Before my ES I had an E220D (W213), and before that a 520D (F10). The BMW worked well, had an excellent gearbox, and basically did everything I expected, but it had a firm ride, probably because of the run flats. It was well-engineered, but didn't feel luxurious inside. The Merc had a better ride than the BMW, and a more luxurious interior, but also felt a lot more wallowy and barge-like. Dealer service was a big negative for the Merc. Both cars averaged around 40 mpg during the several years I had them - higher on long journeys, lower around town.
I'm very happy with my ES (Premium Edition) - I've had it since December 22. The ride is better than the Germans, and noise levels are considerably lower. I would say the quality of the interior is midway between the BMW and the Merc. I haven't noticed any significant differences in power between the ES and the Germans, and I certainly haven't noticed the engine revving noisily while the CVT gearbox tries to work out what to do - clearly I'm not discerning enough to be a motoring journalist, because they all complain about that! The OP asks about the driving dynamics; to me, the ES does what I expect it to do very well - although my driving is a lot more relaxed than when I was younger and driving company cars. I'm getting between 40 and 45 mpg, and that doesn't seem to vary much between town and long distance. My main criticism of the ES would be in respect of the connectivity and the navigation; I'm afraid the Germans are a long way ahead on that. My car's MY23 which is supposed to have the latest version of the navigation and links to the app: my BMW was better 10 years ago.