Mercedes E-Class hybrid running costs, insurance, warranty & tax

Like all plug-in hybrids, the E 300 e and E 300 de will be extremely cheap to run if your regular driving routine plays to their strengths. A short commute and a home or work charging point will see you spending very little per day to run the car. However, if you've bought one privately, it'll be quite some time before you've made up for the price difference between the hybrids and the regular petrol and diesel E-Class variants.

The E 300 e and E 300 de cost around £10,000 more than the equivalent E 200 or E 220 d models – plus the non-hybrid cars are available in cheaper trim levels. Company-car drivers are the ones who benefit most from the E-Class hybrids' ultra-low CO2 emissions, which keep their annual tax bills low.

Mercedes E-Class hybrid insurance group

The E 300 e petrol saloon sits in insurance group 44, but E 300 de will be slightly more expensive to cover as it sits in groups 46 and 47. This is nearing the maximum available, so don’t expect the E-Class plug-in to be cheap to insure.

Warranty

All new Mercedes cars sold in the UK come with a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty, which can be extended at extra cost. In plug-in hybrid models like the E 300 e and E 300 de, the battery is covered by a separate six-year/62,000-mile guarantee.

Servicing

The E-Class hybrids need maintenance every 9,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. Every second service is the more expensive 'Main Service', with the cheaper 'Intermediate Service' due on the other occasions. It's a shame that this will mean more regular servicing than you'll have to undertake with plenty of the Mercedes' rivals.

Road tax

As 'alternatively fuelled vehicles', the Mercedes E-Class hybrids attract road tax at a rate of £155 a year. But because all versions cost more than the £40,000 'luxury car' threshold, owners are also liable for an additional £355 charge from tax years two to six, taking the annual total to £510 within that period.