2025 Mercedes-AMG E53: The Six-Cylinder, 604-HP AMG Sweet Spot
Now that the C63 is a four-cylinder and the E63 will lose its V8, this new E53 could be the Goldilocks AMG.
Apparently, the mid-performance E-Class spent the winter in a Rocky IV-style training montage because it's back and more ripped than ever before. The 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53 Sedan (and Wagon in Europe) retains its punchy 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine but gets a hybrid boost, which bumps peak output from last year's 429 horsepower to a whopping 604. With that much power and a six-cylinder engine, is the E53 the sweet spot in AMG's lineup?
Under normal conditions, the AMG E53 makes 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque but with its "Race Start" launch control function, that gets ramped up to the advertised 604. According to Mercedes, the new E53 can hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds using Race Start but takes 3.9 seconds without it. That's almost a full second slower than the outgoing V8-powered E63 but still plenty fast. Gear shifting is done by Mercedes' ubiquitous nine-speed automatic and power is sent to all four wheels.
Powering the electric motor is a 28.6-kWh battery but only 21.2 kWh is available for normal driving. The rest of the battery is reserved for the electric boost when you decide to put your foot down. Pure electric range is TBD at this point but Mercedes says it can charge from 10 to 80% in 20 minutes using 60-kW DC charging.
AMG V8s are being phased out and the next-generation E63 is rumored to use a more powerful version of this new E53's hybrid straight-six powertrain. With that added power will come a much higher price tag too. So, this E53 is starting to look like a better deal, since it's nearly as powerful as the outgoing V8-powered E63 but will have the same sized engine as the new six-cylinder E63. Additionally, the new C63 has a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain which, despite making 671 hp, lacks the sound and excitement of a larger engine.
Typically, AMG's 63 models are sharper and more agile than their 53 models but it's not like this new E53 is a slouch when roads get twisty. With 14.6-inch front brake rotors and four-piston calipers (14.2-inch rotors and single-piston calipers out back), the new E53 should stop as well as it goes. It also gets rear-wheel steering as standard to increase its low-speed agility and high-speed stability. If you tick the "AMG Dynamic Plus" option box, the E53 gets even bigger 15.4-inch front brakes with six-piston calipers, active engine mounts, and an electronically controlled locking rear differential. So even though this E53 is the softer AMG E-Class, it should still be plenty fun to drive for a big, heavy, executive sedan.
With AMG downsizing most of its models' engines, it's nice to see the E53 sticking with a six-cylinder. And since the more expensive E63 likely won't have a large engine, it's looking like the AMG E53 could be the sweet spot in Mercedes' performance sedan lineup.
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