortable in it. Wasn't a fan of the lay out so went ahead and bought this w211. However that is only my opinion and im sure many people would of been the opposite as both are great cars in there own right

I couldn't disagree more. My w 212 e 350 avantgarde is superb.

W212 is, from what I get from owners, seem more reliable than w211 mechanically, except the engine, where w211's 3.2 v6 is way more reliable.
Personally my 2 issues with w212 are the terrible interior quality which also doesn't last, and the paint's orange peel compared to w211 glassy smooth paintjob.

私も、W211オーナーです！
W211の美しい、流れるようなデザインは、歴代のEクラスの中でも、最高なフォルムだと思っています。
また、Eクラスの中で、最も白色が似合うのも、W211だと思っています。
私の211は、E320をE55仕様に改造したものです。
2024年の現在でも、MercedesBENZ Eクラスの、W211が最高だと思っていますｗ
動画には、高評価をつけさせて頂きますｗ

true what you say. I ovn a 320 cdi facelift. elegance. love it. it is fast. it is glued to the road. and when it let go., it do it in a very good way. and with the limit slip you can realy drive up hils in the snow that other can't. but yes. they can be bad. IF you don't keep up with the service. and part in time. I did. so mine has now 260 000 mile, and everything is fine and drive like new, oh my 7g gearbox is just fine. DO not be afraid to use the car. do not baby drive them. use them but not as a race car.

I love 212

my 2005 320cdi just feels better and the cdi has been bullet proof only 2 injectors after 240k km and some glowplugs. but i maintain my car properly i feel the 212 is boring and feels like it belongs in a vauxhall. also Stage1 with 260/600nm is more than enough for me and the 648 is reliable and easy to wrench on
Also i built a 124 with 270cdi. i will never go anything newer than 211 . Im only waiting for sbc to go out but there is companys renovating them for 400-500 euro here in EU

I have to agree, had a 2004 and 2005 e class and a 2014 e class. The W211 rides better where the w212 crashes more over rough roads, allowing thuds and shakes into the cabin that a W211 never would. The electric steering of the W212 is way too light and lifeless. W211 brakes more progressive. The w211 5g even switches gear more smoothly than the 7g. For me W211 wins on all fronts apart from technology in the car with no Bluetooth, DAB and sat nav. No doubt the W212 is also faster. And the w212 dashboard could come straight from a Ford or Vauxhall, you could never say that about a w211

I have W211, 2005 E500. Only 170000 miles now. It burn a lot of oil, every 500 miles needs to add 1 quart 0W-40 oil. And the SBC system failed one time that almost kill me because it lost brake power when driving on the street. And the air suspention are stupid design that easy to fail. Other than that it is very beautiful car.

W212 all the way good looking motors

Lot of bias in this video, I love them both and more partial to the W211 but the W212 is an excellent vehicle and a great value proposition. It feels more substantial and more luxurious than the W211, also very reliable for a modern day luxury car. However. it doesn't feel as solid or well built as the W211. The W211, although well proportioned and great looking, feels dated by now, especially the pre- facelift models.

I agree with everything you said. i have an E500 W211, and it is so much nicer than the w212. I have a pre facelift but no problem with the air suspension at all. Such a feeling of quality compared to 212. Great review and video cheers

I search to buy in 2023 in month of august , and finally I bought this E280 petrol 2008 model Mercedes w211 E280 I love this car

My w211 just made 180,000 miles and still drives perfect

Well it's the w211 2.7cdi for me love the sound of the 5 cylinder engine and its economy its not fast but so comfortable and reliable. And you don't really have to drive it fast to appreciate its fine quality. On the motorway it will cruise at high speed for hours and I still feel relaxed when I arrive. Good job done Mercedes ❤ 😊

I absolutely love my 2010 w212. Encountered the subframe issue but that one was fully covered by Mercedes. Also had the timing chain replaced...at almost 200.000 km's it was an expensive thing but hey....shit happens. Right now i have to work on the suspension but i will do that bit by bit. Overall the car never had major issues so far...the car is getting old so ill take replacements for granted and ill will keep this one for a long time.

I Have Facelift W212 E63s AMG, and W211 comparing to W212 is trash. Dont say that W212 doesn’t have a soul, you just have never driven W212 E63S.
W212 E63S is a Beast!

W211 E550 2007 the best w211 Ever 💯🌟

I have a custom white W212 E350 Sport for 5 years now and by far my favorite Mercedes Benz. The body lines the reliability the speed is just enough to have fun but not kill yourself. I will always have a W212 Mercedes Benz.

I'm about to sell my beloved 2006 W211 220Cdi estate. It stills runs super smoothly at 560k km with the original engine and gearbox. Air suspension and headlights has been expensive to maintain though. Was planning on a W212 but it sucks if it feels cheap. Consider going back to Volvo but the super smooth ride of the benz is addictive.

My favourite is w211 with sunroof (redesign)

I have driven many thousands of miles in my 3 E class wagons. 2002, 2006 and 2012. The suspension improved with each revision. Gas mileage got worse going from the 3.2 to 3.5 V6 with only a slight increase in power, still having a 5 speed automatic. The direct injection 3.5 in the 2012 is noticeably more powerful than before with a smoothness at high rpm than the previous 3.5. With a 7 speed, gas mileage is better than either the w210 or the w211 by at least 10%. The one thing better in the w211 was the leather upholstery. The newer leather doesn't have the smell or feel of the w211 interior. Overall, the w212 is a better car.

E320 EVO Sport packet are the king of roads in Albania.

When bruno sacco left the company everything design related started going downhill.

I had an old W211 and loved it. The W212 by comparison had awful style, no lovely smooth curves but instead a horrid mix of boxy oblongs and sharp jarring angles.
When it came time to change the W211 I opted for the C Class instead. Better lookin than the 211 but did not have the classiness.
But then in 2016 along came the W213 and Mercedes got back on track. The style is there and the quality is there. We have to accept people do not want polished wood anymore, and Mercedes have done a great job but get the cream interior as the black just looks too dark.
For me they have gone too far with the new W214 which is just cheap tec and lots of shiny black plastic.
So I am planning to stick with my W213 for ever. My one is six years old and I am 63 years old. I don't do big miles so this one should last as long as me or as long as I am able to drive.

I think the best E-Class might just be a 2001-2002 W210 E55 AMG or E430

I agree, loving my w211 every time I drive it

Everyone hates W212? Since when!?

I've owned a 05 E500, 09 E550 and now a 13 E550. I love both my W211s but the W212 is better! The V8 with Biturbo is faster and the all wheel drive 4matic drives better. All are great cars, w211 is luxury and the w212 is luxury/sport!

That the Chrysler 300C and its derivatives like the Charger and Magnum share the same chassis platform as the W211 is a lie. Daimler only provided know-how to Chrysler. Because until then Chrysler only had front wheel drive cars chassis. This accelerated the development of the Chrysler RWD and AWD chassis. There are only two identical parts on the chassis. ABS ring and rear axle unibal.

W211 CDI with OM648. Nothing out there like it.

Excellent video sir! I have a w211 e350 4matic facelift. And I've been thinking a lot lately about if I should get a w212 or a different w211. I Honestly think the w211 look way more sexy and executive like. This video just made up my mind. Im going for a 2009 e550 w211. Thank you

Facelift W211 Yes. Prefacelift W211 No, as it was proven to be quite problematic with rust issues and SBC Braking system (I lost braking in the mountains). I had the 2005 E320 and it wasnt good. I now have 2009 E350 AMG Sport Package and its better in every way. Stay away from 2006 and 2007 W211 as they have balance shaft issues. Do your research

W211 might be nicer but w212 does have less problems in every way.
And it´s not true that the w212 is cheaper in second hand market than w211.
You don´t know, you only speculate and tell your opinions.

Recently bought a 2009 E350 4Matic and drives very well, Interior feels great and quiet. The Harman Kardon sound system was disappointing. I'm OK with the exterior looks of the W212, and agreed that the interior feels too cheap. Specially because most of them don;t have the wood option

well said. I have both 211 and 212 - great video

I would prefer e55 over e63
Its more reliable and faster than the 6.3 V8

I had every E class since w123. W212 is the best. Its boxy, solid like the w124 but more engaging than any E class apart from the w213.

You are totally right!😅

Their was only one car that equalled the mercedes e class 320 cdi estate for me was the Saab 911.

I love mercedeze w 211 bcoz my dad have it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂

I have w211 e200 kompressor 2006.. It is great.

Have w211 2008 e63 and just recently got 2014 e63s amg w211 was better 2 me 2014 is already in shop for oil leaks 5k set back

You are SO RIGHT .--I HAVE A WHITE WITH TAN INTERIOR. I CALL " HER" ANTARISS ( FROM THE MOVIE " BEN HUR, "

While I do like the W211, I love my facelift W212

I couldn't agree more .. By the way, I am currently owning 2010 E300 W212. Before that W220 S350. However, when I test driving the W211, I noticed how superior W211 compared to my W212, specifically the interior quality materials and mainly the comfort and luxury feeling while driving the W211.. Now I am planning to upgrade to 2015 E250 or totally change to 2013-528i (N20/BMW) 😅

12:23 this is the difference between Mercedes-Benz and bmw fans

Disagree Big time, I had W211 and now I have a W212. W212 has better build quality, faster transmission, Better grunt and better interior. Mostly a better engine with better performance. Your comment section says it all.

Sorry to bore everyone with my nomination of the 124 as the best E-Class. I just love the boxy styling. However, I'm seriously considering a 211 as my new daily now.

W212 supremacy

And the arse of it rusts...🙄 excellent content 👌

W211 IS BEGGEST PROBLEM

My 212 e550 is a great car….except: the switch coatings all rubbed off. Infuriating. Can agree that its not luxurious though. Maybe because i have 550 version v8. Other than air suspension, no problems.

e55 > e63
m113k one of best engines ever

Merc look like lexus

i got a w212 for my first car and for me its perfect, its reliable with the sharp and modern look.. w211 looks too old for me

😊🇺🇦211 the best Merc ever 7:32

I prefer squarish cars over round bubbly any day

Lol “ melted Barbies “

This is the most eastern European video in the history of the world.

It needed to look great after their previous effort. Yikes!

In my opinion the W220 is becoming a classis

❤

The W212 is one of the most reliable of all E-Class Mercedes. The car is ultra reliable. Sadly, the same can’t be said of the W211.