2018 Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain
Car Tested: 2018 Mercedes E220d All-Terrain; Road Test No. 997; Test Location: Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. Rs. 94,15,995/-
The E-Class All-Terrain’s trump card isn’t its looks but the added practicality it offers
When the market is saturated with the same bodystyle, a.k.a. sedans and SUVs, it’s always nice to try something new. An estate isn’t a new idea to India, we have had plenty of them in the past, right from Tata Motors and Fiat in the mass market segment to Audi and Volvo in the luxury space and now it’s time for Mercedes-Benz to take a dig at this segment with the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain but will it work?
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The rear of the estate looks rather simple
Exteriors – The Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain looks attractive at the front (thanks to the new grille) as it gets changes to the bumpers with claddings on top of all the wheels (which are big sized at 19-inches, running a low 45 profile). The All-Terrain is still a very long car and doesn’t carry any sort of flamboyance like the Audi RS6 Avant does. In fact, the black treatment running all around the lower section of the car gives it a good balance and helps it hide its girth. The rear gets a scuff plate with fake exhausts too and this isn’t a car which will turn heads.
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The design of the dashboard is shared with the sedan
Interiors – Step inside and the E-Class All-Terrain will remind you of the regular E-Class sedan with the interior being very similar, although darker here. So quality levels are splendid, there are plenty of features too but the instrument cluster feels too basic in these times of fully digital units that its rivals offer. Another glaring omission is the lack of touch inputs for the COMMAND infotainment screen which is otherwise a well designed unit with rich colours and plenty of things to fiddle around with (we absolutely love the Ambient lighting). But you don’t feel you are in an All-Terrain as the seating position is the same as the regular E-Class.
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The rear seats offer lesser space than the E sedan
The attention to detail reminds you as to why a Mercedes is a Mercedes
The Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain is based on the regular E-Class, not the long wheel base version that is exclusively sold in India in right hand drive guise. Thus, it’s not as spacious in the rear although space is decent enough for two passengers. The rear seat misses out on the recline function and we definitely missed the soft pillows on the rear headrests. Where this E-Class shines though is the boot as there is plenty of space, even below the floor where you can stuff in knick-knacks. Disappointingly, there is no spare wheel (at least on our test car) and Mercedes is likely to put it on top in the boot floor, thereby robbing practicality of the boot (you can also fold the rear seats with a touch of a button). This car gets a powered tail-gate, a feature that even the flagship S-Class lacks!
