With crossovers all the rage nowadays, it was only a matter of time before Mercedes-Benz put some off-road cred into erstwhile models like the E-Cass. In the same mold as the Volvo XC70 and the Subaru Outback, the E-Class All-Terrain enters the scene with a sense of adventure that still packs a lot of Mercedes-Benz luxury.
Looking much like your standard Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon, the All-Terrain model adds SUV touches like a double-louver grille and blacked out wheel arches. Moreover, the raised ride height, which is higher by some 29mm than the standard model, makes for some serious off-road ability when you need it.
The already tall stance can easily be adjusted—either raised or lowered—depending on the Dynamic Select all-terrain transmission mode. The All-Terrain Transmission, along with the Air Body Control can increase the height by as much as 20mm even while running at speeds up to 35kph. And just as in the regular car, the 9G-Tronic gearbox allows the driver to customize the tranny to his liking to suit his driving style.
Apart from the rugged yet stylish looks, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain boasts of true cargo versatility with the intelligent luggage space solutions found in the E-Class Wagon. The rear seats, for instance, can be folded in a 40/20/40 split-fold manner, while the seatbacks can be angled in various degrees to suit all needs. They can even be made into a sleeper for those times when you’d want to rough it out in the great outdoors and get some shut eye in the back of your Benz.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain is powered by a 1,950cc in-line four motor that puts out 194hp and 400Nm. Mated to the aforementioned 9G-Tronic gearbox and 4Matic all-wheel drive, the versatile wagon can sprint from rest to 100kph in 8 seconds and reach a 232kph top speed. While it isn’t exactly built for speed, it’s best suited for those times when you want to go off the beaten path.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain goes on sale in the second quarter of 2017.
