I drove Mercedes-Benz's all-new $88,000 E450 sedan. It's pricey but remains the pinnacle of modern luxury

I was impressed by the E450's smooth mild-hybrid powertrain, refined cabin, and immersive tech experience.

Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Mercedes's decision to use touch-sensitive surfaces throughout the cabin instead of physical buttons and knobs, as well as the E-Class's near-six-figure price tag.

The base four-cylinder E350 4Matic sedan starts at $62,300, while my six-cylinder E450 4Matic test car starts at $68,100.

However, more than $18,000 in optional extras, such as $2,990 for the Nappa leather upholstery and $3,200 for the Airmatic suspension package, plus $1,150 in freight fees, pushed the as-tested price to just under $88,000.

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 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.

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.

The side view of the E-Class truly screams pint-sized S-Class, adopting the iconic sedan's cab-backward design punctuated by its pronounced sloping rear roofline.

The handles retract flush into the door when locked.

These wheels, a $1,950 option, look terrific and add a rear elegant flair to the E-Class, which comes standard with smaller 18-inch wheels.

Aesthetically, the E-Class is a solid blend of modern looks and features while maintaining the stately elegance that has defined the brand for more than 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. The 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.

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.

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.

The E-Class is a gentlemanly athlete in a fine Saville Row suit. The E-Class is capable of immense performance but never feels harried or uncomposed.

The mild-hybrid turbo six in the E450 is smooth and delivers near-instantaneous acceleration through its slick-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission.

As promised, the mild hybrid system did a stellar job filling in any holes in the engine's torque and smoothed the traditional harshness of an 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.

Both models of the E-Class have their top speed electronically limited to 130 mph.

The E450's continuously adjustable air suspension comes through to create a serenely smooth ride without feeling floating and unconnected from the road.

At the same time, the E-Class's reduced turning radius, thanks to its rear-wheel steering system, made both navigating winding mountain roads and crowded parking lots a piece of cake — a true feat considering the sedan is similar in length to a three-row family SUV.

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 pair of 12.3-inch screens in front of the driver and passenger with a large 14.4-inch screen nestled in between.

It dominates the conversation, overshadowing the interior's rich Nappa leather, ambient lighting, brushed metal accents, and open-pore black ash wood veneers.

The 14.4-inch touchscreen 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 "Hey Mercedes" voice prompt that wakes the MBUX voice assistant, which was annoyingly intrusive in the previous version of the system, is now less sensitive. In addition, the MBUX now has a new "Just Talk" function that can receive voice commands without using the "Hey Mercedes" prompt.

The screen not only features compulsory infotainment features like navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, but boasts additional capabilities like media streaming and social media through built-in apps like YouTube and TikTok.

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 surround-view camera gives the occupants a 360-degree overhead view of the vehicle's surroundings.

The 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.

The display is one of the most impressively configurable instrument clusters available today. My favorite is the 3D navigation map view.

They range from the traditional twin rotary dials of the Classic layout to the red racing-inspired Sport layout.

The steering wheel features two sets of capacitive touch controls. The controls on the left side of the wheel control adaptive cruise control and the digital instrument display. The controls on the right side manage the multimedia functions and can interact with the central infotainment screen.

I'm not a fan of the touch controls that Mercedes has decided to use instead of physical buttons and knobs throughout the cabin.

The lack of haptic feedback from the buttons makes them difficult and even distracting to use while driving. It definitely feels like Mercedes-Benz sacrificed substance in favor of style.

The heated and ventilated seat features a stylish quilted design.

The center console of my test car came 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.

The sunroof's capacitive touch controls also proved to be annoyingly imprecise to use.

The E450's 730-watt Burmester surround sound system features 17 speakers.

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.

The rear bench folds down for additional cargo capacity.

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 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.

For more than a century, Mercedes-Benz has been the byword for automotive luxury.

That continues with the new E-Class sedan.

Despite the quickly escalating price tag and some obtuse controls that look great but are difficult to use, the E-Class remains the best midsize luxury sedan on the market today.

The E450 successfully delivers on the brand's reputation for world-class performance, luxury, and technology.

Unlike most cars, the E-Class is more than just transportation to get you from point A to point B. Like its big brother S-Class, it makes it makes the occupant feel special.

A drive in the big Merc is more than just a drive. It's a luxurious multimedia experience.

And that's why I'd gladly have the E-Class everyday of my life.