2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class starts at $55,300, All-Terrain comes in at $68,650

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The Mercedes-Benz E-Class family gets a number of updates for 2021, including styling tweaks, new mild-hybrid engine options and a big infotainment upgrade. Because of these enhancements, the 2021 E-Class models are a few thousand dollars more expensive than their predecessors, with pricing starting at $55,300 (all amounts include $1,050 for destination), Mercedes-Benz announced Wednesday.

That $55,300 price applies to the rear-wheel-drive E350 sedan, which is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo I4 engine with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Adding 4Matic all-wheel drive bumps the price up to $57,800. The sedan is the only E-Class body style to get this 2.0-liter engine option.

Mercedes' new 3.0-liter turbo I6 engine is available across the board in the E450 models. On its own, this engine makes 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, but it's supplemented by Mercedes' EQ-Boost 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, which can add 21 hp and 184 lb-ft as needed. Buyers can choose from the E450 4Matic Sedan ($63,050), E450 Coupe ($66,000), E450 4Matic Coupe ($68,500), E450 Cabriolet ($73,000), E450 4Matic Cabriolet ($75,500) or the new E450 4Matic All-Terrain ($68,650), a lifted version of the E-Class wagon. The latter is super cool -- a worthy competitor to the new Audi A6 Allroad.

A more powerful version of that 3.0-liter straight-six engine is available in the Mercedes-AMG E53 models, with output raised to 429 hp and 384 lb-ft -- before the EQ-Boost assist. The AMG E53 cars get unique suspension tunes, styling cues and interior treatments, as well. The E53 Sedan starts at $74,950, while the E53 Coupe and Cabriolet come in at $77,300 and $83,900, respectively.

Finally, there's the top-dog Mercedes-AMG E63 S, which is only available in the E-Class' Sedan and Wagon body styles. The E63 uses the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine as before, though with 603 hp on tap, that's hardly a complaint. These most-powerful E-Class variants are also the most expensive, at $108,550 for the E63 S Sedan and $113,500 for the E63 S Wagon.

Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz released details about a plug-in hybrid E350e that'll go on sale in Europe. When asked about this version's future in America, a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told us there are "no announcements regarding the E350e for the US market at this time."

All of the E-Class models look a bit sharper than before and the cars' cabins offer a range of new colors and materials. The big upgrade, though, is on the infotainment tech front, where the E-Class makes the switch to Mercedes' lovely MBUX software, best experienced on a pair of 12.3-inch displays on the dashboard.

The updated E-Class models are expected to arrive in Mercedes-Benz dealerships before the end of the year.