2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class Safety Rating
Large cars Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS source checked 2026-09-16
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class scores 68.8/100, ranking #4 of 4 current large cars and #125 of 136 vehicles overall with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
Results below Good: Moderate overlap front (updated test) rated Marginal, Headlights rated Acceptable. Rear-passenger restraints in the updated moderate-overlap test: Marginal; rear-passenger head protection: Good.
Which build and equipment does this score describe?
Latest applicable build; standard AEB and lowest current-trim headlight rating. Headlights use the lowest rating among applicable current trims; this is a conservative equipment baseline, not a claim that every trim has identical results. Confirm the production date and equipment of the car you are buying.
Headlights: baseline Acceptable; best reported Good
- Good β (1) Trim level(s): All trims equipped with Digital Light package
- Acceptable β (2) Trim level(s): All trims
Pedestrian crash prevention: baseline Acceptable; best reported Good
- Acceptable β standard Active Brake Assist. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
- Good β optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assist 2 package. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
Vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention 2.0: baseline Acceptable; best reported Good
- Acceptable β standard Active Brake Assist. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
- Good β optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance package. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
Optional-system results are shown separately. Combining the best rating from different packages does not establish that one purchasable configuration earns them all. Check IIHS equipment details.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (55 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Rating applies to 2026 models
Side: updated test
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Headlights
Β· (1) Trim level(s): All trims equipped with Digital Light package
Headlights
Β· (2) Trim level(s): All trims
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· standard Active Brake Assist
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance package
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· standard Active Brake Assist
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assist 2 package
Seat belt reminders
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
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How the score is built
IIHS crash-test videos
These videos are embedded on IIHSβs ratings page for this model. The tested vehicle may be an earlier model year or a related version whose results IIHS applies to this vehicle. Check the test description and source for the exact coverage.
Load a player to watch on this page, or use the YouTube link. Video footage helps explain the test; the published injury measurements and ratings are the basis for comparison.
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Tested vehicle: 2026 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic 4-door4wd
Rating applies to 2026 models
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 93 per million registered vehicle-years | Large cars as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 4WD (2017-20) driver death rate | 0 (95% CI 0β22) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 18.5. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 2WD (2017-20) driver death rate | 27 (95% CI 5β48) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 18.5. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
Compared with other large cars
Closest-scoring current large cars with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every large car ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron | #1 of 4 | TSP+ | $66,700 | 91.2 | |
| 2026 Genesis G80 | #2 of 4 | TSP+ | $58,450 | 87.4 | |
| 2026 Genesis G90 | #3 of 4 | β | $92,700 | 78.3 | |
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class (this page) | #4 of 4 | β | $63,900 | 68.8 |
Our analysis
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class belongs to the Large cars class. This class has an above-average driver death rate compared with the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years, which usually reflects lighter weight and smaller size in multi-vehicle crashes. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Mercedes-Benz E Class has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the 2026 award cycle. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 6 IIHS rating categories reported, the Mercedes-Benz E Class earned 4 Good ratings. Results below Good deserve attention, especially the updated frontal and side tests that IIHS toughened in 2022 and 2023. Our updated crash test analysis explains what changed.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Mercedes-Benz or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
International crash-test results
Euro NCAP and ANCAP results are provided for reference. Because market versions can differ in structure and equipment, they are not factored into the US score.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this model and year. An unmatched or unavailable lookup is not evidence of a clean recall record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A recall applies to a range of build dates, not necessarily every car of this model year, so confirm against your own VIN. Recalls do not affect the safety score on this page.
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Questions about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class
Is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class a safe car?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class scores 68.8/100 in our published formula and ranks #4 of 4 current large cars with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
What is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class IIHS rating?
IIHS reports: small overlap front = Good; moderate overlap front: updated test = Marginal; side: updated test = Good; headlights = Acceptable; seat belt reminders = Good; latch ease of use = Good.
Is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class an IIHS Top Safety Pick?
No. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class does not hold an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the 2026 model year, which can reflect a result below Good in a qualifying test or tests that IIHS has not yet completed.
How does the 2026 Mercedes-Benz E Class compare with other large cars?
The class leader is the 2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron at 91.2/100. The comparison table on this page lists the closest-scoring current large cars with complete records.
Continue comparing
Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.