Ditch Crossovers and Buy the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain Wagon Instead

Yes, it's coming to the U.S.
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When Mercedes-Benz first dropped the facelifted E-Class yesterday we mentioned the E 450 All-Terrain. But given its righteousness, we thought it deserved a deeper dive into what makes it special. Because what’s better than a German automaker building its own Subaru Outback? A Mercedes-built Subaru Outback that’ll be sold in the U.S. That’s right.

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Mercedes-Benz

Aside from the more spacious rear end and scuff-ready, black plastic cladding, the All-Terrain sets itself apart from vanilla E-Classes with standard Air Body Control suspension and two off-road driving modes with downhill speed regulation: Offroad and Offroad+. Twenty-inch wheels can be had as an option but if it was our options sheet, we’d stick to the standard 19s for the comfier ride. 

Like the regular E 450, it’s powered by a 3.0-liter, turbocharged straight-six making 362 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque. For the first time in the U.S., an E-Class will get an EQ Boost mild hybrid system good for up to 21 extra hp and 184 pound-feet of additional twist. On the inside, all the luxury and tech that comes in the regular E-Class is all here including Merc’s latest assisted-driving systems, voice-controllable MBUX, and two big 12.3-inch screens masquerading as one. 

Official pricing has yet to be announced but we expect it to start somewhere in the $60,000s just like the Audi A6 Allroad it directly competes with.

So, it’ll go anywhere (within reason), fit an entire family of five-ish and their stuff in superb comfort and luxury, be reasonably fast-yet-efficient, and not cost an arm and a leg to buy. Bonus points if yours is ordered in brown. Do we even need SUVs anymore? 

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Chris Tsui Avatar

Chris Tsui

Reviews Editor

Chris Tsui is The Drive’s Reviews Editor. He oversees the site’s car reviews operation in addition to pitching in on industry news and writing his own evaluations of the latest rides. He lives in Toronto.