Test-Driving The New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

The E-Class Property enjoys a little bit of a cult following amongst fairly a number of buddies, together with my sister. In its diesel format, and often no less than 20 years outdated, Mercedes-Benz’s grand and grown-up motor automobile seems to win over its station wagon German rivals — the likes of Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Sequence Touring. These tremendous followers all have younger households and lead lively lives, so considerable area is a key vendor. Additionally they need their automobiles to fuse perform with a contact of old-school class and positively not be showy.

Which is among the causes I’m eager to check out the all-new Mercedes E-Class Property. The opposite is that I’m drawn to the station wagon aesthetic — the elongated sedan that maintains the magnificence, however provides additional perform, as in rear and trunk area. The automobile despatched to me can also be diesel-powered, albeit a refined engine that passes the stringent new London emissions rules which compelled the above-mentioned buddies and sister to tearfully half with their older E-Courses.

The E 400 d 4MATIC on check has a 3.0-liter straight-six engine able to producing 330 horsepower and 700 Nm, whereas acceleration to 62mph is in simply over 5 seconds, spectacular given the dimensions of this automobile which is simply shy of 5,000 mm in size and a bit of over 2,000 mm in width. In the meantime, the E-Class Property has a mixed gasoline consumption of round 40 mpg.

I’ve been despatched the top “AMG Line Evening Version Premium Plus” which comes with a bunch of goodies — styling parts tailored and borrowed from Mercedes-Benz’s motorsport sub-division. This contains fairly trendy 18-inch 5-twin-spoke light-alloys, some particular sporty physique visible signifiers and a panoramic sunroof, which for a automobile of this size is a necessary characteristic. In the meantime, the trunk being the property’s raison d’être, baggage area is ample, rising from 640 to 1,820 liters with the rear seats lowered — excellent for packing in a few prams, or certainly some skis.

The cabin is conventionally trendy and cozy in a manner that you’d anticipate of a Mercedes-Benz. Materials selection could be very conventional too, that means our seats are lined in a thick layer of cozy leather-based, and the middle console is completed in an open-pore ash wooden veneer. The automobile comes with a seat consolation package deal, which incorporates luxuries like heated entrance seats, whereas the three-spoke multifunction AMG steering wheel is trimmed in Nappa leather-based. Lastly, drive and leisure info are displayed clearly on the 12.3-inch cockpit show, there’s “Hiya Mercedes” voice management, smartphone connectivity and helpful wi-fi charging.

Our automobile comes with 64-color ambient lighting to change the cabin temper. I’ve to confess to being a fan of the idea because the selection of colours virtually at all times feels synthetic. For anybody who recurrently reads my automobile critiques, I’m significantly offended by the purple ambiance which, regardless of its clear-to-me 80s disco connotations, appears to be a factor amongst German carmakers. Maybe there’s an viewers for this. We do, nevertheless, benefit from the Burmester with its clear and concise encompass sound system on our commutes.

Driving the E-Class Property is a breeze, regardless of the additional size which I solely be aware of when looking for London parking. The driving help package deal is fairly complete too, comprising of blind spot help, braking help with cross-traffic perform, emergency cease help and much-needed and wonderful parking help.

With over 14 million sedan and property E-Courses bought since 1946, this mannequin is the best-selling sequence within the historical past of Mercedes-Benz. What’s extra, the automobile on mortgage is simply the tenth technology of E-Courses, which simply reveals that traditional seems to be don’t age shortly.

Each Saturday my sister’s E-Class Property would carry her and her three children with their devices, together with my niece’s huge double bass, to music college. The automobile did this effortlessly. She has struggled since to discover a automobile that isn’t an SUV to carry out the identical process. If diesel costs had not soared and, maybe extra importantly, we weren’t dealing with a local weather disaster, I feel she would have jumped at this new mannequin. The E-Class Property will in all probability not get your coronary heart racing, however its timeless design and performance will definitely keep its cult standing for generations to return.