Time was, you could find station wagons all over suburbia, with all the manufacturers having models for every taste and budget. Well, you know what has happened in the last 30 years, and there are only a few manufacturers selling them now in North America, most of them the European luxury brands, because their customers in the rest of the world still prefer them to SUVs.
Mercedes-Benz is one of those brands, and like the others (all the Germans plus Volvo), they offer a variety of wagons, filling a few niches on the same platform. There are “regular” family-style units, fire-breathing performance cars, and even off-road oriented models. The thing is, Mercedes has not been a player in this last niche – until now. Enter the E450 All-Terrain. While that moniker may be a little over-stated, this wagon’s capabilities make it a good all-rounder.
The recipe begins with the E-Class wagon, equipped with the 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-6 and mild hybrid system, a big departure from the V6 units the company was using for so long. As has been shown in every other car with a straight six, it is silky smooth and flexible. Power is rated at 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, and the EQ Boost hybrid system adds 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft for brief bursts of low-speed acceleration, and stop-start capability, if the batteries are charged up. The car is never driven solely by electric power, unlike full hybrid systems. Needless to say, though, the E450 moves out with a satisfying rush, to the tune of zero-to-100 km/h in about 5.2 seconds.
Completing the drivetrain are a nine-speed automatic transmission and the proven 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive system. As is now expected in such high-end cars, the driver can customize the drivetrain’s settings, in this case the choices including Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual.
But then, there are additional choices provided for the off-road use the All-Terrain is said to be capable of. Two specific modes are provided – Offroad and Offroad Plus – and they combine with the Air Suspension system (which the driver can raise some 20 mm over the normal ride height, which itself is some 15 mm higher than the regular E450) to handle the rough stuff. Now, in our short time with the car in urban Vancouver, we didn’t get the chance to exercise it off the beaten path. We are not sure how well that would have gone in any case, as the attractive (and optional for $1,250) 20-inch wheels were shod with Goodyear Eagle F1 performance tires, not quite the optimum set-up for off-road work. They handled great on tarmac, but one might also say that the ride they provided wasn’t especially smooth or quiet on rougher paved surfaces.
Inside the All-Terrain, you couldn’t wish for a more well-appointed cabin. The first thing I noticed getting into that very comfortable black leather seat was the piano-black trim across the width of the dashboard, with pinstriping from door to door, all perfectly lined up (a $1,000 option). I thought that looked pretty neat, but it is just one of a wide range of interior trim and colours available. The dashboard is typical high-tech Mercedes, with two 12.3-inch HD screens that are multi-configurable, including with off-road-oriented info like a roll-and-pitch meter, and ride height info. The MBUX voice control system, Apple Car Play and Android Auto are in place as well.
Given the E450 is quite a large car, there is no shortage of room inside. Four large adults can easily fit in it, as the back seat is very roomy and comfortable, and all their luggage is likely to easily fit in the commodious cargo bay.
As always with luxury cars, there are several option packages available that can get the price up there in a hurry, but that you wouldn’t want to be without. The Technology Package includes an advanced MBUX that allows hand gestures to adjust things inside, and advanced LED lighting ($2,400). The Premium Package includes the must-have Burmester Surround Sound Audio and 360 camera ($3,300), and the Intelligent Drive Package contains over a dozen active electronic safety and convenience features that are so detailed that we don’t have to space to describe them all here ($3,000). There is even the designo Hyacinth metallic red paint ($1,400), the 20-inch wheels, the Dash Cam….ka-ching indeed. (All prices and descriptions relate to the 2022 model, which is what is in showrooms now.)
So, just what is the E 450 All-Terrain? It’s every bit a Mercedes in terms of luxury, design, performance and technology, and every bit a large station wagon in terms of comfort and space. To what extent it is an “all-terrain” vehicle is up to the owner of it, and how rough a terrain the car will be expected to traverse. With the tires on our tester, it will be light snow and gravel that it will be most comfortable with, but shod with tires with more tread and sidewall height, we think the All-Terrain should handle all but the steepest and rockiest terrain.
And that would make it a great all-round car for someone who likes station wagons more than SUVs.
Specifications:
- Base MSRP (2021 model): $80,900
- Price as tested (2021 model): $94,100
- Type of vehicle: Front-engine, AWD 4-door wagon
- Engine: 3.0L DOHC Turbo I-6, mild hybrid
- Power: 362 hp @ 5,500-6,100 rpm
- Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 1,600-4,500 rpm
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
- Acceleration, 0-100 km/h: 5.2 sec.
- Fuel Consumption (L/100 km) rating, hwy/city: 10.6/8.4
