I drove an $88,000 Mercedes-Benz sedan. These 21 features make it one of the most high-tech luxury cars money can buy

The 2024 E-Class features updated front and rear fascias.

The new front grille features a large Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star logo surrounded by a constellation of smaller three-pointed stars set against a black background. The design evokes the look of the brand's EQ-line of EVs.

The redesigned rear end features stylized three-pointed stars embedded into the LED taillights. The rear bumper features a chrome-accented lower diffuser and a pair of exhaust outlets.

Overall, the E-Class is a solid blend of modern looks and features while maintaining the stately elegance that has defined the brand for over a century.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is available with two engine options.

The base E350 sedan is powered by a 255-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine. My pricier E450 gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine that produces 375 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

Both engines are supplemented by Mercedes' 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which can contribute an additional 23 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. The system is designed to mitigate the effects of turbo lag and quicken the response of its auto start/stop system.

With 375 Teutonic ponies under the hood, the E450 is capable of sprinting from 0-60mph in a sports-car-shaming 4.4 seconds, according to Mercedes.

My six-cylinder E450 test car boasts EPA fuel economy figures of 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. The four-cylinder E350 gets two additional mpg in combined driving.

Both the E350 and E450 come with 4Matic all-wheel-drive.

This is a departure from past years when rear-wheel-drive was the standard.

Mercedes updated the system to be lighter and allow more power to be sent to the front wheels to improve driving dynamics.

My test car came equipped with advanced LED headlights featuring adaptive high-beam technology.

The E450's optional Digital Light Package features smart headlights that can precisely directly light from its 1.3 million micro-mirrors to illuminate the road ahead without blinding oncoming traffic or washing out traffic signs.

On a fun note, the E450's LED daytime running lights above the main headlamps are designed to look like eyebrows.

My E450 test car was equipped with the $3,200 AIRMATIC Package, the centerpiece of which is Mercedes' AIRMATIC air suspension system.

The AIRMATIC air suspension has air springs and adaptive dampers, which use sensors and algorithms to configure the system properly according to road conditions.

The system is also equipped with a level control feature that automatically drops the vehicle's ride height by 0.6 inches at speeds above 74 mph to improve driving stability and fuel economy.

Along with air suspension, the AIRMATIC Package also includes rear-axle steering, which helps make the E-Class feel smaller and more nimble at low speeds and more stable at high speeds.

The E-Class is equipped with metallic power-operated Mercedes-Benz branded door handles. These door handles automatically extend when you approach the vehicle and retract flush with the door when underway.

The E450's interior harmoniously blends traditional luxury materials and features with an almost overwhelming amount of tech.

The centerpiece of the Mercedes cabin is the MBUX Superscreen, which consists of a 12.3-inch display in front of the passenger and a larger 14.4-inch central display.

Superscreen runs an updated version of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience or MBUX infotainment system. MBUX utilizes AI to learn the drivers' habits and preferences, allowing the system to offer tailored, predictive responses.

The E-Class comes standard with the MBUX Augmented Reality Navigation system. The system superimposes guidance arrows and traffic information on a live video feed from the vehicle's front-facing camera that pops up on the navigation map when approaching a turn.

In addition to compulsory infotainment features like navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, MBUX can also support media streaming and social media through built-in apps like YouTube and TikTok.

The passenger screen offers many of the capabilities of the central screen, including navigation, media, and app integration. The screen event comes with built-in games like Sudoku.

The screen is obscured using filtering technology to keep content from being viewed by the driver.

Atop the front dash is a built-in selfie camera that allows occupants to take pictures and participate in videoconferencing through the central screen when the vehicle is stationary. The camera is compatible with both Zoom and WebEx.

The E-Class comes standard with a host of advanced safety and driver assistance features, including the parking package, adaptive high beam assist, and blind spot assist.

The optional $1,950 driver assistance package adds adaptive cruise control, active lane-keeping assist, active steering assist, active speed limit assist, traffic sign assist, and pre-emptive side impact detection.

In front of the driver is a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument display, one of the most impressively configurable units available today. The different looks range from the traditional twin rotary dials of the Classic layout to the red racing-inspired Sport layout.

My favorite is the 3D navigation map view.

The E-Class can be equipped with an optional head-up display (HUD) that projects information like speed, navigation guidance, and cruise control settings onto the vehicle's windshield.

My test car's cabin was covered with plush Nappa Leather, a $2,990 option. I was particularly fond of the light gray quilted diamond-pattern seats, which were also headed and ventilated.

Overhead, the E450 is equipped with a panoramic sunroof. Mercedes added new side wind deflectors to the sunroof to improve air resistance and wind noise when open.

I love how much light it brought into the cabin, but its capacitive touch controls proved to be annoyingly imprecise to use.

Thanks to the new model's longer wheelbase, rear seat passengers now have half an inch more knee room and legroom than the previous E-Class.

Rear seat passenger also have dedicated air vents and USB-C plugs.

My test car came equipped with these stylish 20-inch AMG multi-spoke wheels, a $1,950 option. These wheels look terrific and add a rear elegant flair to the E-Class, which comes standard with smaller 18-inch wheels.

The center console of my test car was clad in gorgeous natural-grain black ash wood with metallic accents. Slide the wood-grain lid open, and you'll find a pair of large cup holders, a set of USB-C plugs, and a wireless phone charger.

My test car came equipped with an excellent Burmester premium sound system. The E450's 730-watt Burmester surround sound system features 17 speakers.