This new E53 packs more than 600 horsepower, and this is the mid-range car.

Twenty-five years ago, we gawked and gasped at the then-massive power that Mercedes-AMG packed into the 5.4-liter V8-powered E55. We live in a different world today, though, where electrification is the name of the game…but don’t think that means the German automaker’s performance arm has given up on making its midsize sedan a powerhouse. Quite the contrary, actually, as the W213-generation 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid just debuted with nearly double the output of that old E55.

Yes, this new car does pack a plug-in hybrid system under its fairly unassuming hood. You do still get an updated version of the brand’s 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine though, which manages to put out 443 horsepower all on its own (compared to the last E53’s 429 horses and the old E55’s 349). With the new 161-horsepower electric motor integrated with the 9-speed automatic transmission, though, this new model cranks out 577 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque — and there’s still more beyond that. As we’ve come to expect from performance hybrids, Mercedes-AMG packed in even more grunt should you engage the “Race Start” launch control system. Do that, and power increases to 604 horsepower, which matches last-gen’s E63 S model. I’m sure that’s a total coincidence.

Mercedes says the new E53 Hybrid can accelerate from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds (again, with launch control) on the way to its 174 mph top speed.

Should you want to drive on electric power alone, the 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53 enables that as well. This plug-in hybrid boasts a 28.6-kWh battery pack with a 400-volt electrical architecture, allowing DC fast-charging. Only 21.2 kWh of that capacity is actually available for the daily drive, as Mercedes holds the rest in reserve to ensure you’ll always be able to get the maximum power output, regardless of whether you charge up.

The 60-kW fast charger can replenish the battery from 10-80% in about 20 minutes, the automaker says, though most folks will probably plug in overnight using the 11-kW AC charger instead. Top speed when driving on electricity is limited to 87 mph. All-electric driving range is still a question mark, though with a battery that size it should manage about 30-40 miles between trips to the plug.

Inside and out, the new mid-tier AMG E-Class brings the usual sporty touches.

From the vertically slatted (and illuminated) grille to the massive 20- or 21-inch wheels, unique front and rear fascias, side skirts, quad exhaust, sport seats and microfiber-trimmed steering wheel, the 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid ticks all the usual high-performance boxes we’d expect. Since it is an AMG variant, you get stiffer, adaptive suspension (though still on coil springs, rather than air suspension) as well as an electronically-controlled limited-slip rear differential and large composite brakes with 15.4-inch front rotors and six-piston calipers, so long as you get the AMG Dynamic Plus upgrade. If you stick with the standard model, you’ll get 14.5-inch rotors and four-piston calipers on the front.

Rear-wheel steering comes standard allowing up to 2.5 degrees of rotation in the opposite direction or 0.7 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels for better maneuverability.

Inside, the new E53 Hybrid broadly mirrors the standard E-Class, with the exception of the sportier steering wheel and more tightly bolstered sport seats. As you’d expect, AMG badging is absolutely everywhere (much like the exterior), though you can get the automaker’s latest “Superscreen” setup with a 12.3-inch passenger display as an option.

Pricing and availability

As is the way with new debuts, there are still a few numbers we don’t have yet. 2025 Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid deliveries will kick off in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024, but pricing is still unknown.

When it bowed out, the last-generation E53 started at $82,450. I’d expect this one to cost more, though we’ll have to wait a few months to see how much of a premium this model demands.

If you’re looking for something a bit more special than just buying the AMG E-Class in the first place, there will be an “Edition 1” available to in limited numbers. It’s a special edition specifically for the 2025 model year and comes in Manufaktur Moonlight White Magno. On top of that, you get black accents, virtually every available option and a black and yellow interior, as well as a host of exclusive “Edition 1” badging. Again, it’s unclear for the moment how much more this special E53 would cost, but do expect that one to ask at least a modest premium over whatever the standard model’s MSRP will be.