The 2016 E Class estate
This is the Mercedes Benz E Class estate and by looking at it you’re probably just thinking it’s nothing more than an E Class saloon with a little bit extra tagged on at the back. However, whilst this is undeniably true it is a little more complex than that.
You see, while the E Class saloon fights it out in the fleet sector and is mostly driven by executives, the estate has to please families too. So, it needs to look as good in the company car park as it is at hoarding the kids and the dog on holiday. So, is it any good for that family vacation away? Well, Mercedes E Class cars have always had big boots and the one on the 2016 model is no different. In fact it’s so big that you could probably set yourself up as a removals firm at the weekends because the space really is vast at the back. There are 640 litres of space on offer which means this boot is larger than the BMW 5 Series Touring, the Audi A6 Avant and the Volvo V90. Taking a look at the details you’ll see that there is a wide boot opening which is very square and there’s no load lip whatsoever. There’s all sorts of little features too such as an underfloor storage facility, tie-down hooks, netting and tethering points. You can also fold the rear seats at the press of a button which is quite cool. You’ll also notice that once the seats are down you’ve got an absolute flat loading area which is brilliant for large items.
Once you put the rear seats back in their upright position you’ll find that the passenger space at the rear is just like the E Class saloon. That’s to say there’s lots of leg and head room and you could easily fit three people in comfortably. In fact, because this is the estate model you’ve actually got a little more head room than you’d get in the saloon version. There are easily accessible isoFix points which are great for child seats. When it comes to storage there are pockets behind the seats and an arm rest with large cubby and two cup holders. You’ve also got air conditioning controls situated between the front seats with the vents neatly positioned in-between the pillars to keep everyone nice and cool on those hot sunny days.
Choosing which E Class to go for couldn’t be any simpler. Entry level SE cars come well equipped with leather seats, heated front seats, ambient lighting with 64 colours, a power tailgate, roof rails, a parking camera, cruise control and keyless start. The AMG line will get you a sports body-kit and 19 inch alloys while the Sportier AMG 43 get even more aggressive styling and black napper leather seats with red seatbelts.
The good news continues up at the front because the interior is not only a step up from the previous incarnation but also from its rivals. This is because the quality throughout is really top-notch. The plastics used across the top of the doors feel great as does the artificial leather across the top of the dash. The design is very similar to the Mercedes S Class and the entry level E Class Estate comes with an 8.1 inch screen in the centre with Garmin satellite navigation. Being honest, a Garmin sat nav and a tiny little screen isn’t really befitting a car of this class but there you go. Six cylinder cars come with a 12.3 screen inch as standard but you can upgrade to it with the 4 cylinder cars. The system is controlled by a touch-sensory rotary controller down by the handbrake. Overall, it works quite well but not quite as well as BMW’s iDrive system. You can also upgrade and have another 12.3 inch screen replacing the more traditional analogue dials with TFT ones. If you opt for both 12.3 inch screens then what you’re getting is a car with a very modern slick interior indeed.
Storage is good in the E Class estate. There’s a large glovebox, a couple of cup holders in the central console, a large arm rest which also has USB charging ports and the door bins will certainly pass the big bottle test.
There’s a plethora of engines to choose from. For petrol power you are limited to a plug-in hybrid which is badged the E350e which emits as low as 49 g/km Co2. You could also plump for the range topping Sports E43 variant that’s powered by a twin turbo 3 litre V6 which develops just under 400 break horse power (bhp). However, it’s the diesels that will power most E Class estates. There’s an E200d with a 2 litre 4 cylinder diesel pumping out 148 bhp or the really smooth E350d with a 3 litre V6 diesel. All E class cars come with a 9-speed automatic gearbox. The most popular E Class will most probably be the E220d simply because it’s the best all-rounder. Up front you’ve got a 4 cylinder 2 litre diesel engine which pushes out 191 bhp. You can have this car with rear wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. Though there’s only one automatic gearbox option it’s extremely smooth. However, this is not the best thing about this car, it’s more the refinement. When you’re cruising around you only get a faint hum from the diesel engine and even when you start to accelerate there’s only a little bit of diesel grumble.
The E Class has light and accurate steering and for the most part the ride is good. You can spend £1495 on air suspension which does a good job at keeping the car level when it’s fully loaded. However, what’s not so good is that with the AMG line’s larger wheels it’s simply not as comfortable as it should be. Over anything other than super smooth roads means the car feels unsettled and still thumps into potholes. There’s no way you could call the E Class estate sporty to drive. While Mercedes will happily sell you an E43 version with stiffened suspension and direct steering it is far outweighed by BMW 5 Series Touring which is far more involving to drive. However, you shouldn’t find this too much of a problem because those in the market for an estate usually prefer their cars to be more cossetting to drive. This car, along with the Volvo V90, are easily the best in the class at this. However, if you do want something more thrilling to drive then you’re going to have to go for the BMW.
Like the Volvo the Mercedes is a really safe car. There’s a wealth of safety kit you can add like Blind Spot Monitoring, Active Break Assist, Evasive Steering and much much more. However, to get all of this kit you’re going to have to be prepared to pay for it. As standard the E Class comes quite well equipped and is perfectly in line with its rivals. However, if you start ticking the option boxes then this soon becomes a seriously expensive car to buy. The E Class estates tend to be very desirable in both the new and used car market so you shouldn’t have any problem when it comes to sell it. So, the more options you have on your car then the more money you’re likely to get back on it.
It’s not much of a surprise that the estate version of the E Class is an excellent car due to the fact that the saloon version is such a class act. On top of the saloon’s efficient engines and quality cabin the estate adds the biggest boot in the class. Compared to all of its rivals it’s the best blend of practicality and comfort. Take a look at some new and used Mercedes E Class estate cars for sale on DesperateSeller.co.uk!
