Test drive: Mercedes-Benz E 220d 4MATIC All-Terrain, fearless off the tarmac

The German brand Mercedes-Benz -incredible as it may seem in the middle of the SUV boom- did not have in its range an estate with an SUV style to compete with its German or Swedish rivals, which did have this type of body with all-wheel drive. But the wait has been worth it with the arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, a variant of the estate E-Class with off-road capabilities and greater ground clearance.

The Highmotor test team took the wheel of the E 220d 4Matic All-Terrain, that is, the diesel version with the two-litre engine and an output of 194 CV, paired with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and the 4Matic all-wheel drive system from the German brand.

Exterior design: elegance and ruggedness go hand in hand

The latest creations from the star brand have an undeniable feature: the elegance of the curved lines that shape vehicles with a lot of personality. The E-Class All-Terrain goes a step further and blends the typical robust SUV design with the elegant lines of this estate, with a very eye-catching result.

At the front the imposing protections on the lower part of the bumper stand out, marking its crossover character. The raised bumper features two side air intakes and contrasting elements to add a 4×4 touch. The grille also stands out, with the brand’s star and two wide, pronounced lines that contribute to the idea of ruggedness; these are not the typical chrome lines seen on other models from the brand.

In the side profile the enormous size of the E-Class All-Terrain stands out; its 4.94 metres in length are no small matter. The next thing that catches the eye are its 19-inch alloy wheels, with dimensions more suited to the road than to the countryside (245/45 R19).

At the rear a huge chrome line outlines the tailgate and the headlights -with LED technology-. In the lower part, crossover features can again be seen, with the black bumper or the various mouldings. The tailgate on our unit is electrically operated, but beware the opening height, especially in enclosed car parks. And as a curious detail, there are two exhaust outlets that are not really outlets (I don’t understand why they didn’t make two real ones).

Interior design: quality Mercedes, with space to spare

When getting on board this E-Class All-Terrain, the first thing that catches the eye is the two huge screens that act as the instrument cluster and the multimedia system. Besides the screens, the finishes stand out, with a dashboard of curved lines and quality in every adjustment and the soft plastics that make up the dashboard. There is only one discordant finish, which is (as already mentioned on other occasions) the glossy black plastic present on the centre console. The predominant sensation is one of space.

The driving position is very low, with seats that hold the body very well and have electric adjustment for almost all settings except longitudinal movement. Visibility is good, except to the rear, with everything at hand, and the central tunnel slightly raised, wrapping around the two front seats.

The sense of space is also noticeable in the rear seats, with enormous room for the feet and head; even three people will travel comfortably. It also has air vents and a 12V socket for charging a device.

Added to this is the sound insulation inside, simply outstanding, and the panoramic sunroof that lets in plenty of light. As for storage, this E-Class has large door pockets, a large compartment in the central tunnel and an enormous glovebox. At the back it adds door pockets and a compartment in the central armrest.

Finally, the boot is enormous, with a capacity of 670 litres; it also has a double floor with plenty of space beneath the cover, space taken up by the spare wheel, which it does not have.

Engine: new 2.0 diesel with a 9-speed gearbox

Although the official name is 220, Mercedes has updated its flagship engine (meeting regulations and being more efficient are the priority), and now reduces its displacement to 2 litres, increasing the output to 194 CV. Another novelty this E-Class debuts is the nine-speed gearbox -torque converter- which always seeks the longest gear to reduce consumption, something that can be felt.

Is a four-cylinder with 194 CV enough? The first thing noticed at the wheel is the smoothness of the engine, more typical of a six-cylinder than of the previous four, and the noise from the engine block has been considerably reduced. In terms of response, it is not a setup that stands out for immediacy, but it responds correctly in terms of performance; however, for those who prefer a more agile response when pressing the pedal, the 350d version is better.

Its 400 Nm of torque comes on around 2,000 rpm but has run out by 3,000, so the usable range is narrow. For travelling with four adults it is adequate but not outstanding; it copes both with overtaking and on motorways, even when loaded.

Another novelty in this Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain is the new 9G-TRONIC automatic gearbox; it is the first nine-speed gearbox with a hydrodynamic torque converter offered in this segment, emphasising efficiency while keeping the engine at the lowest possible revs. In fact the gearbox reserves ninth gear for very specific motorway situations, where we do not demand much power, and at that point consumption is noticeably reduced.

Handling: very comfortable 4×4

If we had to define the behaviour of the E-Class All-Terrain in a single word, without hesitation it would be: comfort. The good interior sound insulation, the air suspension and, in general, the setup of this estate prioritise the comfort of its occupants in any situation and on any road surface.

It has several driving modes: Individual, Sport, Comfort, Eco and Off-Road. These modes adjust the response of the engine/gearbox, steering, suspension firmness or even the operation of the start/stop system. In Eco and Comfort modes the suspension adopts a soft profile, ideal for driving on broken surfaces, while in Sport mode much of the body roll disappears and the car gains in dynamism, though bearing its size in mind.

The behaviour on the motorway stands out, where it is not only comfortable but also stable at high speeds, while on a mountain pass it holds its own without being especially brilliant, though it takes corners correctly.

If we decide to go off the tarmac, with the Off-road mode, the suspension rises whenever we drive below 35 km/h, while the gearbox and traction settings adapt to our route, keeping, for example, long gears on a prolonged descent. It does not have a reduction gear, but the traction system (with good tyres) will surely get us out of more than one bind, with the ground clearance being especially notable.

Consumption

One area where our protagonist surprises is fuel consumption on motorways or main roads, since on our usual route on the motorway between Madrid > Vigo > Madrid the average consumption was 5.3 litres per 100 km. On country roads the figure ranges from 5.5 to 6 litres per 100 km, depending on how careful we are with the accelerator pedal. In town, the figure we obtained on our usual route was 7 litres per 100 km.

Equipment: technology and safety

In terms of equipment, we always start the review with the safety features fitted as standard on all E-Class models: notably the multiple airbags -including a driver’s knee airbag-, drowsiness alert, stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, LED headlights, Pre-Safe Basic, among others. In fact, the E-Class has earned five stars in EuroNCAP tests, with a score of 95% for adult occupant protection and 90% for child occupant protection.

Another feature that stands out on this E-Class is the huge screens for both the instrument cluster and the multimedia system, which are 8 inches as standard but can increase up to 12.3 inches depending on the equipment level. The multimedia system is very complete, with connectivity to any type of smartphone and even apps for checking the weather, for example.

Among the optional extras, the MULTIBEAM LED headlights with 84 LEDs stand out (available in various equipment packs or from 1,300 euros), which offer excellent illumination in corners. It also has the automatic parking system, which lets us move the car from the phone (just a few metres and while standing near the car) or park with assistance without having to accelerate, brake or touch the steering wheel.

Price and personal opinion

The Mercedes E-Class is available from 51,100 euros, while this version with 4Matic all-wheel drive starts at 66,550 euros.

As for my opinion, I must admit that this E-Class All-Terrain pleasantly surprised me, I expected an SUV but its rugged abilities are more typical of a 4×4, thanks to a good traction system. To this we must add outstanding ride comfort, making it a good touring estate that is not afraid of snow or of leaving the tarmac.