BHPian nikhil.nayak recently shared this with other enthusiasts: We drove once again to Mumbai this past weekend. I have shared a little bit about my earlier long distance driving with the E220d but this time I felt like I got to enjoy driving the car a lot more.Mercedes-Benz E220d: Highway Drive ExperienceIn city driving the default Eco mode is ideal for the stop start driving needed in traffic. Provides a nice balance of comfort and smooth driving in what is mostly miserable conditions. Put on a nice tune to listen to and roll along with what the rush hour traffic gives you. The car just shuts out the world for you to do whatever you need to do. On the highway however, this becomes a very sluggish setup. You can manage if you are looking to cruise along with the rest of the traffic in the 70 – 90 kmph band. But on a long stretch of highway with the open road in front of you it is hard to sit back. At highway speed in Sports mode you have a very different beast in your hands – you do need to factor in the extra length when you are dealing with traffic. But on the highway the car seems to shrink as you speed up. As I have mentioned before the car is sneaky fast for it’s size. What is a slow trundle in the city becomes an absolute delight on the highway. In fact the car really comes into it’s own on the highway. What stands out is the complete control that you have over the vehicle. The braking completely changes offering a sure footed approach into turns. The throttle response is far more enjoyable as you get the revs up several notches. The car just feels planted as you handle turns with ease. Put the foot down and you sling shot out of the arc with complete composure. You absolutely forget the size of the vehicle. I wish I could say that we had a great journey all the way but unfortunately, we had some insane traffic from Solapur to Pune. There are a few new flyovers being built just outside Solapur which added to the misery with each construction area being diverted to single lane driving. I have to add the E220d handled the kucha roads with absolute aplomb – soaking up all bumps and rolls. But eventually it got tiring with all the jostling that went on with a highway full of traffic. We decided to pull over and enjoy some chai to relax. Took some pictures of our chai stop which was beautifully lit up in the night! By the time we reached Pune it was just past midnight. We decided to break journey at a friend’s place. After a sumptuous late night meal, we hit the sack before resuming our journey early next morning. The Pune – Mumbai Expressway was busy with the morning commuters which made for a very sedate drive. After a quick breakfast stop at Khopoli, we made our way to Mumbai via the Atal Setu sea bridge which is a spectacular drive. Unfortunately the smog played spoil sport with the views but sharing a few pictures of the last leg. Thanks for following this post. You might have seen some of my posts that have been a little critical of Mercedes Benz India but I have to say highway driving is an area that is an absolute pleasure when it comes to my E220d. It is unlikely that one would get to really open up a test drive vehicle like you can on a long highway drive. I hope that I have given you a glimpse of what is on offer. Cheers! Check outBHPian commentsfor more insights and information.
