2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain Wagon Is a Charming Outlier

Once, no American middle-class household was complete without a golden
retriever, a Walkman for each junior Master of the Universe, a swing set gracing
the back lawn, and a station wagon in the garage next to Dad's sedan. In today's digital world, only the dog remains a must-have accessory for the bourgeoisie, and the favorite family hold-all is the three-row SUV. Although the station-wagon segment has shrunk to a niche within a niche, a small bunch of well-to-do nonconformists still like their Allroads, Sport Turismos, and Cross Countrys. Against all odds, however, Mercedes expects an increased take rate for the second-generation E-class All-Terrain. We drove the 2024 E450 4Matic and were smitten by its style and ability.

Even though the All-Terrain feels at home on a variety of challenging surfaces and should be capable of tackling loose gravel and deep snow, don't let the plastic-clad wheel arches, the beefier bumpers, and a bespoke grille fool you: This luxury wagon lacks the serious ground clearance, the steep approach and departure angles, and the fording depth required for serious mud wrestling and rock climbing. Still, this special E-class is not just a pretty pretender. There are underbody protection plates front and rear, and the air suspension can be lowered by 0.6 inch (it lowers automatically above 75 mph) and raised by 0.8 inch (when fully raised, speed is limited to 9 mph).

Would-be off-roaders get a new widget with bespoke graphics and detailed information that's displayed on the optional full-width Superscreen. Available information includes a compass with position details, temperature and elevation readouts, a tire-pressure and temperature gauge, inclination and tilt-angle meters, a suspension-travel pictogram, and a ride-height adjustment button. And there's more, including hill-descent control that can be set at any speed up to 11 mph. The optional 360-degree surround-view camera system includes a so-called "transparent hood." This stitched-together view utilizes an underbody camera that turns straddling rocks and crossing streams into a live in-dash video experience.

Still, the All-Terrain is too precious for the Rubicon Trail, but riding a little higher than the sedan, it will safely take you right to the doorstep of a remote ski lodge in the middle of a snow storm, tow up to 4600 pounds of snowmobiles or trail bikes, and carry 65 cubic feet of prime claret in its luggage compartment. Even the multibeam LED headlights have an off-road mode that compensates for sharp dips and rises while broadening and intensifying the close-range illumination at low speed. There is no change to the familiar E-class air suspension supported by adaptive dampers and a pair of anti-roll bars, but like all E450 models, the All-Terrain gets the stronger Sport brakes with larger-diameter 14.6-inch front and 14.2-inch rear rotors.