Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Review 2025

Large estate cars designed to transport families and all manner of their kit and kaboodle in safe, assured comfort are a dying breed. Few manufacturers now sell them, focusing on SUVs instead for those who demand practicality. Thank goodness that some things don’t change, even when they’re all-new — enter the Mercedes E-Class Estate.

Mercedes can trace the E-Class Estate’s lineage back almost five decades, so it knows how to go about building capacious cargo carriers like few other brands do. One which can rightly challenge that perception is the Volvo V90 — the Swedes were selling their estates long before Mercedes considered something so radical.

As is usually the way with the big three German prestige brands, if one has a good idea, you can be sure the other two are likely to follow. And so they did, evolving into today’s offerings of the due-for-replacement-in-2025 Audi A6 Avant and the more visually challenging angle-fest that is the BMW 5 Series Touring.

They all sound pricey — and they are, but more on that later — so what of the more mainstream-badged large estates? Well, without putting too fine a point on it, you’ve got a choice of just two — and they’re so closely related that from some angles even the most anoraky car nerds struggle to tell the Skoda Superb Estate from its close cousin, the Volkswagen Passat Estate.

That’s your lot, then. Perhaps that paucity of choice for station wagon devotees is why Mercedes offers the E-Class Estate in 25 different variants with combinations of nine trim levels, six hybridised petrol and diesel engines, plus rear and all-wheel drive. The only constant is that each has a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Let’s tackle the engine range first, although it’s important to grasp that they can’t all be paired with each of the trims. Nor do the numerals of the badges correlate with powerplant size in most instances. Think upon them instead as a ranking — the higher the number, the more power on offer. Apart from the most powerful which has the lowest figure. Determining all of this feels a challenge worthy of an honorary doctorate.

Gateway to the range is the Mercedes E200 Estate fitted with a 2.0-litre petrol-electric mild hybrid producing 204PS and 320Nm of torque, sufficient for a 144mph top speed and a 7.8-second 0-62mph time. WLTP Combined cycle economy is 39.2-41.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 154-163g/km.

Sharing that same petrol engine but with a plug-in hybrid system including a larger battery and a more powerful electric motor is the Mercedes E300e Estate. Power and torque swell to 313PS and 550Nm, which shaves the 0-62mph time down to 6.5 seconds but the extra weight blunts the top speed to 141mph. Up to 68 miles of electric-only driving are available, although getting close to the 470.8mpg claim is unlikely. CO2 emissions are a Benefit-in-Kind taxation friendly 14g/km.

Large load swallowers were once synonymous with diesel power — this lore’s celebrated here. A 2.0-litre diesel-electric mild hybrid propels the Mercedes E220d Estate, producing 197PS and 440Nm of torque for a 143mph top speed and a 7.9-second 0-62mph dash. Economy’s rated at 52.3-56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 130-138g/km.

Pairing that diesel engine with the E300e’s plug-in hybrid system results in the Mercedes E300de Estate with an identical power figure to the petrol version and 700Nm of torque, reducing the 0-62mph benchmark to 6.6 seconds while the top speed is 140mph.

Although the E300de’s electric driving range matches the E300e’s its even more frugal as the 565.0mpg and 12-13g/km CO2 figures bear witness.

Punchiest of the mild hybrid diesels is the Mercedes E450d 4Matic Estate, complete with all-wheel drive to help administer its 3.0-litre’s 367PS and 750Nm power and torque outputs. Just 5.0 seconds are needed for the 0-62mph sprint while the top speed’s electronically capped at 155mph. Fuel economy’s quoted at a respectable 42.8-44.8mpg while emissions are 164-171g/km of CO2.

Topping the range in performance terms is the Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ Estate combining a 3.0-litre petrol engine with a beefier plug-in hybrid system, producing up to 612PS and 750Nm, although the powerful figure’s a slightly more sedate 585PS most of the times. An astonishing 3.9 seconds is all that’s required for the 0-62mph time while the governed 155mph top speed can be increased to 168mph if you specify the optional AMG Performance package.

As it’s a PHEV, the AMG E53 Estate can drive up to 61 miles on pure electric power, averaging 256-313mpg with CO2 emissions of 23g/km.

E-Class Estate trim levels essentially fall into three main themes — sportiness, comfort and performance — with increased levels of comfort and technologies as you progress through the line-up.

On the sporty side are Urban Edition, AMG Line, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus, all featuring a large Mercedes logo in the centre of the grille with a single horizontal bar either side, with dozens of tiny logos making up the background resembling stars in a night’s sky.

Comfort-focused models are Exclusive Premium and Exclusive Premium Plus — they’re more traditional in appearance with their Mercedes mascot stood proud on the bonnet.

Performance is catered for by the Mercedes-AMG E53 models in Premium, Night Edition Premium Plus and Edition 1 trims. They also have there Mercedes tri-star set in the centre of the grille, the vanes of which are vertical.

Depending on the model you chose extra cost options include the Refinement package which comprises of adaptive air suspension for a cossetting ride quality and the MBUX Superscreen package with a third touchscreen on the dashboard for the front passenger. A pair of rear-mounted child seats in the boot are no longer offered.

Of course, the boot! Mild hybrid E-Class Estates have a 615-litre capacity with the back seats in use, while the PHEVs’ batteries nibble that down to 460 litres. Fold the bench down so you’re in two-seater mode and those volumes rise to 1830 litres and 1675 litres, respectively.

Aah yes, the price. The Mercedes E-Class Estate opened for orders at the end of 2023 with prices ranging from £57,780 for the E200 AMG Line to £118,110 if you fancy the AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ Edition 1.

The rivals? Audi wants £47,750 for the least-costly A6 Avant, BMW will relieve you of £53,265 for a 5 Series Touring while Volvo will charge £62,280 for a V90, although they are all PHEVs these days.

What of those mainstream alternatives? A more reasonable £39,610 buys you Volkswagen’s Passat Estate in entry-level form while the near facsimile Skoda Superb Estate is positively bargainous — relatively speaking — at £36,995.

Keep this page bookmarked to read our comprehensive full Mercedes E-Class Estate review in the weeks ahead.