Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 Estate

With the latest-generation Mercedes E-Class, the German carmaker is taking a path ahead to the autonomous driving trend by delivering its highly-advanced driver tech that is smart enough to track down roads with precise movements. A quantum leap through the better future of driving thanks to its clever intelligence planted in this sports saloon, if I recalled. So, what if you can get the same driving tech from the saloon while getting some more space in the trunk?

2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

An estate version, to be exact. The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate delivers the same highly-advanced driver tech that is smart enough to track down roads with precise movements, only this time, with the added boot space big enough to load their lifestyles.

It's the same E-Class story inside out but because this is the new estate version, there are new stuff offered on this model such as the new EASY-PACK tailgate that can be opened and closed at the push of a button for better loading and unloading as well as the available KEYLESS-GO with HANDS-FREE ACCESS, which fits very well in various situations like your kid's afterschool football practice, your next grocery shopping, your next trip to the province, or whatever you see fit to this tech-savvy station wagon. Another features you can expect later on is the third, folding bench seat at the back as well as the rear-seat entertainment system that will keep kids staying on that "sweet spot" they've been saving for weeks. Although it's not just made to be a family car, its luxury car status will keep rich men leaving with their "out on a limo" feeling.

Because this is a station wagon version, it has a capacity of 670 to 1820 litres, making it the biggest in its class, courtesy of its 40:20:40 split foldable rear seats with various seating arrangements suitable for various situations.

Like the saloon, the new E-Class Estate features the DRIVE PILOT feature with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC allows the car to handle road types to keep it in the correct distance behind vehicles in front automatically as well as following them at speeds up to 210kph. It even comes with the Remote Parking Pilot feature, Car-to-X  communication, and PRE-SAFE as well, making it technologically ready for tomorrow's world.

Performance-wise, the estate version inherits the same engine choices from the saloon as well as the brand new 3.5L V6 turbo engine for the E400 4MATIC model that produces 333PS of power and 480Nm of torque, while mated to a 9G-TRONIC gearbox and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive. PHEV and an AMG models will follow shortly post-launch. As for dynamics, the new E-Class Estate, inherited the same lighter and stiffer bodywork from the saloon as well as its Direct-Steer system, can track down corners with precise movements and it's a great wagon to take it on the highs and lows of the road, from workdays to day offs.

Should you buy one? The new E-Class Estate starts at 48,665 Euros, which is a pricing that slot between its rivals for its expense, but rest assured that with all that tech-savvy features inherited from the saloon, this station wagon version of the E-Class is here today, ready for tomorrow's roads.

Photo: Daimler AG