- The 2025 Mercedes E 53 Hybrid can be DC fast-charged
- E 53 Hybrid has multiple regenerative braking modes but no one-pedal driving
- The E 53 Hybrid’s price may be too high for a mixed bag of attributes
The latest AMG-badged E-Class gets its increased power output. That’s not because of a higher-output engine, but instead has to do with its charge port.
Arriving at U.S. dealers now, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG 53 Hybrid puts a plug-in hybrid powertrain into the luxury automaker’s mid-size luxury sedan to make it quicker yet a bit more civil. It’s an interesting combination that will appeal to two different types of buyers: those looking for usable electric range and those looking for a more powerful E-Class.
After spending two days with the E 53 on the cold streets of Stuttgart and then the wet, snowy, and slick mountain roads of the Alps in Austria, I’m here to tell you the E 53 Hybrid’s a mixed bag. Whether you’ll want one will depend on your priorities and budget.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Mercedes AMG E 53 Hybrid has usable electric range
The cars driven were European-spec. Mercedes also unleashed us on the Autobahn, and honestly, I wasn’t driving slow. But with those qualifiers out of the way, the E53 has an EPA-rated 42 miles of electric range. When I slid behind the wheel the fully charged test car said it had about 44 miles of range. It was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Your mileage may vary, but seemingly this PHEV is capable of 40-plus miles of electric range.
That should be enough for many people to never need the gas engine during their daily commute.
I wasn’t able to fully test how far the E 53 could go on electricity alone on a charge for two reasons. The first was the car won’t stay in electric-only mode while going 121 mph down the Autobahn. Mercedes said the system’s capable of operating in electric-only mode at speeds of up to 87 mph.
As for the second…
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Electric mode isn’t actually electric only in the E 53 Hybrid
Even with 17% state-of-charge, which is plenty, the E 53 Hybrid refused to stay in electric only mode. It was happy to do so to a point. Mercedes said the E 53 Hybrid can stay in electric-only mode until the juice is out with exceptions that range from environmental conditions such as battery or ambient temperature, or depending how much power is being called upon.
If the accelerator is mashed to the floor, or simply pushed past 65% of its travel, then the gas engine will instantly kick on to give the AMG-badged sedan more firepower.
Call it a throwback plug-in hybrid, perhaps, as this is how some earlier PHEVs were set up. Electric mode is only electric mode as long as only a certain amount of power is called upon.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Mercedes E 53 Hybrid doesn’t have one-pedal driving
It sure has a lot of modes for regenerative braking. There are four in total, but it depends which drive mode the car’s in.
When in Electric-only mode the steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles morph to toggle between three levels of regenerative braking including D-, D, and D+. Engaging D- provides the most regenerative braking with D and D+ loosening the reins. But none of them provide a ton of deceleration regardless of speed. None can serve as a one-pedal driving mode.
Worse is Comfort mode, which puts the powertrain into a fully hybrid setup. It engages what Mercedes calls D Auto mode for the regenerative braking system, which then ties behavior to the adaptive cruise control and safety systems to become fully variable.
So if someone happened to be blasting down the Autobahn at 121 mph—which is completely legal, to be clear—and came upon a car, the system would detect the vehicle in front of it and automatically engage regenerative braking, at a variable, non-consistent rate that the driver has no control over. It can lead to jerky, inconsistent driving when changing lanes on a highway or merely driving in traffic.
Flicking the drive mode knob on the bottom right of the steering wheel to Sport or Sport+ turns off the D Auto regenerative braking system, but then the powertrain acts a bit more like there’s somewhere to be at all times with the transmission downshifting a gear, or two, sharper throttle tip in all while firming up the suspension.
At least the brake pedal has some bite, though it comes in too early, compared to the blended system in the 63 S E Performance AMGs.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Mercedes E 53 Hybrid powertrain straddles the future and past
Mercedes paired its 3.0-liter turbo-6 with an electric motor that’s sandwiched between the engine and 9-speed automatic transmission for a total output of 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. A Race Start mode ups boost temporarily for 604 hp all in for a 0-60 mph sprint of 3.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, but it can be unlocked to 174 mph with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package. This wasn’t tested.
Neither were Mercedes’ charging claims. The 21.7-kwh (usable) battery pack is said to be capable of DC fast charging (which is standard with a CCS port on the driver’s side) at up to 60 kw. From a Level 2 AC connector the E 53 utilizes a 9.6-kw onboard charger.
If it wasn’t already apparent, the E 53 lands a step below the true high-performance AMG plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines a turbo-4 and 9-speed automatic with an electric motor that’s packaged in a 2-speed transmission with a limited-slit differential (all in one housing) mounted in the rear of the vehicle.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Mercedes gives E 53 some low-key racer bits
Spotting an E 53 Hybrid isn’t hard, but it does take a glance. It doesn’t scream loudly “I’m here” with a big wing.
The front gets an AMG-specific Panamericana grille while the lower fascia gets reworked intakes. The driver-side lower intake is open and feeds air to the intercooler while the passenger-side intake is blocked off for aerodynamics. Both sides feature air curtains that feed cool air to the front brakes. AMG-specific wheels fill the wells and fake fender vents look tacked onto the sides like an afterthought. The rear features quad oval exhaust finishers and can be had with a $1,750 carbon fiber package that dressed everything up.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Inside its standard E-Class fair, which is to say a lovely interior that’s seemingly screwed together. My tester’s $3,250 high-back sport bucket seats up front were comfortable, but just so. At 5-foot-10 with a medium frame they almost were pinching my backside. Larger Americans shouldn’t opt for these—or the flat-bottom AMG-specific twin-spoke steering wheel that has infuriating touch-sensitive volume control. Hard pass.
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid
Mercedes AMG E 53 Hybrid costs luxury money
At $89,150 including an $1,150 destination charge the E 53 Hybrid isn’t a cheap plug-in hybrid. At that, the Mercedes plug-in hybrid sedan costs over $14,000 more than a plug-in BMW 5-Series, albeit with more power and electric driving range.
Add a few option packages like the sport seats, passenger-side front dashboard-mounted display, carbon fiber bits, and upgraded wheels and quickly the E 53 Hybrid becomes a six-figure affair.
For buyers seeking a sporty plug-in hybrid with meaningful range and luxurious interior the 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid fits the bill. But for that money, a pretty nice EQE—really kissing EQE AMG money here—can be had across the showroom. So can a Lucid Air.
Mercedes-Benz paid for travel, lodging, and put me in a bucket on the front of a snow cat that drove me up a mountain to bring you this firsthand review.
