Once upon a time, no middle-class American family was complete without a treasure
retriever, a walkman for every young Master of the Universe, an embellished swing
on the back lawn and a station wagon in the garage next to Dad’s sedan. In today’s digital world, only the dog remains an indispensable accessory for the bourgeoisie, and the family’s favorite travel bag is the three-row SUV. Even though the station wagon segment has shrunk to a niche within a niche, a small group of well-heeled mavericks still appreciate their Allroads, Sport Turismos and Cross Countrys. Against all odds, however, Mercedes expects an increase in the acquisition rate for the second-generation E-Class All-Terrain. We drove the 2024 E450 4Matic and were impressed with its style and capability.
While the All-Terrain feels at home on a variety of challenging surfaces and should be able to handle loose gravel and deep snow, don’t let the plastic-lined wheel arches, beefier bumpers, and bespoke grille fool you : This luxury wagon lacks the substantial ground clearance, steep approach and departure angles, and wading depth required for mud wrestling and rock climbing. However, this special E-Class is not just a pretty pretender. There are underbody skid plates front and rear, and the air suspension can be lowered 0.6 inch (it automatically lowers above 75 mph) and raised 0.8 inch (when fully raised, speed is limited to 9 mph).
Aspiring off-roaders will have a new widget with custom graphics and detailed information displayed on the optional full-width Superscreen. Available information includes a compass with location details, temperature and elevation readings, a tire pressure and temperature gauge, lean and lean angle meters, a suspension travel pictogram, and a ride height adjustment button . And there’s more, including hill descent control that can be set at any speed up to 11 mph. The optional 360-degree surround-view camera system includes a so-called “see-through hood.” This combined view uses an underbody camera that turns rock riding and stream crossings into a live in-dash video experience.
However, the All-Terrain is too precious for the Rubicon Trail, but riding a little higher than the sedan, it’ll get you safely straight to the door of a remote cabin in the middle of a snowstorm, towing up to 4600 pounds . of snowmobiles or trail bikes and carries 65 cubic feet of premium burgundy in the trunk. The LED multi-beam headlights also have an off-road mode that compensates for steep dips and climbs by broadening and intensifying near-field illumination at low speeds. There are no changes to the E-Class’ familiar air suspension supported by adaptive dampers and a pair of anti-roll bars, but like all E450 models, the All-Terrain gets more powerful Sport brakes with larger diameters from 14.6 inches to the front and 14.2 inches in diameter. Inch rear rotors.
The only engine available in the United States is the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, which now develops 375 horsepower (up from 362) along with 369 pound-feet of torque. While it doesn’t increase the engine’s peak horsepower, the hybrid assist system can inject up to 23 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque to improve both ride smoothness and kick-down performance. As a result, the rugged five-seater can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, according to its manufacturer. EPA fuel economy estimates aren’t yet available, but on an all-day trip through the tourist-infested Dolomite Alps, we saw a perfectly acceptable 22 mpg. Since the combustion engine and deceleration events constantly recharge the hybrid battery, repeating the advance action is not a problem, except when you finally nail the accelerator on the highway. Unlike the new E-Class sedan, the wagon isn’t available with rear-wheel steering (due to packaging constraints) and the All-Terrain also can’t be purchased as a plug-in hybrid.
While you can select different dynamic settings in a customized driving program, the car works best overall in Sport mode, which is well-balanced and commendably engaging as long as you can live with the brash, artificially enhanced exhaust note. The inline six-cylinder is a gem, now more than ever thanks to the electric torque boost that summons all its instant strength when the combustion engine is still gathering its thoughts.
We jumped from one famous mountain pass to the next, and while the All-Terrain felt big and heavy on the ancient spiral curves, the go-almost-everywhere Benz remained stoic and stable pulling out all the stops when the road got rough. open. Consistent, docile and controlled, this car deserves four out of five stars for its strong cornering grip and well-balanced ride: we had no trouble maintaining an energy flow through fast or slow corners. While the steering is neither extremely precise nor ultra-sharp, it puts you in command with poise and confidence. The brakes require a little effort and the pedal feels a little numb, but the system delivers maximum resilience and vigor, over and over again.
All-Terrain elements give the new E-Class estate a patina of go-anywhere ability that appeals to today’s much smaller group of estate buyers. But at its core, this is a true station wagon, rather than a crossover, and therein lies the crux of its appeal.
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