These days, upscale family transportation is typified by the oversize sport-utility vehicle whose foreboding shadow swallows up any squirrels or Corollas that happen to cross its path. Inside, a lone toddler strapped into an enormous seven-passenger cabin feels miles away from his parents seated up front. Is this really what it means to travel in luxury?
For families of four or less, we'd have to say no. There are plenty of stylish alternatives for those with modestly sized broods to consider, not the least of which is the freshly redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon (it joins the sedan on the new platform this year). Sleek in profile with a subtly upswept tail, the midsize Benz wagon carries itself with all the grace and authority of its sedan companion. Approach one in a parking lot and you'd be hard-pressed to avoid calling it a beautiful car.
Peer inside and you'll note plenty of room for two in the backseat (three in a pinch), while a spacious cargo hold equipped with a retractable cage is ready to accommodate a dog or a week's worth of groceries. Hidden in the cargo floor is a pair of rear-facing seats perfectly sized for first-graders — giving the wagon seven-passenger capacity on carpool day. Indeed, one can't help but call this a practical Benz as well.
Of course, as is the case with most Mercedes vehicles, the buyer pays dearly for beauty and practicality. The E500 wagon starts at $61,970, including destination charge and a $1,300 gas guzzler tax (thanks to an EPA rating of 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway). Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system comes standard on the V8 wagon, as do most of the requisite luxury items — power leather seats, four-zone climate control, real wood trim and a full menu of airbags. If you want xenon headlights, a sunroof, a CD changer, seat heaters or crossbars for the roof rack, you'll pay extra.
Our sensibly but not lavishly optioned test wagon had a sunroof, CD changer and bun warmers, along with a DVD-based navigation system, upgraded Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system and a power-operated tailgate. Total price? $66,760. Serious money for a midsize wagon by any reasonable standard. For those seeking a more realistic bottom line, Mercedes sells a less expensive, V6-powered E320 wagon in both rear-drive ($50,670) and 4Matic ($53,170) varieties. Both include most of the E500's standard equipment and, when suitably optioned, can pamper their owners to the same degree.
In spite of (or some would say, because of) its exorbitant price tag, our E500 tester was not without its charms, the biggest of these being the 5.0-liter V8 under its hood. This is the first eight-cylinder wagon Mercedes has ever offered to U.S. buyers, and like the E500 sedan, it's rated for 302 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. Power delivery is smooth and sure throughout the rpm range. Put the pedal to the floor in the suburbs or on the expressway, and this refined luxury wagon moves out like a muscle car, soaring past left-lane stragglers. Even though our all-wheel-drive test wagon had a good 400 pounds on the rear-drive E500 sedan we evaluated last year, it was no slouch during instrumented acceleration testing. The wagon reached 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds (compared to 5.8 in the sedan) and went through the quarter-mile in 14.6 seconds (compared to 14.2 in the sedan).
Jerky throttle response was the only complaint we had about the drivetrain. The accelerator pedal is noticeably stiff, ostensibly to help drivers of this high-powered Benz avoid inadvertently surging ahead in traffic. However, even after a week of practice, our author still found herself giving the wagon too much or not enough gas when accelerating at low speeds. Given more time to perfect their pedal modulation, owners would likely fare better than she did.
Aside from this issue, we thoroughly enjoyed both the idea and the reality of driving a V8-powered station wagon, and feel certain that actual E500 buyers would share our sentiments. Always in the back of our author's mind, though, was a certain '04 E320 wagon she had the pleasure of driving several months back in Germany. The E320's 3.2-liter V6 is rated for a comparatively modest 221 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, yet on the roads in and around Stuttgart, it felt more than ample. And out on the autobahn, the wagon never tired, even as we climbed to a cruising speed of about 115 mph. Considering the rear-drive E320's sizable price advantage and its much superior 19 city/27 highway mileage rating, we recommend that you at least try it before making the jump to the E500.
If all-weather capability is what you're after, any of Mercedes' 4Matic models will meet your needs. Some months ago one of our editors had the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of this electronically controlled AWD system on unplowed roads in Quebec. The verdict? Benzes equipped with 4Matic can handle just about any on-road condition drivers will face at northern latitudes. During our week with this E500 wagon, the Southern California skies opened up, providing an obstacle course of heavy rain on our favorite two-lanes (with water up to a foot deep), and at higher altitudes, freezing rain. The 4Matic system proved its worth in this environment, particularly on the flooded sections along our route, as it kept the car moving ahead on our intended path.
Unfortunately, the E500's standard 245/45HR17 all-season tires left something to be desired when it came to wet-weather traction. Although you expect an all-wheel-drive vehicle to feel confident in heavy rain, the tires proved especially susceptible to hydroplaning. Lest you think we drove recklessly on rain-soaked roads, you should know that our editor was traveling between 50 and 65 mph on a straight section of freeway. Slalom testing also revealed the tires' weakness. In theory, an AWD vehicle with a firmly tuned suspension should be well suited for the slalom, which requires quick directional changes and maximum traction. In practice, the E500's tires gave up on grip early and with little warning, making it difficult to keep the back end from coming around and knocking down cones (when the stability control system was turned off). Given that we noted similar behavior from an E500 sedan wearing identical rubber, we cannot give this tire model (Continental ContiTouring Contact) a hearty endorsement.
In less demanding driving conditions, the mediocre tires didn't ruin the fun. Credit is due to the Mercedes chassis engineers for creating a car that can go from being a comfy highway companion to a tautly suspended sport wagon eager to hit the back roads. The steering is light enough to be manageable in the parking lot, while offering the right amount of heft and precision at higher speeds. You would never confuse the E500's moves for BMW 5 Series' reflexes, but during 250 miles of varied driving, we were surprised by how close our Benz came to the Bavarian master.
Inside, our test wagon was dressed in typical Benz attire — a cream-and-beige ensemble with smooth leather, soft carpeting and attractive wood trim. We couldn't find fault with any of the materials used in the cabin. Our author was especially enamored with the woolen-type fabric that lined the pillars, headliner and cargo bay. We were dismayed to find a few uneven interior panel fits — when you're closing in on $70,000, the assembly should be flawless.
During the E500's stay, we tried out the optional navigation system, which is newly available for the E-Class in 2004 after being delayed last year. Unlike other versions of Mercedes' COMAND system, this one is DVD-based, so you don't have to worry about purchasing additional map CDs when you travel across the country. Despite the switchover to up-to-date technology, the system can still be frustrating to use due to designers' reliance on "soft keys" (like at an ATM) rather than a more straightforward touchscreen. Same goes for the stereo functions that are routed through the COMAND interface. Nevertheless, we were pleased with the accuracy and the clarity of the instructions when we keyed in various destinations.
When it was time to load up some luggage for a short business trip, we took advantage of our wagon's power tailgate. To open it, hold down the button on the key fob or, from the cockpit, a button on the driver door. As the single-piece gate swings up, the cargo cover lifts up and retracts to simplify the loading of larger items. Once everything's in, just hit the red button on the lower edge of the tailgate, get in the car and go. Although we can't argue with the utter convenience of this feature, we wouldn't mind if it operated with a trace more refinement: The gate opens quietly, but it latches shut with a loud thunk that doesn't quite fit the E500's personality. Moreover, the power liftgates on Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna minivans that cost about half as much go through their motions in relative silence. There's 24.4 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seats; fold them down and you'll have 69 cubes.
On their own, details like a power liftgate or a navigation system will not make or break the vast majority of E-Class purchases. But take a look at the whole package, and the E500 4Matic wagon seems to be somewhat less than the princely sum of its parts. Spend the $67,000 necessary to get into our test wagon, and you still don't get the best headlights (xenons), the best seats (Drive Dynamic with ventilation) or a good set of tires. For some people, the car's potent V8, excellent driving dynamics and luxurious interior will more than offset the lack of value. But were it our money to spend, we'd put it on the not-quite-as-potent E320 wagon.
For families of four or less, we'd have to say no. There are plenty of stylish alternatives for those with modestly sized broods to consider, not the least of which is the freshly redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon (it joins the sedan on the new platform this year). Sleek in profile with a subtly upswept tail, the midsize Benz wagon carries itself with all the grace and authority of its sedan companion. Approach one in a parking lot and you'd be hard-pressed to avoid calling it a beautiful car.
Peer inside and you'll note plenty of room for two in the backseat (three in a pinch), while a spacious cargo hold equipped with a retractable cage is ready to accommodate a dog or a week's worth of groceries. Hidden in the cargo floor is a pair of rear-facing seats perfectly sized for first-graders — giving the wagon seven-passenger capacity on carpool day. Indeed, one can't help but call this a practical Benz as well.
Of course, as is the case with most Mercedes vehicles, the buyer pays dearly for beauty and practicality. The E500 wagon starts at $61,970, including destination charge and a $1,300 gas guzzler tax (thanks to an EPA rating of 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway). Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system comes standard on the V8 wagon, as do most of the requisite luxury items — power leather seats, four-zone climate control, real wood trim and a full menu of airbags. If you want xenon headlights, a sunroof, a CD changer, seat heaters or crossbars for the roof rack, you'll pay extra.
Our sensibly but not lavishly optioned test wagon had a sunroof, CD changer and bun warmers, along with a DVD-based navigation system, upgraded Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system and a power-operated tailgate. Total price? $66,760. Serious money for a midsize wagon by any reasonable standard. For those seeking a more realistic bottom line, Mercedes sells a less expensive, V6-powered E320 wagon in both rear-drive ($50,670) and 4Matic ($53,170) varieties. Both include most of the E500's standard equipment and, when suitably optioned, can pamper their owners to the same degree.
In spite of (or some would say, because of) its exorbitant price tag, our E500 tester was not without its charms, the biggest of these being the 5.0-liter V8 under its hood. This is the first eight-cylinder wagon Mercedes has ever offered to U.S. buyers, and like the E500 sedan, it's rated for 302 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. Power delivery is smooth and sure throughout the rpm range. Put the pedal to the floor in the suburbs or on the expressway, and this refined luxury wagon moves out like a muscle car, soaring past left-lane stragglers. Even though our all-wheel-drive test wagon had a good 400 pounds on the rear-drive E500 sedan we evaluated last year, it was no slouch during instrumented acceleration testing. The wagon reached 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds (compared to 5.8 in the sedan) and went through the quarter-mile in 14.6 seconds (compared to 14.2 in the sedan).
Jerky throttle response was the only complaint we had about the drivetrain. The accelerator pedal is noticeably stiff, ostensibly to help drivers of this high-powered Benz avoid inadvertently surging ahead in traffic. However, even after a week of practice, our author still found herself giving the wagon too much or not enough gas when accelerating at low speeds. Given more time to perfect their pedal modulation, owners would likely fare better than she did.
Aside from this issue, we thoroughly enjoyed both the idea and the reality of driving a V8-powered station wagon, and feel certain that actual E500 buyers would share our sentiments. Always in the back of our author's mind, though, was a certain '04 E320 wagon she had the pleasure of driving several months back in Germany. The E320's 3.2-liter V6 is rated for a comparatively modest 221 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, yet on the roads in and around Stuttgart, it felt more than ample. And out on the autobahn, the wagon never tired, even as we climbed to a cruising speed of about 115 mph. Considering the rear-drive E320's sizable price advantage and its much superior 19 city/27 highway mileage rating, we recommend that you at least try it before making the jump to the E500.
If all-weather capability is what you're after, any of Mercedes' 4Matic models will meet your needs. Some months ago one of our editors had the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of this electronically controlled AWD system on unplowed roads in Quebec. The verdict? Benzes equipped with 4Matic can handle just about any on-road condition drivers will face at northern latitudes. During our week with this E500 wagon, the Southern California skies opened up, providing an obstacle course of heavy rain on our favorite two-lanes (with water up to a foot deep), and at higher altitudes, freezing rain. The 4Matic system proved its worth in this environment, particularly on the flooded sections along our route, as it kept the car moving ahead on our intended path.
Unfortunately, the E500's standard 245/45HR17 all-season tires left something to be desired when it came to wet-weather traction. Although you expect an all-wheel-drive vehicle to feel confident in heavy rain, the tires proved especially susceptible to hydroplaning. Lest you think we drove recklessly on rain-soaked roads, you should know that our editor was traveling between 50 and 65 mph on a straight section of freeway. Slalom testing also revealed the tires' weakness. In theory, an AWD vehicle with a firmly tuned suspension should be well suited for the slalom, which requires quick directional changes and maximum traction. In practice, the E500's tires gave up on grip early and with little warning, making it difficult to keep the back end from coming around and knocking down cones (when the stability control system was turned off). Given that we noted similar behavior from an E500 sedan wearing identical rubber, we cannot give this tire model (Continental ContiTouring Contact) a hearty endorsement.
In less demanding driving conditions, the mediocre tires didn't ruin the fun. Credit is due to the Mercedes chassis engineers for creating a car that can go from being a comfy highway companion to a tautly suspended sport wagon eager to hit the back roads. The steering is light enough to be manageable in the parking lot, while offering the right amount of heft and precision at higher speeds. You would never confuse the E500's moves for BMW 5 Series' reflexes, but during 250 miles of varied driving, we were surprised by how close our Benz came to the Bavarian master.
Inside, our test wagon was dressed in typical Benz attire — a cream-and-beige ensemble with smooth leather, soft carpeting and attractive wood trim. We couldn't find fault with any of the materials used in the cabin. Our author was especially enamored with the woolen-type fabric that lined the pillars, headliner and cargo bay. We were dismayed to find a few uneven interior panel fits — when you're closing in on $70,000, the assembly should be flawless.
During the E500's stay, we tried out the optional navigation system, which is newly available for the E-Class in 2004 after being delayed last year. Unlike other versions of Mercedes' COMAND system, this one is DVD-based, so you don't have to worry about purchasing additional map CDs when you travel across the country. Despite the switchover to up-to-date technology, the system can still be frustrating to use due to designers' reliance on "soft keys" (like at an ATM) rather than a more straightforward touchscreen. Same goes for the stereo functions that are routed through the COMAND interface. Nevertheless, we were pleased with the accuracy and the clarity of the instructions when we keyed in various destinations.
When it was time to load up some luggage for a short business trip, we took advantage of our wagon's power tailgate. To open it, hold down the button on the key fob or, from the cockpit, a button on the driver door. As the single-piece gate swings up, the cargo cover lifts up and retracts to simplify the loading of larger items. Once everything's in, just hit the red button on the lower edge of the tailgate, get in the car and go. Although we can't argue with the utter convenience of this feature, we wouldn't mind if it operated with a trace more refinement: The gate opens quietly, but it latches shut with a loud thunk that doesn't quite fit the E500's personality. Moreover, the power liftgates on Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna minivans that cost about half as much go through their motions in relative silence. There's 24.4 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seats; fold them down and you'll have 69 cubes.
On their own, details like a power liftgate or a navigation system will not make or break the vast majority of E-Class purchases. But take a look at the whole package, and the E500 4Matic wagon seems to be somewhat less than the princely sum of its parts. Spend the $67,000 necessary to get into our test wagon, and you still don't get the best headlights (xenons), the best seats (Drive Dynamic with ventilation) or a good set of tires. For some people, the car's potent V8, excellent driving dynamics and luxurious interior will more than offset the lack of value. But were it our money to spend, we'd put it on the not-quite-as-potent E320 wagon.
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