The ratings are in for the newly revamped 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 250 BlueTEC diesel sedan--and they should get diesel fans very excited.

According to the EPA's fueleconomy.gov site, the rear-wheel drive E 250 was rated at 34 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 45 mpg highway).

The all-wheel drive E 250 4MATIC was rated at 32 mpg combined (27 mpg city, 42 mpg highway).

These numbers put the E 250 ahead of its diesel midsize luxury sedan rivals, the Audi A6 TDI and BMW 535d.

The Audi, which comes standard with quattro all-wheel drive, is rated at 29 mpg combined (24 mpg city, 38 mpg highway), while the BMW is rated at 30 mpg combined (26 mpg city, 38 mpg highway) with rear-wheel drive. It loses 1 mpg from its highway rating if you opt for the all-wheel drive xDrive model.

MORE: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 250 BlueTEC First Drive

The E 250 BlueTEC is powered by a 2.1-liter turbodiesel inline-four; the sole transmission option is a seven-speed automatic.

The engine produces 195 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Replacing the 3.0-liter V-6 from last year's E 350 BlueTEC, it's shared with the 2013 GLK 250 BlueTEC.

However, that means the 2014 E 250 is less powerful than the 2013 E 350, which had 210 hp and 398 lb-ft. It's also less powerful than the A6 TDI and the 535d, which both still have six-cylinder engines.

The Audi's 3.0-liter V-6 produces 240 hp and 428 lb-ft; the BMW's 3.0-liter inline-six has 255 hp and 413 lb-ft.

The 2014 E 250 BlueTEC carries a base price of $52,325 for rear-wheel drive and $54,825 for the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive model.

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