First Drive: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate brings old-school charm

What is it?

The motoring world is becoming dominated by new technology and electric powertrains. Diesel power is on the decrease, too, and monthly registration figures reflect a dwindling demand for cars using fuel from the black pump. However, in some cars, diesel still makes a lot of sense.

One car which is soldiering on with diesel power is this model, the new E-Class Estate. Big load-luggers have often favoured diesel for its refinement and long-distance efficiency, but is it still a worthy option in 2025? We’ve been finding out.

What’s new?

While the engine powering this E-Class Estate might be reasonably traditional, there’s a lot that is more up-to-date elsewhere. The interior, for instance, gets an ultra-large central screen and there’s even the option to have an additional display positioned ahead of the passenger, allowing them to control media and navigation functions when on the move.

The E-Class also comes pre-loaded with a whole host of apps, much like a smartphone. On our test car, we found features such as travel booking services and even a food delivery provider – presumably so you could get a takeaway delivered directly to the vehicle. We wouldn’t advise trying it in standstill traffic, mind you.

What’s under the bonnet?

It’s a familiar setup underneath the E-Class Estate. Up front, you’ve got a beefy 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel, helped with its efficiency even further through a mild hybrid system. In total, you’ve got 362bhp and a very healthy 750Nm of torque, with the latter giving the E-Class plenty of low-down shove and a decent slug of towing ability, too, with 2,100kg of unbraked trailer allowed to be pulled along behind this Mercedes.

Efficiency-wise, Mercedes claims up to 44.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 171g/km. Coupled with a 73-litre fuel tank, that helps to give the E-Class a lot of range and, during our time with the car, we saw just over an indicated 600 miles between fill-ups.

What’s it like to drive?

The E-Class Estate brings the kind of old-school driving experience that you’d expect. The large diesel in the nose gives the car a refined, easy-going level of performance and, when hooked up to the smooth-shifting eight-speed gearbox makes for a car that is very easy to do big miles in. There’s a large amount of ‘lag’ when moving away, however, and joining a roundabout takes a little forward planning in order to make the procedure smooth.

But at speed, the E-Class Estate is wonderfully quiet. Our E450d model is also equipped with air suspension – part of the Refinement Package – and this gives the car a supple, well-managed ride quality. It deals well with larger road imperfections, too, despite sitting on 21-inch alloy wheels.

How does it look?

The E-Class Estate car has that classic ‘wagon’ silhouette from whichever angle you look at it. Previous generations of this car have always been a restrained, upmarket-looking affair and this car is no different, with the car’s long, stretched-out proportions giving it an executive look and feel.

As mentioned, big 21-inch alloy wheels are fitted to our test car and do give the whole vehicle a sportier edge. Fortunately, it has avoided a trap fallen into by previous Mercedes models by not looking too ‘bling’ and, to our eyes, looks spot-on.

What’s it like inside?

There’s plenty of space to enjoy inside the cabin of the E-Class. Those sitting up front are treated to a wide and clear view of the road ahead, but you can still drop your seat nice and low should you want to. The side bins are a little on the small side but, to help combat this, you’ve got a deep central cubby and some handy cupholders, too. Mercedes is moving closer towards more physical buttons, too, though the more touch-sensitive ones on the steering wheel can be tricky to operate at times.

At 615 litres, the E-Class Estate’s boot is more than spacious enough for most requirements and you can increase it to an impressive 1,830 litres by folding down the rear seats.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the E-Class Estate start at £60,980, getting you a smaller-engined E220d in AMG Line Advanced trim. At this price point, you get lots of standard equipment, too, including a 360-degree parking camera, automatic climate control and a clever augmented satellite navigation system which can overlay directions directly onto an image of the road ahead.

However, our more powerful E450d in snazzy Premium Plus specification cranked the cost of the E-Class to an eye-watering £89,640. Though it adds upmarket features such as an ultra-wide infotainment system and an upgraded Burmeister surround sound system, it does push the cost of the car very far north.

Verdict

The Mercedes E-Class Estate represents a refreshing change to the typical SUV or crossover which is so dominant in the new car market at the moment. It’s spacious, comfortable and offers some very low running costs, providing diesel works for you.

This more powerful E450d certainly has the added punch that many drivers might need, but in a higher trim level, we’re struggling to recommend it due to its high cost – stick to a less powerful, cheaper version and the E-Class makes for a far more compelling proposition.