Mercedes-Benz E 400 Estate 2014 Review

Sadly now, with our desire to be in with the in crowd, the Estate (as we'll call it for the purpose of this review) has largely been ignored, and in fact, some manufacturers have even given up on producing one altogether. But there are still Estates to be had, and some of them are very capable indeed.

Now there's bound to be more than a few of you that will look at this and say "But I can't afford a Mercedes", and we should point out that priced below the E 400 on test there is an E-Class Estate offered from $87,400 (plus ORCs), which is only a wee bit more than most high-grade seven-seat SUV variants.

Assuming you do have the coin, the E 400 Estate is well worth a look in, and here's why...

It's far more capable dynamically than even good examples of the SUV kind. The E 400 sits on the road with a feeling of solidity and is well braced by Mercedes' lowered (-15mm) DIRECT CONTROL adaptive sports suspension up front and a combination of multi-link and AIRMATIC electronically regulated dampers at the rear.

This nifty system ensures the E 400 Estate is kept level in spite of the weight placed in the rear, and offers a ride that is reasonably comfortable considering the fitment of 18-inch AMG alloy wheels with 245/40 rubber up front and 265/35 bags at the rear. We did feel the occasional thud from the front wheels over sharp bumps, although Mercedes will happily fit AIRMATIC to all corners of the E 400 for $3990, if this sounds like it may be a bother.

The other reason, particularly in the case of the E 400, that a wagon makes sense is for the flexibility of its performance. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, and driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission, the E 400 Estate proves a smooth and capable performer in almost every way.

Around town, the engine is completely driveable off idle and rarely needs to be worked above 2500rpm to stay with traffic. In most instances, and in Comfort mode, the E 400 Estate pulls away from the lights in second gear, but is prepared to charge a little harder if driven in Sports mode.

It's quite flexible in-gear as well, and although it runs quickly through its ratios in order to save fuel, is seldom caught napping when asked to downshift, and delivers strongly for overtaking, or when sprinting down freeway on-ramps. Mercedes says the E 400 Estate will hit 100km/h in 5.4 seconds, and on test we managed a time of 5.8.

It's a quiet performer, too, and although the V6 lacks some of the mumbo, and aural splendour of the V8, it's not too far behind it in terms of performance in real-world situations – but it is appreciably more efficient.

The ADR combined fuel consumption figure for the E 400 Estate is just 7.6L/100km (that's 3.4 litres less than the V8 managed), which is a considerable feat when you consider it produces output of 245kW and 480Nm. On test, and through a 50:50 mix of city and freeway driving, we managed an average of 9.1L/100km, according to the trip computer.

We had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the electrically-assisted steering, which although fittingly weighted and suitably linear, is a little slow of ratio, and not entirely lucid in its feedback. On the plus side, the steering isn't easily distracted by changes in road camber or surface and returns to centre with appropriate alacrity.

But, what about discerning passengers? After all, this is a prestige car.

Well the good news is that both accommodation and amenity levels are well catered for. The E 400 Estate on test may appear a little dated inside, especially in contrast to the new C-Class released in Europe recently, but is nonetheless spacious and well equipped.

There's plenty of room to stretch out in the second row with legroom being particularly generous. The seating is more supportive than plush, but on long trips is remarkably comfortable. It's a shame then the lid of the under-seat storage bin protrudes into the calves of shorter drivers.

Up back, in that huge covered cargo area is a rear-facing dickie seat for two littlies, taking the total occupant number to seven. The third-row seat folds neatly back beneath the floor when not in use, and is a cinch to fold in and out, with neat clips taking care of the stowage of the three-point seatbelts.

Tech levels are both generous and user-friendly, the soon-to-be-superseded console wheel accessing the expected levels of infotainment and navigation via a 17.8cm fascia-mounted colour screen. In E 400 variants, the audio system is enhanced by Harmon Kardon and a DAB+ digital radio receiver. The sound quality is rich and streams music without interruption via Bluetooth, which also serves to provide crystal-clear phone conversations.

If you can't wait for the all-new E-Class to arrive in 2016 then this updated variant is a very accomplished stopgap. A handsome looking Estate with ample proportions for the family it will happily perform all the tasks you could ask of a wagon, and then some. Perfect for making family road-trip memories.