Hybrid vs. diesel - Comparing the 2011 W212 Mercedes E350 Bluetec to the 2013 Infiniti M35h

[Sticky]

Hybrid versus diesel. We tend to stand on the side of diesel when these two are brought up and we wish there were more diesel options from German manufacturers in the USA. One would expect a turbo diesel motor making a bunch of torque to have no problem with a hybrid. Well, that was not the case here. Insideline tested the two different approaches against once another which made for a very interesting comparison.

The difference on paper is pretty large. The Infiniti M35h makes 302 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque from its naturally aspirated 3.5 liter V6. This is combined with an electric motor though for a boost of 58 horsepower to 360. This is a rather large advantage over the E350 Bluetec with only 210 horses but packing 400 pound-feet of torque. The thing is, the electric motor provides instant torque in the M35h so it is not exactly hurting in that department.

The results are very one sided. Both vehicles weigh about the same (the Benz at 4242 is 79 pounds heavier than the hybrid) but the Infiniti M35h runs the 1/4 mile in [email protected] versus [email protected] for the E350 Bluetec. This 3.0 liter diesel motor clearly isn't the best diesel the Germans have to offer.

To make matters worse the M35h also managed the exact same gas mileage as the E350 Bluetec at 24.4 MPG. The hybrid provided a sound thumping and it is hard to fault it here. No surprise Edmunds picked the Infiniti decisively over the E350.

Infiniti M35h:



Mercedes E350 Bluetec:

[Sorena]

Infiniti makes hybrids as well? I'm so disappointed in Nissan.
I'm going to rev my car a bit to chill out.

[Sticky]

Infiniti makes hybrids as well? I'm so disappointed in Nissan.
I'm going to rev my car a bit to chill out.

Why would you be surprised Nissan has a hybrid when they make an all electric car?

They also make a car that is a robot, I'd say it's pretty normal for them.

[Sorena]

Why would you be surprised Nissan has a hybrid when they make an all electric car?

They also make a car that is a robot, I'd say it's pretty normal for them.

EV is a different thing. It's pointless, but it's not as pointless and nonfunctional as Hybrids, not even close. Hybrids are just stupid, idiotic and crazy in a bad way.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Frankly speaking all this HYBRID could be better but because AUTOMAKERS try to squeeze US from benefitting in one way or the other it will take another lets say 5 years for people to embrace it

[Sticky]

EV is a different thing. It's pointless, but it's not as pointless and nonfunctional as Hybrids, not even close. Hybrids are just stupid, idiotic and crazy in a bad way.

This one does not appear to be that stupid...

[bogdan_mb]

In Europe they sell the same diesel engine with 260 Hp and 620 Nm (460 ft lb) and it's far superior in acceleration (6,2 seconds to 100 km/h vs 7,8s )

[Sticky]

In Europe they sell the same diesel engine with 260 Hp and 620 Nm (460 ft lb) and it's far superior in acceleration (6,2 seconds to 100 km/h vs 7,8s )

Wonder why we don't get it here in the E.