The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain joins the “yr of the wagon” dialog began by Audi in 2020. The parallels run deep, in actual fact. Like its cross-country rivals, Benz has adopted a two-pronged method to the standard idea, providing its long-roof E-Class in each this off-road guise and the balls-to-the-wall AMG E63 variant. The All-Terrain goes head-to-head with Audi’s A6 Allroad, which was revived right here within the States final yr after a decade-long absence. Higher late than by no means on each counts, proper?
Mercedes-Benz strictly adhered to the Allroad playbook in creating the E 450 All-Terrain. It too makes use of a turbocharged six-cylinder engine with a light hybrid system and normal all-wheel drive. Paired with a trick suspension and a few decrease physique cladding, the All-Terrain is meant to be rugged sufficient for while you want it, however low-slung and car-like while you don’t. Sounds nice in principle, proper?
With the smaller, lighter Audi A4 Allroad, the formulation works. The A4 feels taller than regular, however not tippy, and its suspension tuning is agency sufficient to say “wagon” via its physique motions extra so than “SUV.” At this enlarged scale, although, the expertise is a little more diluted. There’s dive and roll aplenty, and though the E 450’s 362 horsepower and 396 pound-feet is definitely nothing to sneeze at, it is not going to make the massive All-Terrain really feel notably quick contemplating it has 4,500 kilos to lug round (300 kilos greater than the E 450 sedan, for these protecting observe).
The All-Terrain, just like the A6 Allroad, eschews a taller, static experience top in favor of a height-adjustable air suspension, the earliest incarnation of which put the unique A6 Allroad on the map again within the early 2000s. These variable-height setups appear excellent in principle: You’ll be able to experience low for improved gas economic system and dealing with, then sky-high for optimum clearance and to present your luxurious wagon that butch off-roader look. Sadly, that is not the fact.
Mercedes-Benz claims the All-Terrain sits solely 5.75 inches off the bottom at its most rated load. Of that, 15 mm (or about 2/3 of an inch) comes from the air suspension’s baked-in carry. You will get one other 20 mm (roughly 3/4 of an inch) in “All-Terrain” mode, for a complete of simply over 6.5 inches. For comparability, the Volvo V90 Cross Nation’s static suspension towers over it at 8.3 inches, whereas the everyday crossover (even those who’ll by no means have a prayer of going off-road) are not less than within the higher 6-inch vary. In different phrases, for one thing dubbed All-Terrain, it has barely extra all-terrain clearance than a regular-old automobile.
It is also necessary to notice that its most top, comparable to it’s, can solely be achieved at speeds as much as round 22 mph (35 km/h). Such a low-speed carry is nice when you occur to roll up on a freshly fallen tree limb after an sudden storm and simply want a liiiittle extra top to clear it, nevertheless it’s inherently a short lived function that is sure to be hardly ever utilized. Individuals search further floor clearance for quite a few sensible functions (the Volvo Cross Nation fashions, Subaru Outback, authentic A6 Allroad and SUVs generally exist for good causes), and positive, there’s the matter of individuals really liking the high-riding look. The E 450 All-Terrain barely satisfies both.
The All-Terrain’s fold-flat rear bounce seats additionally don’t do the in any other case cavernous rear cargo space any favors. Mercedes says it’s good for 35 cubic ft, which places it useless in the course of the 2 figures supplied for the GLE SUV (33.3 cubes normal; 39.3 when you go for the adjustable second row). Mercedes tends to be conservative in its measurements, so the house is probably going extra usable than it appears to be like to be on paper, however that might theoretically apply equally to its larger (by an inch) sibling.
As a luxurious, automobile, although, the All-Terrain knocks it out of the park. Experience consolation is great, and Mercedes cabins nonetheless set the usual for the mainstream luxurious phase. The tech can also be sturdy from a content material standpoint, although the Mercedes-Benz Person Expertise (MBUX) infotainment system is a bit too in love with its personal menu construction. We’d prefer to see the massive heart display screen home extra of its widgets in a single view. Because it sits, discovering something requires loads of swiping, which attracts your palms away from the wheel and your eyes away from the highway. We may additionally do with about half as many steering wheel controls and we don’t just like the touch-sensitive wheel toggles any greater than we did when Mercedes first gave them a whirl with the introduction of the 2016 E-Class.
As an alternative, the simplest technique to toggle a function is commonly to easily ask for it. Simply say, “Hey Mercedes, activate the heated steering wheel,” and voila, completed. You should use this as a shortcut for almost the whole lot, and whereas MBUX could also be cluttered and multi-layered and supply about 5 instances as many redundancies because it must, the truth that you may merely ask for issues out loud definitely streamlines the method. In fact, none of those are distinctive to this specific mannequin.
What the All-Terrain finally gives is a unique way of life picture, as a result of it definitely would not improve the E-Class’ functionality as that authentic Audi A6 Allroad and different off-roading wagons do. These are automobiles for the one who needs the flexibility and functionality of an SUV, however would not need an SUV as a result of driving expertise, look or simply as a result of they like being totally different. They seem to be a uncommon breed, however they do exist. The difficulty is, the E 450 All-Terrain and A6 Allroad do not actually ship for them. They might have the house of a midsize crossover, however they are not higher to drive on highway or method their functionality off-road – even when that simply means a grassy discipline or a steep, snowy driveway. On the identical time, they’re worse to drive and supply little purposeful benefit (if any) over the plain-old luxurious wagons they’ve changed.
That is proper, the E-Class is now not offered right here as a plain-old wagon, so if you’d like a long-roof ‘Benz, the All-Terrain is now your solely choice. The identical holds true for Audi. The one actual standout on this regard is the Volvo V90, which is each premium (however not Mercedes/Audi ranges of premium) and gives each lifted and un-lifted variants. The V90 Cross Nation can also be about $10,000 cheaper, which makes it that rather more compelling.
Yep, 10 massive. The All-Terrain begins at $64,850 (together with $1,050 for vacation spot; a brand new Audi A6 Allroad 55 TFSI Premium Plus with zero choices can also be a $67,000 automobile. The V90 Cross Nation is admittedly much less highly effective, nevertheless it comes nearly loaded for the essential value of entry of both the Benz or the Audi, particularly in mild of the eye-watering $82,440 all-in value of our E 450 tester.
Additionally cheaper than the All-Terrain is the Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV, which will be had with the identical bi-turbo six-cylinder for about $5,000 much less (or about $15,000 much less when you’re keen to accept the turbo-four). And sure, the GLE is lots good to drive. Significantly.
For what it’s, the All-Terrain is fast sufficient, luxurious sufficient and Mercedes-Benz sufficient to do its job. Whether or not it’s a greater match than a “true” CUV is actually a person buying choice, however we might warning you to attempt before you purchase, as you might not discover the drive expertise as satisfying as you would possibly count on. It’s not that Mercedes-Benz can not (or doesn’t) construct enjoyable wagons; this merely isn’t one in all them. Sensible and totally different? Sure. An improve over the GLE or previous E-Class wagon? Eh, probably not.
