PUTTING THE E INTO ESTATE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_mercedeseclassestate_2018

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 60

The Mercedes E-Class Estate has always been a very classy way to carry rather a lot. This early pre-facelift 'W213'-series model was better-looking, cleverer and more efficient than ever. It was also bigger inside than rival models from Audi, BMW, Volvo and Jaguar. In short, it's a segment benchmark if you're looking at a large estate in the 2016-2020 period.

Modelsword count: 25

5dr Estate (2.0 diesel [E220d] / 3.0 diesel [E350d/E400d] / 2.0 petrol [E200] / 3.0 petrol [E400/E 53 AMG] / 4.0 petrol [E 63 AMG])

Historyword count: 198

No large station wagon in the 2016-2020 period took the conquest of space more seriously than this one, the tenth generation 'W213'-series pre-facelift version of the Mercedes E-Class Estate. It used to be that if you wanted a large, plush practical estate, you bought a big Volvo. By 2016 though, that role was being more completely filled by the Mercedes E-Class Estate. Rival of the time traded space for a bit of style but this car continued to prioritise practicality, with 670-litres of room on offer even before customers started folding seats. This tenth generation E-Class Estate of course enjoys all the advantages developed for its saloon counterpart, a car offering impressive technology and luxurious comfort. There were also cutting-edge driver assistance features that even allowed owners to take a step closer to fully autonomous driving. The engine range too, was a big step forward from the previous generation model, with a line-up of efficient downsized powerplants that in period rated amongst the standard-setters in this sector. Plus there was even an SUV-style 'All-Terrain' variant. The 'W213' E-Class Estate sold in this form until 2020, when it was significantly facelifted. It's the'2016-2020-era pre-facelift models we look at here.

What You Getword count: 381

The looks and appearance of any car are subjective, but it's hard to argue against the assertation that this tenth generation E-Class is a very handsome machine. It was a touch larger than it's 'W212'-series predecessor, but you're more likely to notice the sportier, more confident demeanour and a more graceful sense of style borrowed from the larger S-Class model. Take a seat inside and the extent to which the changes continue will depend quite a lot on the spec you've chosen. Entry-level models get conventional instruments and a central dash 8.4-inch central monitor, but if you opt to get a car whose original owner upgraded to the COMMAND Online system, things change quite significantly. The central display is upgraded to 12.3-inches in size and you'll find this usually linked to a virtual instrument display of the same size, creating one huge 'floating'-style screen that's framed by subtle ambient lighting. Build quality is predictably faultless and the 'AMG Line' trim most original buyers chose extends the interior's leather finish to the upper part of the dash along with classy contrast stitching, a package that really lifts the interior. We have to mention the leather seats too. They're perfectly contoured and fitted around the driver to give ample comfort during long trips. In the rear, the first thing you find is more than ample space - no great surprise given this E-Class model's popularity as an up-market private hire vehicle. If the front passengers have their seats at the lowest setting, you might find room for your feet slightly limited, but otherwise the rear footwells are big and broad. And the boot? Well, it features a powered tailgate which raises to reveal the largest luggage area in the class, rated at 640-litres. Small wonder that Mercedes were the only brand in this segment in this period able to offer the option of a couple of extra boot-mounted chairs, though for some reason, you couldn't have that on the 'All-Terrain' variant. If you're able to flatten the main parts of the back seat, you'll do it via the neat buttons you'll find on either side of the cargo sidewalls (and you'll find further ones just inside the rear doors). Once you've activated these, a capacity of up to 1,820-litres can be freed up.

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