2025 The Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid mixes luxury with a sporty PHEV

• 2025 Mercedes E 53 Hybrid can be DC fast charging
• The IE 53 Hybrid has multiple regenerative braking modes but no single pedal drive
• The price of the E 53 Hybrid may be too high for a mixed bag of qualities

The latest AMG-badged IE-Class gets its power boosted. That's not due to the engine's high output, but rather has to do with the charging port.

Coming to US retailers now, i 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG 53 Hybrid puts a plug-in hybrid powertrain in the automaker's mid-size luxury sedan to make it faster but more legal. It's an interesting combination that will appeal to two different types of buyers: those looking for practical 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 on the wet, snowy, and slippery roads of the Alps in Austria, I'm here to tell you the E 53 Hybrid's a mixed bag. Whether you want one will depend on your priorities and your budget.

The Mercedes AMG E 53 Hybrid has a usable electric range

The cars that were driven were European-spec. Mercedes also let us loose on the Autobahn, and to be honest, I wasn't driving slow. But with those qualifications out of the way, the E53 has EPA rated 42 miles electric range. When I slipped behind the wheel the fully loaded test car said it had a range of 44 kilometers. It was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Your mileage may vary, but it looks like this PHEV is capable of a combined 40 miles of electric range.

That should be enough for most people to never need a gas engine during their daily commute.

I was not able to fully test how far the E 53 can go on electricity alone on a charge for two reasons. The first was that the car would not stay in electric-only mode while traveling at 121 mph down the Autobahn. Mercedes said the system is capable of electric-only operation at speeds of up to 87 mph.

Secondly…

The electric mode is actually not only electric in the E 53 Hybrid

Even with a state-of-charge of 17%, plenty, the E 53 Hybrid refused to stay in electric-only mode. It was fun to do so up to a point. Mercedes said the E 53 Hybrid can stay in electric-only mode until the juice runs out regardless of environmental conditions such as battery or ambient temperature, or depending on how much power is being called.

If the accelerator is clamped down, or simply pushed to 65% of its travel, then the gas engine will kick in instantly to give the AMG-badged sedan plenty of firepower.

Call it a plug-in hybrid, perhaps, as this is how some previous PHEVs were set up. Electric mode is only electric mode as long as a certain amount of power is called.

The Mercedes E 53 Hybrid does not have a single pedal drive

It sure has many ways to re-brake. There are four in total, but it depends on what driving mode the car is in.

When in electric mode only the shift paddles are mounted on the steering wheel to change between them three levels of regenerative braking including D-, D, and D+. Engaging D- provides more responsive braking with D and D+ releasing the cables. But none of them provide a ton of reduction regardless of speed. Neither can function as a one-pedal driving mode.

The worst is Comfort mode, which puts the powertrain in a completely mixed setup. It uses what Mercedes calls the D Auto mode of the regenerative braking system, which combines behavior with adaptive cruise control and safety systems for complete flexibility.

So if someone is blasting down the Autobahn at 121 mph—totally legal, to be clear—and catches up to a car, the system will detect the car in front of them and automatically engage the brakes again, in a dynamic, non-existent environment. -the level at which the driver can control. It can lead to erratic, erratic driving when changing lanes on the freeway or in traffic.

Tapping the drive mode button at the bottom right of the steering wheel to Sport or Sport+ turns off the D Auto regenerative braking system, but the powertrain feels like there's room to be had every time the transmission downshifts a gear, or two, a sharp tip for -throttle on everything while tightening the suspension.

At least the brake pedal has bite, although it comes early, compared to the integrated system 63 SE Performance AMGs.

The Mercedes E 53 Hybrid powertrain combines the future with the past

Mercedes has paired its 3.0-liter turbo-6 with an electric motor placed between the engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission to produce a total of 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Race Start mode temporarily ramps up to 604 hp all in a 0-60 mph sprint of 3.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, but can be opened to 174 mph with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package. This has not been tested.

Nor were Mercedes' claims of tolling. The 21.7kwh (usable) battery pack is said to be capable of DC fast charging (typical with a CCS port on the driver's side) up to 60 kw. From the Level 2 AC connector the iE 53 uses a 9.6-kw on-board charger.

If it wasn't already obvious, the E 53 performs a step below true peak performance. AMG plug-in hybrid powertrainwhich includes a turbo-4 and a 9-speed automatic motor with an electric motor installed in a 2-speed transmission with a split-slit differential (all in one position) installed at the rear of the car.

Mercedes gives the E 53 low-key racing bits

Spotting the E 53 Hybrid isn't hard, but it does take some looking. It doesn't shout “I'm here” loudly with a big wing.

The front gets an AMG-specific Panamericana grille and the lower fascia gets a facelift. The driver side intake is open and feeds air to the intercooler while the passenger side intake is closed for aerodynamics. Both sides have air curtains that supply cooling air to the front brakes. AMG-specific wheels fill the wells and the forged fender vents appear to be attached to the sides as an afterthought. The rear has quad oval exhaust tips and can be had with a $1,750 carbon fiber package that dresses everything up.

Inside its standard E-Class, which means it's a beautifully put together interior. My $3,250 tester's top-of-the-line sport bucket seats were more comfortable up front, but still. At 5-foot-10 with an average frame they were probably squeezing my rear. Big Americans don't have to choose these—or the AMG-specific twin-spoke steering wheel with annoyingly touch-sensitive volume control. A solid pass.

The Mercedes AMG E 53 Hybrid costs a fortune

At $89,150 including a $1,150 destination charge the E 53 Hybrid is not a cheap plug-in hybrid. Meanwhile, the Mercedes plug-in hybrid sedan costs more than $14,000 more than the plug-in BMW 5-Series, even though it has more power and electric driving range.

Add a few optional packages like sports seats, a front-mounted display on the passenger side of the dashboard, carbon fiber bits, and upgraded wheels and the E 53 Hybrid quickly becomes a six-person affair.

For buyers looking for a sporty plug-in hybrid with reasonable width and a luxurious interior the 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 Hybrid fits the bill. But for that money, a nice EQE—which really refreshes the EQE AMG budget here—can be found all over the showroom floor. The same is true of Lucid Air.

Mercedes-Benz paid for the trip, lodging, and put me in a bucket in front of a snow cat that drove me up the mountain to bring you this review in person.