First Drive: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate brings old-school charm
It’s rare to see a new diesel-powered estate car arrive on the market, but the E-Class bucks that trend. Jack Evans tries it out.
What is it?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.
