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2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon Road Test and Review

Nicolas Stecher
by Nicolas Stecher
September 26, 2016
5 min. Reading Time
2017 Mercedes Benz E400 4MATIC wagon on road ・  Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2017 Mercedes Benz E400 4MATIC wagon on road ・ Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz’s vaunted E-Class wagon (what the Europeans call an estate) debuted back in 1977, and in 2017 it enters its fifth generation. The E wagon's sedan sibling is the best-selling midsize luxury car in the world, so the bones of the estate are already among the industry’s best.

We sampled the Mercedes-Benz E400 4MATIC wagon on Germany’s legendary Autobahn. What we discovered was an incredibly advanced technological machine, loaded with massive hi-res displays, autonomous driving packages that actually work, and even a handy smartphone app. We also realized it makes a capable, functional, and surprisingly agile alternative to the ubiquitous SUV.

The wagon gets its own engine.

When the new 6th-generation E-Class sedan was introduced earlier this year, the E300 was (and still is) powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. Not the wagon—it gets upgraded to a 3.0-liter biturbo V6, and is therefore dubbed the E400. This new powerplant offers 329 horsepower and 354 lb.-ft. of torque, an ample bump up from the E300’s more modest 241 hp and 273 lb.-ft. Note: There is no AMG version of the E-Class wagon in America, just the sedan.

Along with the new engine, the E400 4MATIC also gets a new 9G-Tronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The eminently smooth-shifting 9-speed optimizes fuel efficiency and sends power to all four wheels for added traction (hence the 4MATIC nomenclature).

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Not Autopilot: Drive Pilot

From our experience, Mercedes’ latest generation Drive Pilot technology—which debuts on the E400 wagon—is the best autonomous driving system in the automotive space. Other systems from Volvo, Audi, and others work intermittently, and if you test them sometimes they’ll fail to register markers and will drift over lanes without warning. Drive Pilot is significantly better: It reads even broken or faded markers and keeps you within their lines with much greater consistency.

Even on the German Autobahn rolling at high speeds, the E400 wagon quickly sensed other drivers ahead. Even more importantly, it “saw” drivers that swerved into our lane without looking and adjusted speed accordingly. We have not tested Tesla’s AutoPilot system in years—although we have heard that it compares favorably—but from our experience the Mercedes’ system is king.

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Intelligent Driving Robots

Drive Pilot also recognizes posted speed limits and will adjust your velocity to stay within legal limits. This is adjustable, however, so if you have places to be and don't want to be hampered by Uncle Sam’s molasses opinions on speed, you can override this option and let speed limits be damned.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 4MATIC also boasts Active Lane Assist, which is the ability to switch lanes with the flick of a turn signal. This is the type of progress that will move autonomous driving forward with leaps and bounds: Simply move the turn signal up or down, and the E400 will carefully switch lanes accordingly. It is a surreal sensation, like driving the car via remote control. Tesla’s system can do this too, but without rear-facing radars to sense oncoming cars charging up on you.

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Supple Ride Quality

This is the most surprising element of the E400 Wagon, as it will shatter any misperceptions you might have of the Griswoldian station wagon from National Lampoon's Vacation. Its optional Air Body Control suspension can be dialed into several levels of tautness, from soft roll-over-potholes comfy to tight and responsive. This variability is echoed in other powertrain aspects (throttle response, shift mapping, steering sensitivity, etc.) that can be changed by switching the driving modes on the center console (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual). With such a heavy car (nearly 4500 lb.), the E400 Wagon still performs like a sports sedan, its air suspension combining with the potent twin-turbocharged V6 for a spirited drive.

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Cabin Luxuries

The E400 wagon has a simply wonderful cabin, as should be expected from Mercedes-Benz. Overhead, the Alcantara headliner is interrupted by two glass panels covering much of the roof, so even those in the rear seat can stare up at the stars as you rumble forth into the night. Our test wagon had the upper tier designo trim that features a gorgeous quilted cream leather with chocolate piping. Aluminum Burmeister speaker grills—now being imitated across the automotive industry by lesser audio brands—can be found thoughtfully placed throughout the cabin. Seat controls and power window buttons located on the door panels are all done in a sturdy metal; they feel substantial.

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Double Digital Screens

Undoubtedly the most significant component of the E400 wagon's cabin is Benz’s new dual 12.3-inch displays. These massive high-res screens, laid out side-by-side, horizontally dominate the dashboard. One plays the part of the digital instrument cluster, the other manipulates the infotainment system. The screens make for the best digital representation of Mercedes’ intuitive COMAND nav and entertainment system to date: bright, powerful, and lightning quick.

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Smartphone Key + "Me" App

Mercedes' “me” is a downloadable app for your smartphone with a bunch of features Benz claims are unique to the market, including the ability for you to leave your key fob entirely at home. You approach your car and touch the phone to the door handle and the locks pop open. Once you're inside, the car senses your phone and allows you to push the start button. A nice convenience, but there is a drawback: If you walk away from your car you cannot simply press a button on the app to lock it. Instead, you have to again touch the phone to the exterior door handle. A minor inconvenience, yes, but if it's meant to make your life easier, then you should be able to lock the car simply while walking away.

Another feature, Remote Parking Pilot, allows you to park your wagon with a push of the app button. Or rather, it allows the Mercedes to park itself while you set your Rolex, check your Apple stocks, or do whatever it is rich people do when they have a minute of free time.

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Sports, News, Dinner, and a Movie…via Concierge

Concierge service has been available in the E-Class since this summer. We tested it out in Germany, and the service was eminently convenient and time-saving. An actual human will read you the news and sports, book you a hotel, forecast the weather, and get you movie tickets. And it will even book your dinner reservations according to your present gastronomic needs. This can range from an egg-and-bacon monstrosity at Fatburger to an omakase tasting menu at Nobu.

 Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

Wagon Design + Utility

This is a beautiful vehicle, and if you harbor any dated expectations of what a wagon should look like, the E400 shatters them. The E-Class sedan is already beautiful, but the long roof only adds to its substantial road presence. The car has gravity to it—the extended tail and large 20-inch rims (18s are standard) make it look like the wheels are glued to the ground.

Plus, it sports the largest cargo area in the segment. Benz set up a standard-sized refrigerator made of cardboard next to a display model so you could see how the E400 could swallow it whole with the rear seats folded down. Guess what? The E400 accepted it easily. In the U.S., this cargo area will feature standard rear-facing third-row seats.

Taken in its entirety, the E400 wagon’s extended rear adds a layer of functionality that only an SUV can match, but its handling and drivability blow any lifted crossover away.

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