Hi Dan,

That generation of E-Class (known by its designation of W212) is a really terrific car and will certainly match your old Lexus for refinement and comfort. Economy should be fine too, and will generally work out around the high-forties, low-fifties in mpg terms. In reliability terms, it possibly won’t be as good as the Lexus (what is?), but in general it’s a solidly built car. Watch for issues with the fuel injectors (hesitant acceleration or falling into ‘limp home’ mode are the giveaways), worn driver's seat, faulty seven-speed automatic gearboxes, premature wear to the front suspension struts and a malfunctioning 'Comand' infotainment system. As long as you buy one with a full service history though, you should be OK.