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While the automotive industry as a whole has moved away from wagons, sedans, and two-doors in favor of the ever-popular SUV body style, there's a small segment of rugged wagons that caters to the needs of the crossover crowd in a sharper, sedan-derived body. The latest of which is the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain, which has debuted at the 2023 Munich Auto Show this week. While there's already an All-Terrain wagon on sale in the U.S.––the only long-roofed Mercedes on sale in America, for that matter––this one is based on the latest generation of the E-Class sedan. As a result, the rugged wagon benefits from updated styling, larger screens, and updated powertrains.
American customers will be limited to the E450 model, which features a 3.0 liter six-cylinder under the hood making a potent 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. This allows the All-Terrain to out-run its rivals with a class-leading 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph. Meanwhile in Europe, the All-Terrain features less powerful, albeit more efficient, E220 mild-hybrid diesel and E300 plug-in hybrid diesel options.
In terms of design, the All-Terrain shares a lot with the regular E-Class estate, which is available in Europe but remains forbidden fruit in North America. The dimensions of the two wagons are a near carbon copy, with the All-Terrain measuring 58.9 inches in terms of height, 75 inches in terms of width, and 195 inches in terms of length. The All-Terrain exceeds its previous iteration in some dimensions, as it's become 1.1 inches wider than the last model, and its wheelbase has grown by a total of 0.87 inches. However, there are differences as well, with the most notable being the dark plastic cladding on the bumpers and wheel arches, which has been toned down a bit compared to the previous model. Elsewhere, there's a model-specific grille, and a front underride guard that's accompanied by an artificial guard in the rear. The All-Terrain rides on large 18-inch wheels as standard, but you can eliminate any remaining off-road prowess with even larger 19- and 20-inch wheels.
While rugged wagons like the All-Terrain are mostly an "all bark, no bite" affair, this Mercedes does offer an additional 1.8 inches of ground clearance, just in case you do want to scale that rocky terrain in your posh SUV look-alike. But since buyers likely won't take advantage of the extra ground clearance, Mercedes has equipped the All-Terrain with a standard air suspension, which improves aerodynamics by lowering the car by 0.6 inches at speeds of over 75 mph.
While Mercedes buyers who don't mind taking a trip off the tarmac will likely spring for the G-Class, the All-Terrain does have a couple off-road-oriented features. The first of which is its standard 4Matic all-wheel drive, which together with the standard air suspension, allows for a constant ground clearance even amid shifts in weight. The wagon also features independent shock absorbers, making sure that impacts felt inside the cabin are few and far between. The All-Terrain even takes a page from Land Rover's playbook with a new "transparent hood" feature, which uses the car's 360-degree camera tech to capture delayed images of what the car has driven over, in turn creating an image of what hides below the long hood.
With its wagon body, the E-Class All-Terrain gets a huge edge over its sedan counterpart in terms of space. The rear seats fold down with a 40:20:40 split to reveal 64.6 cubic feet of cargo space, while putting the seats back up still allows for a roomy 21.7 cubic feet. While you can't fit quite as many passengers as you could in the previous E-Class wagon, as the latest model loses the quirk of having a third row, passengers will find more entertainment in the form of a optional front-passenger display. With that option ticked off, front passengers will be able to enjoy the likes of Angry Birds and TikTok pre-loaded onto the E-Class's expansive screen. And for those who want to host a virtual meeting from inside their car, they can do so by checking off the available dashboard-mounted front camera on the options box.
Competing with other rugged chic wagons like the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country, the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain will arrive at U.S. showrooms later in 2024, while European customers can expect an arrival in the first quarter of that year. Pricing should sit somewhere around $80,000 mark.
Would you buy this over a regular SUV?
Image Credits: Mercedes
Revealed
Sep 4, 2023
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2024 Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain Wagon Revealed As A Stylish SUV Alternative
The All-Terrain adds 1.8 inches of ground clearance compared to its sedan counterpart.
While the automotive industry as a whole has moved away from wagons, sedans, and two-doors in favor of the ever-popular SUV body style, there's a small segment of rugged wagons that caters to the needs of the crossover crowd in a sharper, sedan-derived body. The latest of which is the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain, which has debuted at the 2023 Munich Auto Show this week. While there's already an All-Terrain wagon on sale in the U.S.––the only long-roofed Mercedes on sale in America, for that matter––this one is based on the latest generation of the E-Class sedan. As a result, the rugged wagon benefits from updated styling, larger screens, and updated powertrains.
American customers will be limited to the E450 model, which features a 3.0 liter six-cylinder under the hood making a potent 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. This allows the All-Terrain to out-run its rivals with a class-leading 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph. Meanwhile in Europe, the All-Terrain features less powerful, albeit more efficient, E220 mild-hybrid diesel and E300 plug-in hybrid diesel options.
In terms of design, the All-Terrain shares a lot with the regular E-Class estate, which is available in Europe but remains forbidden fruit in North America. The dimensions of the two wagons are a near carbon copy, with the All-Terrain measuring 58.9 inches in terms of height, 75 inches in terms of width, and 195 inches in terms of length. The All-Terrain exceeds its previous iteration in some dimensions, as it's become 1.1 inches wider than the last model, and its wheelbase has grown by a total of 0.87 inches. However, there are differences as well, with the most notable being the dark plastic cladding on the bumpers and wheel arches, which has been toned down a bit compared to the previous model. Elsewhere, there's a model-specific grille, and a front underride guard that's accompanied by an artificial guard in the rear. The All-Terrain rides on large 18-inch wheels as standard, but you can eliminate any remaining off-road prowess with even larger 19- and 20-inch wheels.
While rugged wagons like the All-Terrain are mostly an "all bark, no bite" affair, this Mercedes does offer an additional 1.8 inches of ground clearance, just in case you do want to scale that rocky terrain in your posh SUV look-alike. But since buyers likely won't take advantage of the extra ground clearance, Mercedes has equipped the All-Terrain with a standard air suspension, which improves aerodynamics by lowering the car by 0.6 inches at speeds of over 75 mph.
While Mercedes buyers who don't mind taking a trip off the tarmac will likely spring for the G-Class, the All-Terrain does have a couple off-road-oriented features. The first of which is its standard 4Matic all-wheel drive, which together with the standard air suspension, allows for a constant ground clearance even amid shifts in weight. The wagon also features independent shock absorbers, making sure that impacts felt inside the cabin are few and far between. The All-Terrain even takes a page from Land Rover's playbook with a new "transparent hood" feature, which uses the car's 360-degree camera tech to capture delayed images of what the car has driven over, in turn creating an image of what hides below the long hood.
With its wagon body, the E-Class All-Terrain gets a huge edge over its sedan counterpart in terms of space. The rear seats fold down with a 40:20:40 split to reveal 64.6 cubic feet of cargo space, while putting the seats back up still allows for a roomy 21.7 cubic feet. While you can't fit quite as many passengers as you could in the previous E-Class wagon, as the latest model loses the quirk of having a third row, passengers will find more entertainment in the form of a optional front-passenger display. With that option ticked off, front passengers will be able to enjoy the likes of Angry Birds and TikTok pre-loaded onto the E-Class's expansive screen. And for those who want to host a virtual meeting from inside their car, they can do so by checking off the available dashboard-mounted front camera on the options box.
Competing with other rugged chic wagons like the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country, the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain will arrive at U.S. showrooms later in 2024, while European customers can expect an arrival in the first quarter of that year. Pricing should sit somewhere around $80,000 mark.
Would you buy this over a regular SUV?
Image Credits: Mercedes
