{"id":162674,"date":"2021-03-29T12:15:54","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T16:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=162674"},"modified":"2021-05-21T08:28:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T12:28:28","slug":"a-week-with-2021-mercedes-benz-e-450-4matic-all-terrain","status":"publish","type":"reviews","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/reviews\/a-week-with-2021-mercedes-benz-e-450-4matic-all-terrain\/","title":{"rendered":"A Week With: 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"2021<\/a>
For the 2021 model year, Mercedes gave the E 450 All-Terrain a makeover.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thick patches of fog roll over the highway as I head north towards Michigan\u2019s Upper Peninsula. The eerie scene is broken up by sudden fits of freezing rain and snow, a reminder that in the Midwest winter is far from over \u2014 no matter what the calendar shows.<\/p>\n

If I have to be out on the road this March afternoon, there are few vehicles I\u2019d rather be driving more than this 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain. \u201cAll-Terrain\u201d is a fancy way of saying \u201cwagon.\u201d In today\u2019s SUV-crazed market, it\u2019s almost an afterthought but, for those familiar with its virtues, it\u2019s perhaps the most appealing version of the Mercedes E-Class.<\/p>\n

Overview<\/h3>\n

There was a time when station wagons ruled America\u2019s highways. Today, they\u2019re all but forgotten, almost as rare as unicorns. Only a handful of manufacturers still offer this body style, primarily the Germans. And for 2021, Mercedes has given this two-box design a completely makeover<\/strong><\/span><\/a> \u2013 like the rest of the E-Series. But there are reasons why some folks might find the All-Terrain a particularly attractive take on the midsize line.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The All-Terrain offers room for five \u2014 not including the rear-facing jump seat \u2014 and plenty of cargo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The All-Terrain gets a new engine, standard air suspension, a much more modern cabin and plenty of new tech features, such as the MBUX voice assistant. Lifting a page from the Volvo \u201ccross country\u201d handbook<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, the wagon now gets dressed up with some additional chrome, as well as plastic cladding, to give it a slightly more SUV-like appearance.<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s what it takes, well, fine. But with its great performance, roomy cabin and cargo bay, as well as its luxurious appointments, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain is a vehicle a lot more potential buyers should be checking out.<\/p>\n

Exterior<\/h3>\n

Spot the E450 All-Terrain in your rearview mirror and you\u2019ll likely assume it\u2019s the new E-Class sedan<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. Both body styles share the same twin-bar grille framing an oversized Mercedes tri-star logo. The lower grille has a menacing scowl to it, befitting the power of the new 3.0-liter engine under the hood. In case you miss that hint, there\u2019s a new power bulge on the long hood. The headlights, bumpers and taillights also have been tweaked, ever so slightly.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The new Mercedes-Benz All-Terrain gives those interested in the increasingly rare midsize wagon a high-end option for 2021.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s when you see the All-Terrain in profile that you recognize what\u2019s driving by. The coupe-like curve of the sedan now continues flowing all the way back to the power-operated liftgate. The roll of the roofline is modest, however, to avoid cramping headroom and cargo space \u2014 a mistake made with some other recent wagon designs.<\/p>\n

Wagon aficionados worried Mercedes might not bring the body style back to the States when it was time to remake the E-Class this year. The German automaker decided there was enough of a market to justify its return.<\/p>\n

To attract new buyers, however, it took some tips from competitors like Volvo and Subaru, adding some SUV detailing to the design \u2014 notably some cladding to the wheel \u00a0arches. The All-Terrain also rides 1.2 inches higher than the old wagon.<\/p>\n

Interior<\/h3>\n
\"2021<\/a>
The new All-Terrain comes with a configurable 12.3-inch display screen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slip behind the steering wheel and what you\u2019ll see is stock E-Class gauges and controls, starting with the 12.3-inch reconfigurable digital gauge cluster, it flows seamlessly into a similarly sized touchscreen infotainment display. The instrument panel has an organic curve to it and, with my test vehicle, was finished in elegant open-pore wood and double-stitched leather.<\/p>\n

The 2021 model\u2019s steering wheel features new, capacitive-touch controls. It takes a minute or two to get used to them but then they become natural to operate, especially with the haptic feedback they provide.<\/p>\n

Mercedes maintained conventional controls for key climate control functions. One of the big moves was the elimination of the familiar rotary COMAND knob on the center console, the new E-Class wagon relying solely on a laptop computer-style touchpad to operate the infotainment system.<\/p>\n

The layout of the cabin, overall, is elegant and refined, with niceties like the center storage bin with its butterfly doors. The seats offer seemingly endless adjustments, as well as a massage function that I found especially welcome after a couple hours of driving through a late winter mess.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With 98 cubic feet in the passenger compartment, the All-Terrain is roomy enough for passengers to relax on a long trip. And there\u2019s plenty of space to bring along everything they might need. The wagon boasts a cavernous 35 cubic feet of cargo space with the back row up. That jumps to 64 cf when folded down.<\/p>\n

Powertrain<\/h3>\n

For 2021, Mercedes abandoned the twin-turbo offered in the prior-generation E-Class wagon. It\u2019s been replaced by a single-turbo inline-6. That might seem a step backwards but for the fact that the new, 3.0-liter package is supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist system.<\/p>\n

The electric starter\/generator has several advantages. It functions as a smoother, quieter stop\/start system. It also kicks in another 21 horsepower, when needed.<\/p>\n

All told, the package churns out 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque through a 9-speed gearbox. That\u2019s then directed to all four wheels through a rear-biased version of the Mercedes 4Matic system.<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The wagon puts out 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The new drivetrain is both a couple tenths quicker than the outgoing model, at around 4.5 seconds 0-60, and more fuel efficient. The EPA rates the wagon at 22 mpg city, 28 highway and 24 combined. My own experience found that to be roughly in line with what was actually delivered after logging more than 800 miles over the course of a week.<\/p>\n

Better yet, with its large gas tank the All-Terrain displayed more than 500 miles of range following a fill up, more than enough to drive from Detroit to Sault Ste. Marie and then wander the back roads of the Upper Peninsula before having to fill up again.<\/p>\n

Safety and Technology<\/h3>\n

In today\u2019s automotive world, technology has become a critical differentiator between brands and product segments. Mercedes is determined to retain its lofty perch by loading up products with a wealth of high-tech features.<\/p>\n

Some of these are practical, like the adaptive damping system with air springs at every corner. (The outgoing wagon used them only in the rear.)<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The E 450 All-Terrain offers plenty of room for five in its spacious cabin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The design and layout of the twin IP displays was beautifully executed. And I was particularly impressed by the optional head-up display on my test vehicle. The system uses augmented reality, or AR, to enhance the wagon\u2019s built-in navigation system. As you approach an interaction it makes it easier to spot where you are going. The reconfigurable gauge cluster, meanwhile, pops up a real-time image using a forward-facing camera that precisely flags where to turn.<\/p>\n

Mercedes was one of the first automakers to introduce a programmable infotainment system. It\u2019s tinkered with the user interface over the years, with various approaches using a mix of rotary knobs and touchpads. To my mind, the 2021 model steps back a bit by deleting the knob and opting solely for a touchpad \u2013 though the 12.3-inch display also recognizes touch. It\u2019s just not as easy to do some things, such as zooming in and out on a map.<\/p>\n

The 2021 E-Class gets the automaker\u2019s MBUX technology, an in-car alternative to Amazon\u2019s Alexa voice assistant. The cloud-based system is a definite step up from the old Mercedes voice recognition system but it\u2019s still not the equal of Alexa, Apple\u2019s Siri or Google Home.<\/p>\n

In terms of advanced driver assistance systems, the 2021 All-Terrain introduces plenty of useful features, Mercedes notes, including \u201cExit Warning Assist, extended restart functionality in stop-and-go traffic, and End-of-Traffic-Jam Assist, which works in tandem with LiveTraffic to recognize and respond to traffic jams and slow-moving traffic even before the driver becomes aware of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2021<\/a>
The Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain rides on 19-inch, five spoke wheels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Drive Impressions<\/h3>\n

Spending a week with a vehicle like the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic All-Terrain reveals a lot of things you just can\u2019t learn in a day or two. Now, take yourself on a long ride through rapidly changing weather conditions and you get a truly intimate feel. So it was by the time I was ready \u2014 reluctantly \u2014 to turn back the keys to this wagon.<\/p>\n

While not as tomb-quiet as, say, a Lexus, there was only a moderate amount of road and wind noise during the drive up north at speeds averaging in excess of 70 mph. And that vanished once we fired up the Burmeister audio system.<\/p>\n

The new engine proved both satisfyingly quick, with plenty of power to execute passes, yet it was unexpectedly fuel efficient. The downside, of course, is the need for premium fuel.<\/p>\n

The new air spring suspension soaked up most bumps, though the system could occasionally get a wee bit disturbed running across the sort of deeply potholed roads we suffer with at the end of every Michigan winter. Steering was precise and predictable. And, on the whole, the All-Terrain proved itself a delightful long-distance cruiser.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wrap Up<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s been decades since wagons caught the fancy of the American motoring public. These days, it\u2019s all about SUVs and CUVs. Mercedes itself has plenty to offer. But for those who aren\u2019t addicted to following the latest trend, there are alternatives. And the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain is a great one.<\/p>\n

It retains many of the key visual attributes of the new E-Class sedan while adding a bit more ride height and, if that\u2019s what tickles your fancy, some SUV-like cladding. It\u2019s got great interior space and a huge cargo compartment. It\u2019s also loaded up with all the latest technologies.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t come cheap. The 2021 All-Terrain starts at $67,600 \u2013 before delivery fees. Our test vehicle jumped to $82,760 after loading on options like the augmented reality display, 19-inch five-spoke wheels, panoramic route and massaging seats. If you can make it fit into your budget, though, it was worth every penny.<\/p>\n

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\"2021<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"2021<\/a><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In today\u2019s SUV-crazed market, it\u2019s almost an afterthought but, for those familiar with its virtues, few vehicles are as versatile and capable as a wagon \u2014\u00a0in this case, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4Matic All-Terrain. Check out our review about one of the segment leaders at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":162800,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tags":[],"category_reviews":[27,19,31],"make":[85],"post-state":[335],"category_old":[166,286,150,151,123,287,131,289,316,163,132,196,130,284,125,120,137,139,148,290,291,278,288],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews\/162674"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reviews"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162674"},{"taxonomy":"category_reviews","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_reviews?post=162674"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=162674"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=162674"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=162674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}