When Mercedes-Benz first dropped the facelifted E-Class yesterday we mentioned the E 450 All-Terrain. But given its righteousness, we thought it deserved a deeper dive into what makes it special. Because what’s better than a German automaker building its own Subaru Outback? A Mercedes-built Subaru Outback that’ll be sold in the U.S. That’s right.
Aside from the more spacious rear end and scuff-ready, black plastic cladding, the All-Terrain sets itself apart from vanilla E-Classes with standard Air Body Control suspension and two off-road driving modes with downhill speed regulation: Offroad and Offroad+. Twenty-inch wheels can be had as an option but if it was our options sheet, we’d stick to the standard 19s for the comfier ride.
Like the regular E 450, it’s powered by a 3.0-liter, turbocharged straight-six making 362 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque. For the first time in the U.S., an E-Class will get an EQ Boost mild hybrid system good for up to 21 extra hp and 184 pound-feet of additional twist. On the inside, all the luxury and tech that comes in the regular E-Class is all here including Merc’s latest assisted-driving systems, voice-controllable MBUX, and two big 12.3-inch screens masquerading as one.
Official pricing has yet to be announced but we expect it to start somewhere in the $60,000s just like the Audi A6 Allroad it directly competes with.
So, it’ll go anywhere (within reason), fit an entire family of five-ish and their stuff in superb comfort and luxury, be reasonably fast-yet-efficient, and not cost an arm and a leg to buy. Bonus points if yours is ordered in brown. Do we even need SUVs anymore?
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