THE Mercedes E-Class is the German luxury car maker's biggest seller, regarded across the world as an up-market executive motor with a reputation for style, performance and reliability.

Now it has been given a major facelift which includes not only styling changes but new engines and a host of advanced drivers aids and safety features.

It goes on sale in the UK in April and after having driven the new Merc I don't think its followers will be disappointed.

The E-Class is now being offered in just two specifications, SE and AMG Sport and in estate form.

The biggest change in styling comes at the front with a sporty wider grille with central Mercedes three-pointed star, single headlamps instead of twins with an option of powerful LED lamps.

The rear of the new E-Class has been given a makeover with a shallow carbon fibre diffuser on the boot lid and redesigned rear lights.

The spacious interior, which offers plenty of room for five adults, is as classy as ever with the materials used of high quality and the three-dial instrument binnacle has undergone a redesign.

On the SE model the gear-change selector is behind the steering wheel which is also fitted with various switches for cruise control, indicators, wipers, etc.

The  seats have been redesigned to give better support and on a long trip are absolutely comfortable and can be adjusted to suit most body shapes.

The boot is still the largest in the class and can be opened and closed remotely at the touch of a button.

There's a good choice of engines. The SE saloon offers three diesels in the form of the E220 CDI, E250 CDI and E300 BlueTEC Hybrid and two petrol engines, E200 and E250.

The E220 CDI is the only engine with a manual or automatic transmission.

AMG Sport offers E220 CDI, E250 CDI, E300 BlueTEC Hybrid and E350 BlueTEC and two petrols, E200 and E250.

I drove the SE E250 CDI 204bhp, which costs £36,590, and will probably be the biggest seller in the UK, and the power, with its seven-speed automatic gearing, is more than sufficient for general driving and it produces a creditable 131 g/km of CO2.

It's no slouch either, covering the 0-62 mph sprint time in just 7.5 seconds with the gears changing smoothly plus the option of using the slick paddle change for added driver fun.

The rear-wheel drive E-Class, is a big motor, it's just over 16 feet in length and 6 feet wide and weighs in at 1.74 tons, but despite that it handled extremely well on some extremely tight and twisty mountain roads on the test drive with very little body roll.

It tucked into corners well and its braking and suspension systems make spirited driving safe and fun.

On the motorway, where the E-Class will spend most of its time, the big Merc glides along with a minimum of road, wind and engine noise.

I also had a short drive in the E63 AMG which has a massive 557bhp biturbo V8 under the bonnet. This has mind-blowing performance, especially in Sport+ setting, with a sprint time of just 4.3 seconds from start to 62 mph.

There is a new 4x4 AMG model but unfortunately because of the configuration of the front differential and steering rack it cannot be converted for right-hand drive use but it can still be ordered in left-hand drive.

There is a new, optional, collision prevention system for the E-Class.

The Mercedes Pre-Safe technology now employs a 360 degree camera system, plus radar sensors and ultrasonic sensors which can detect obstacles in front, including pedestrians, who may have walked out in front of the car.

At under 30mph the system will automatically apply full braking to completely avoid a collision and at up to 45mph it can reduce the severity of the accident.

Automatic parking, lane departure alerts and a driver fatigue monitor are also standard features.

The new E-Class is a step up from the outgoing model. It may cost slightly more but the amount of new equipment, upgraded engines and lower running costs make it a luxury motor with plenty to offer.