UK drive: Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain

What is it?
Premium estate cars equipped for off-roading are something of a niche market that has been cornered off by Volvo and Audi since the mid-2000 — but now Mercedes are hoping to get in on the action.

Introducing the E-Class All-Terrain, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer’s answer to the V90 Cross Country and A6 Allroad.

What’s new?
Based on the current Mercedes-Benz E-Class estate, the All-Terrain gives the platform rugged looks and go-anywhere ability while maintaining the practicality of the standard vehicle.

It rides 29 millimeters higher over the base machine while also getting larger tyres to allow it to cope on rougher terrains, as well as having an electronically deployable tow bar as standard.

There’s also a new driving mode, coincidentally named All-Terrain, that raises the ride height further and adjusts the car’s electronic systems to allow to navigate the dirty stuff.

What’s under the bonnet?
Just one engine option is currently on offer for the E-Class All-Terrain — a 3.0-litre diesel V6 engine, developing 254bhp and 620Nm of torque. It propels the estate from 0-60mph in six seconds and up to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Fuel economy is a claimed 41.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 179g/km. The V6 motor is coupled to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Despite the large amount of torque and relative pace of the car, it’s far from a performance-focused engine. It’s suited to cruising along at 70mph, with barely a sound coming into the cockpit — although the more-than-ample mid-range torque means it pulls well, especially thanks to the smooth and responsive transmission.

What’s it like to drive?
This is a car built for a country lifestyle and that’s reflected in the driving experience.

Soft suspension, light (but not overly so) steering and a quiet ride makes it perfect for covering long distances on country lanes and A-roads — especially so with an engine that has no struggle with that kind of driving.

Driver assists make town driving feasible too, despite the raised height and size of the vehicle. Active parking assist, active braking and attention assist (which detects drowsiness in driving) are all standard features.

Take it off-road, and you’ll want to select All-Terrain mode. This raises the estate’s air suspension and adjusts its electronic systems to optimise it for rougher terrains — and it actually works.

We spent a good portion of our time with the car taking on some dirt tracks around the moors and it handled almost everything with no problem, also thanks to the excellent 4Matic AWD system — although it’s still no Land Rover Defender and does have a tougher time with really muddy spots.

It’s worth noting that All-Terrain mode can only operate up to 20mph, after which the car will begin to lower without warning — but you can limit the speed via the cruise control stalk if you so wish.

How does it look?
There’s nothing revolutionary here in terms of design — what’ve you effectively got is a rugged-looking E-Class estate.

That’s by no means a bad thing. It’s a handsome machine, and the aesthetic tweaks indicate the go-almost-anywhere ability while retaining an overall classy visual. It’s a cool-looking thing and wouldn’t seem out of place at any country club.

The one downside to the visuals is perhaps the addition of 20-inch alloy wheels — which seem odd on a vehicle designed for rugged terrains and also serve to detract from its off-road ability.

What’s it like inside?
Despite the more rugged focus, the E-Class All-Terrain remains comfortable and luxurious inside.
Leather seats and upholstery are prominent throughout the cabin, and creates a plush atmosphere in combination with a 64-selectable colour ambient lighting system.

Our test car did also have aluminum interior trim, but this looked totally out of place and also felt cheap to the touch. A wood option is also available and to us, would have been preferable.

There’s tons of practicality, too. Boot space totals 640 litres with the rear seats up — compare that with 560 litres with the V90 Cross Country and 565 in the Audi A6 Allroad, and it’s a class leader.

What’s the spec like?
As you would expect from a £60k estate, the E-Class All-Terrain is generously equipped as standard.

Out-of-the-box equipment includes a host of driver aids including active parking assist (which includes reverse cameras), active braking and attention assist, as well as cruise control with a variable speed limiter.

Other features include electric heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry, an automatic tailgate and Mercedes’ Comand infotainment system with a 12.3-inch display and an electronically deployable tow bar.

Verdict
If you’re in the countryside, and need something to cover plenty of back roads while also being capable of taking on the occasional rough track, the E-Class All Terrain may just be perfect for you.

It offers bags of practicality, a luxurious experience, plenty of equipment and puts it all in a well-refined package that can take anything thrown at it on a regular day-to-day basis.

Of course, it’s no SUV and shouldn’t be treated as such but it’s all the car most will ever need — though it does come with a price tag to match that.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model: Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain
Price as tested: £61,470
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 diesel
Power (bhp): 254
Torque (Nm): 620
Max speed (mph): 155
0-60mph: 6.0 seconds
MPG (combined): 41.5
Emissions (g/km): 179