- mercedes-benz apparently wants the 2021 e-class wagon to entice more suv shoppers, so it's adding all-terrain to the name and has added body cladding as standard.
- the e450 wagon also receives a new inline-six-cylinder engine featuring the company's 48-volt hybrid system.
- other upgrades include enhanced driver-assistance technology, an updated infotainment system, and new off-road drive modes.
we frequently decry the crossover takeover of america, and the body cladding that will now adorn every mercedes-benz e450 wagon is a vivid illustration of the reason. in what appears to be a shameless attempt to attract shoppers considering a crossover—or those who are too rich to be seen in a subaru outback—mercedes-benz has besmirched its once elegant e-class wagon with faux ruggedness.
the classy volvo v90 offers a separate cross country variant with that "rugged" look, but it's available without it. not so for mercedes; its e-class wagon will now be called the e450 all-terrain and come only with the extra black plastic trim starting with the 2021 model year. it'll also feature a higher ride height, redesigned grille, and updated led headlights and taillights. a set of 19-inch wheels wrapped with all-season tires are standard, but 20-inch rims are available for extra coin.
although the e-class wagon's new look makes us sad, we're glad that it's getting the company's all-new m256 turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, which pairs with a 48-volt hybrid system (read: electric supercharger). the setup generates 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. that power is routed through a nine-speed automatic transmission and 4matic all-wheel drive. every e450 rides on a standard air suspension and includes dedicated off-road drive modes that can even regulate speed going downhill.
in addition to what's new under the hood, for 2021 the e-class wagon has a new steering-wheel design with touch-sensitive controls that let you use voice commands or a large center-console touchpad for mercedes-benz's latest mbux infotainment system with its 12.3-inch touchscreen. the system also introduces new options such as augmented video navigation and an artificial-intelligence-based virtual assistant.
the e450's driver assistance technology gets some upgrades, too, including capacitive hands-off detection for that new steering wheel. in plain english, this means you won't get false alarms when you're using lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control, because the vehicle "knows" your hands are on the wheel, even if you don't wiggle it as in torque-detecting systems. the wagon's automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and parking-assist features also get increased functionality, mercedes says.
the 2021 mercedes-benz e-class wagon will go on sale at the end of this year. pricing is not yet available.