When a Subaru Just Isn't Snazzy Enough | 2021 Mercedes Benz E450 All Terrain
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- Although Subaru popularized the off-road wagon in America, Europeans have been taking unlikely vehicles off the beaten path for ages. Mercedes on the other hand was a little late to the party launching their first SUV in 1997 and their first "rough roader" station wagon for 2021: the Mercedes E450 All-Terrain.
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The one automotive UA-camr that gets it: amber turn signals forever!
I hate when they just reuse the break light. Unless they do something cool like the mustang turn signal.
Facts
booooo
good luck fixing that "break" in your light... let's give the english language a brake...
@@nc3826 Watch out now, comments calling you a "grammar nazi" incoming. lol
I have a Mercedes with the LED front lights that dance when you turn on the car. The high beam turning on with their show makes all the repairs worth it. 😂
For the price of an E450 with no spare tire, you can get an Outback...with a spare Outback.
That black thing on the Subaru roof is just so ugly ! And you can’t remove it. I have come close to buying a Subaru twice - I just can’t get past that roof thingy... ugh
@@Yo_mama_wears_combat-boots Huh, funny you said that because Subaru folding roof rack system is one of the main reasons why I'd buy an Outback.
@@Yo_mama_wears_combat-boots if you don’t appreciate their genius roof rack, an outback isn’t for you.
Lmaooo.
Between the garbage transmission and windshield, you'll need that spare outback for parts!
I've always had a love of sporty wagons.
I would much prefer the regular e-class wagon over the all terrain version.
This is the regular wagon, it just has a appearance package
@@james2042 nah it has some cladding on it and rides a little higher. Live in Sweden and see both all the time and the regular wagon looks classier. But the volvo v90 cc looks better than the regular v90
@@antonioakiki3716 In america we don't get the regular wagon because americans are overly obsessed with rugged offroaders despite most of them not ever leaving pavement. Theres a reason only 2 of the 9 jeep wrangler trims even come stock with offroad tires
I prefer an SUV because they offer little to no compromise over station wagons.
@@james2042 One thing that is true, to note, is that the models sold in the European market don't come with the third-row, rear-facing seat.
Most extensive and detailed car reviews on UA-cam!
This is my perfect car! Never wanted a SUV
jump seats are dope
5.8" and it is "all terrain"?! Marketing at it's finest.
Looks good. This is what most people need instead of giant gas guzzlers.
When neither are right = Audi A6 Allroad
Alex, According to the theory of "Trickle Down Fashionomics" rich people can make #wagons fashionable and popular again! We start with the out-of-reach Mercedes wagon , pass through Country Squire/ Vista Cruiser/Colony Park phase and end up with Corolla/Civic wagon. Lastly, those rear facing, 3rd row seats surely merit a 11/10 T.C.I. score. :-) #SaveTheWagon #SaveSideWall
Trickle down economics and it's derivatives do not work in practice. They merely exist to serve as propaganda from rich people to convince the working class that the extreme wealth inequality is 'fine'.
There is a Corolla wagon called the Touring Sports. It comes with a 1.2T or one of two available hybrid drivetrains. Except it's not for North America. They are quite popular in Europe. Maybe petition Toyota to sell them in NA.
@@rightlanehog3151
Ah, didn't realize that lol
@@NickMusB A slightly different Corolla wagon is also sold in Japan. There it comes with the 1.2 Turbo or 1.8 Hybrid including an AWD Hybrid. I petition Toyota every chance I get to bring it here. @SaveTheWagon
@@CrazyWeeMonkey ;-)
Alex, the comprehensiveness of your auto review presentations never fails to amaze! Well done!
Probably the only YT car reviewers who knows what they're talking about.
@Judah Richardson +1 .. Agreed. Its a small gene pool of YT presenters whom truly know their stuff. . .
Love those tests where you sit in the trunk and the views that come with ‘em. 😊
Thank you for this thorough review. My 13 year old E350 4 magic wagon is getting ready for replacement. Glad they have kept the formula the same... powerful engine, great handling, confident braking, versatile cargo room and comfy ride.
what issues have you had over 13+ years (how many miles)? thinking of getting used E450 but worried maintenance will kill me. thanks
My dad drives a 2014 E350 wagon and absolutely loves it. I love the GLE, but would have a tough time picking it over the E450 morally. We love the low roof and low load floor, and the low seating position. What an amazing vehicle. My dad doesn't plan on getting a new one any time soon, but I am subtly trying to convince him to get a new 2021 All Terrain. I also love the A6. I would give the Volvo a shot too but don't love the infortianment and would be a bit worried about ride quality. We also don't go off road except to get to hiking and biking trail heads, so we don't need any more ground clearence than the E450.
The E450 is definitely the thinking man's GLE. The GLE has somewhat better proportions and higher ground clearance but that's about it.
I just bought an E450 w2023 wagon. It just came off the factory floor and is being shipped this month. I am so glad I chose the wagon over the SUV. In a sea of SUVs it’s nice to see the wagon making a comeback. My complaints are minimal: would have preferred a spare tire, would have requested actual buttons on steering wheel and would have requested the c class wagon be available for sale in the US. 😅
@@TheAyurvedic Great choice. I have the 2022 All-Terrain, and it is certainly a joy to drive. And in pure highway trips, the mileage at 32-35mpg, is econo-car territory.
@@TheAyurvedic +1.. Agreed with both complaints; The capacitive buttons (steering wheel) Shame on MBAG.. MB knew better ... We ditched the Run Flat tires before delivery for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires coupled with an aftermarket tire compressor combination tire sealant gismo .. @ AirMan ResQ Pro+ Tire Repair Kit $62.00 ..Consumer Reports recommended.. @ Amazon and elsewhere .. The Run Flats are shit 5K miles into there life ...
@@ak4939 just pick up my beauty yesterday. She’s a joy to drive. I’m very glad I made this choice.
I wish there are more affordable wagon vehicles like Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Kia Stinger. Regards.
Let’s not forget the Mazda 6. It exists. They just need to bring here! 😔
Too bad the Opel-based Buick Regal is off the market now
@@Sanpedranoazul - it’s a good looking car too!
Luckily Europe gets the C-class wagon. I currently own my second C-class wagon (2013 model) :)
There is a Kia Stinger wagon?
29:28 "Most insane station wagon" would certainly include the RS6 Avant too. Seems odd that it was never brought up, even at the very end. The E63S and the RS6 are direct competitors.
Because he’s reviewing a Merc and not an Audi! If he was doing the Audi, he would be comparing the RS6, likely.
The RS6 got smoked by the AMG in MT's comparo.
E63 is the insane wagon compare to the tamer RS6
@@patrickt3632 .. The performance wagons Merc E63s and Audi RS6 are birds of a feather... Two rarer station wagons I can't recall.. If I had the choice for a daily driver,,, this 2023 Mercedes E-450 wagon owner would choose the Audi RS6 wagon in a heart beat... Neither of these two killer $145,000 USD wagons are going to the track .... Autobahn O yeah,,, Track? not so much. .. Cheers, M/S
I get the desire to have a German badge but I still love the Outback - similar performance, more ground clearance, better mileage, much improved reliability and of course price.
I don't see how performance is "similar" the e450 makes about 100 more hp than the Subaru xt. This car is basically made for ski trips. Having driven many times to the ski resort with a car with about 250 hp it just feels so weak when trying to pass. An outback is a fine car but if I am going to spend 4-8 hours in the car I think I'll pick the e450. I want the luxury, and the passing power.
German badges generally AREN'T worth it imo.
@@iluvcakes19 It's an frivolous and excessive thing. It doesn't make sense compared to other options. You do it because you want it. If you don't care an outback will make you very happy.
@@memememine1 I see nothing but facts here
@@iluvcakes19 I would completely agree from my experience. Fun to drive when new BUT huge depreciation, poor reliability and ridiculously expensive to fix!
I remember my Volvo XC70s which had brilliant 3rd row seats, a spare wheel underneath. For occasional 3rd row use, it was brilliant as, a full SUV (XC90) was not required, yet the XC70 performed well in daily use.
Whilst the E450 is good, a big issue is the touch controls and the centre console pad. I prefer a separate remote control for passengers/separate use.
Missing feature that I love the most from Mercedes wagon is the rear facing 3rd row. I love how kids wave at me while driving behind them!
What a lot of people don`t seem to understand about these cars (E450 all terrain, A6 Allroad) is that these are purchased by some of the wealthiest customer for their respective brands.
Our 2018 Regal TourX 2.0T with 295 lb-ft of torque and torque vectoring AWD could see 35 mpg at 65 mph. But routinely saw over 40 mpg and low 30's in the city.
Buick should have keep the Regal Sportback and TourX in there lineup!
I have not seen more than 32mpg with my 2018 TourX. That is good for such a large car. The 2.0 turbo is plenty powerful.
I test drove a TourX, nice, but too low. They should have kept it and compete with Subaru, but it’s an Opel.
@@chien-shengtsai8626 it is actually higher than the Regal Sportback 2.0T. The doors open wide enough even at 6-foot I never had problems. Nor did rear seat passengers that were tall as they said they would have normally hot their head in this height of car.
Absolutely love wagons and the E450. Love the neat touches for cargo and the suicide seats in the back. Reminds me of my youth in a Taurus Wagon. Dislike the touch capacitive buttons on the steering wheel and the shiny black plastic on the aheel looks cheap in my opinion. The wood looks great but would be upset the shade doesnt match. Wish there were more affordable options beside Subaru
What model year was the Ford Taurus wagon you rode in as a kid?
@@PKMNFan4664 +1 ... A 1986 blue metallic Taurus wagon .. Ordered new.
@@michaelschneider- I'm much younger than you, but my grandma's 1999 Ford Taurus was standard fare for me to ride in as a kid. (I was born in 2000)
I love wagons, and strongly prefer them to SUVs; better handling and better use of space.
MB should be selling as many of these as GLEs. Dream Family Vehicle! I wish you could get this with no run flats and a spare tire as an option!
I agree, and frankly no plastic cladding. I bought a 2019 new in 2020 to avoid the plastic. Ick. I plan on replacing the run flats with regular tires. I've only had to change one tire in the last 200,000 miles. (a few quick trips to tire places when the sensor caught something...)
Don’t call it a comeback, the Subaru Outback never left yeah uh! 😎👍🔥
Imma go to the Outback. I really doubt anyone who can afford this will use it like its marketed towards.
Same as g wagon
Like most SUVs with 4W/AWD...
many city streets are pretty much "all terrain," so a spare tire is a must. nothing worse than going on a short weekend getaway, having a blowout, and then having to spend your weekend getaway... shopping for a replacement tire, hoping one can be found. fun weekend, huh? Murphy's Law
I live in the USA. In Feb of 2020, I opted to factory order the Volvo V90 Inscription T6 AWD (lowered non-R version, and not the lifted Cross Country version). For 2022, only Volvo's lifted V90 Cross Country is offered. I had seriously considered the 2020 MB E450 Estate Wagon (non-lifted, "luxury" version), and would have purchased it (even though the cost was in excess of $20K over the V90). However, I elected to not buy the E450 because, in my wife's and my case (we both have surgically repaired backs), its top-of-the-line seats were uncomfortable during our 125 miles long-distance test drive. Simply stated, at least for us, the V90's front seats were extremely comfortable and supportive. For 2021, MB opted to just sell their "All-Road", lifted and plastic body clad model in the USA, which I personally find to be very similar to the Subaru Outback, unfortunately. In my view, the body cladding cheapens the look of the E450 Estate.
More👏🏾! Wagons👏🏾!
I do enjoy the Mercedes inline 6 verses the other wagons. The Mercedes is just more refined
20K IN OPTIONAL EXTRAS. WHAT THE F!?!?!?!?
Gotta love the German way of emptying your wallet
All German luxury cars are like that. They charge for features that should be standard, and are on a Lexus or Genesis.
Before buying my 2020 E450 wagon I cross shopped it with the Volvo V90 and Audi Allroad A6. Despite your presentation of cargo space being close between them I disagree. I have two Greyhounds so need lots of space. The V90 had the least due to the heavily sloped roof and the 4 cylinder engine was pathetic due to the weight of their wagon. It made tons of noise but never went anywhere and it was around $63K. I loved the drive and performance of the Allroad but the cargo space was significantly less than the E450. The rear seat doesn't fold flat consuming more of the limited cargo space so I ruled that out. The E450 has fantastic performance and fuel mileage on the highway. The stock seats are super comfortable and surprisingly, it has been very reliable.
Great review of the All Terrain and its capabilities less the cargo space.
Good counterpoints. There are some things you find out only when you're actually in the market vs. speaking hypothetically.
This reminds me of a buick regal tourX
From the same market. So yeah.
But the TourX could be had fully loaded for way under $40K. Mine was $34k. And it’s from Germany as well.
wow 12 seconds lol, never been that early before. Looove your vids!
They really should make the C class wagon available in North America. $70K+ is a lot
c class wagon is available in Canada, IIRC. But Canadians dont have e wagon
I appraise the MB for keeping the wagon format ! Still, Subaru Outback wins my heart as a bit modest but effective all-road capacity. The money left (difference in MB and Subaru price) I spend for my daughter's denistr studies:)
Shut up! Poor man!
Although I have always liked Mercedes, to answer the question as to the car that I would buy would be a Toyota Sienna. “Gasp!” One respond to my idiotic comment, but hear my reasons: 1) nearly twice the fuel economy, 2) more carrying and passenger capacity, 3) reliability, 4) humility (something lacking in our politicised society), and 5) cost, for a fully loaded Sienna is almost half the price of a well equipped E450 and has similar ground clearance. Great video as always!
I would say it's more like a luxury Golf Alltrack
We also have the A4 Allroad..( as well as the A6)
And if those aren't "snazzy enough", there's always the RS6.
Audi RS-6 Avant is the ultimate wagon, forget the Benz
outback is a many things, snazzy isnt one of them
Yeah I can't get myself to like them. The styling is beyond lame and the quickest is 5.9s to 60, which is pretty slow for cars of that size nowadays.
I would rather get the buick regal tourx but unfortunately it is cancelled.
I love my TourX. So glad I bought one before it was discontinued. Not many were sold here so I have never seen another one on the road. Americans hate wagons. Not me. I LOVE them and would never buy an SUV, CUV or “crossover”.
This is def worth the extra coin over the Subaru Outback.
Also, an added comment on the 5.7" of Ground clearance quoted by Mercedes. The 5.7" of Ground clearance is at MAX Load (the available ground clearance when *1400 lbs of payload is added* to the Mercedes All-Terrain), as per Mercedes' published stats. The higher ground clearance quoted by several others is what's available when the vehicle is unloaded. 2 entirely different yard-sticks !
I suspect using the same yardstick as all others (ground clearance when the vehicle is unloaded), the Mercedes' ground clearance is *at least* an inch higher......not great at around 7", but certainly higher than the quoted 5.7" which is a worst case number. Typical German understatement.
Such a great package... Good looking and very luxurious and good performance... The drawbacks? Too expensive... Too bad no one will buy this
This will be a sales winner. I mean for what it is.
I hope it does, but Karens will buy SUV's instead.
Nice views Alex! 😊
Hi Alex, I remember the Dual, Center-facing Rear Seats in the Ford Country Squire. My favorite was the Rear-facing Bench Seat in the Chevrolet Kingwood.
You might have also mentioned the Audi RS 6.
I know...THE wagon!
I would never take this anywhere off-road, whereas the Outback will eat up gnarly mountains roads AND get you back out.
After living with a new e63 wagon for over 5 years, i don't think i'll ever touch another Mercedes product, terrible quality.
Can you explain the issues u ran in to? I think we would be interested to hear your take cause most reviewers never live with the car but seeing how u had it for 5 years
Yesss not trying to doubt your experience, just wondering what it consisted of.
The car itself had issues with the aux battery draining, transmission slip at low speed, and long periods of noisy suspension adjustments when turning the car off. As for ownership experience, Mercedes didn't cover a single issue with the extended warranty. Mercedes also doesn't seem to produce replacement parts for their vehicles. I had to wait 3 months for a bumper to come of a wreck to fix the parking sensor mount.
@@dennismcdonnell4613 ouch! Well it's terrible that anyone would have to experience such nonsensical bs, but I hope your next car leaves you satisfied and has more dependability no matter the choice you make! Hope you're additionally having a great day!
@@dennismcdonnell4613 that is crazy but thank for sharing your experience with us its a shame but I agree I love Germans cars I find them fascinating from an engineering stand point but their reliability leaves a lot to desire
I'd say the buyers' average motorway speeds will influence the decision.
In EU, some countries can do 140km/h (86miles per hour) and at these speeds SUVs take a lot of fuel and are louder.
Every time I am in the verge of buying a new luxury car - I go look at documentaries of Venezuela and the poor of India and Africa and Asia and then the new car fever subsides.
the heads up display has “three quadrants”
The rear facing would be great for a nights out downtown with 7 people!
I always thought the Allroad was the Luxury Outback
I think of Audi as luxury Subaru. That’s part of the reason I moved from an outback to an Audi.
where is cat 😢
Because wealth signalling is a large factor for American luxury car buyers, "practical luxury" is a knife-edge proposition that seems unlikely to do well outside of a small niche. If this were not the case, Lexus etc might have crushed the German brands by now. A wagon screams "practical", not "look at me" or "look out for me", and buyers who want to remain lower key or who care about fuel economy might be buying the top trim Subie, Camry hybrid or Accord hybrid.
Looks like the 3rd row is more iconic than function. Glad Alex stop mention mother-in-law in the 3rd row joke. haha
Cool wagon I usually look at Volvo Audi wagons but this looks decent too
I wish I had leased the remining 19 and 20 regular wagon, didn't think they will vanish this fast. Nothing wrong with this and I own a V60 CC just those standard wagons with AMG package are lookers.
One thing that surprised me was how little brake dive the vehicle has. Likely due to lower center of gravity with the boxer engine.
Non boxer designs may have to compromise ride/handling much more to have higher ground clearance.
The Mercedes has an inline 6-cyl engine, longitudinally mounted. Not a boxer engine.
This has to be one Mersades' better looking vehicle.
This is easily the nicest car I've seen you review. Except for the price of course, ouch.
The Merc for sure!
Don't be fooled by its name, its ground clearance is only 5.7 inches, which is compared to KIA sedona minivan's 6.5 inches? ground clearance.
5.7 inch barely clears some low sidewalk curbs and 5.7 inch will scrape the front bumper soon or later if you ever think about take this to gravel road. GIVE it a 6.5 inches to be a 'All Terrain' name badget.
Audi A4 All road - 6.5 inches
Tesla model Y - 6.6 inches.
Subaru Crosstreck, Outback - 8.5 inches or more.
Buick regal regal tour x - 5.8 inches. .....
@Alex on Autos are you aware the RS6 is available in the US?
I would go for the rs6 Avante V10 twin turbo.
The rs6 is almost 3times more expensive than this mercedes
@@alanmay7929 the European only one. 2008-2011 V10 biturbo.
@@kevinW826 people needs more affordable awd wagons and subaru is doing fantastic with their own.
@@alanmay7929 sadly people are buying into the whole “suv is better because...”. mentality. And they are getting raped over the finance costs and the stupid “trade in your vehicle in three years for...” when they still owe 4 more years of payments. Best to buy used.
I hate the high price of all of these wagons (V90, A6 Allroad, and E450 A/T). I have an XC90 and love it’s practicality; more rear seat room, more ground clearance, more trunk space, seven seater (real seats).......but damn the V90 is a great looking vehicle! Just picked up one for my wife a few months ago and I drive it on my days off, it drives great, makes the SUV feel bloated.
-What were we talking about again? The E450 A/T? That is so much uglier than the sedan, the rear hatch reminds me of melting ice cream.
Alex, you gotta get your hands on the All Terrain 4x4^2! Think it even has portal axles like the G Wagen.
Seriously though why hasnt subaru made a luxury division? Their company is growing something fierce so why not?
My dream car is an awd Toyota Camry wagon.
Exceptional review ... I wish all videos are as detailed as yours. Keep it up. Subscribing
Excellent video.
These are the exact three cars I've been trying to compare.
Curious what you think of the 2022 Volvo now that the B6 "Mild Hybrid" is now the only power plant available.
I really want to know among the A6 Allroad, E450 All Terrain and V90 CC which has the best massage seats.
Nice luxury but too expensive for a badge car. Give me an Outback instead and I will leave that one for peoples who don’t mind spending too much money for showing to the neighbors
Looks great
When have subarus ever been snazzy . In the uk they are rarer then rocking house shit .
I like it but there's a bit too much chrome for my preference
Since wagons are so rarely sold in the USA there is no PHEV version on the market in this segment the way offered in Europe which is a pitty. The small Volvo V60 PHEV Polestar edition is a sport wagon with very low ground clearance which to buy one needs to order it from Europe. And since offen off-road is in the mountains a PHEV is always a must. Even this E class wagon is too expensive for not so rich folks it still delivers a decent fuel economy which is a plus. Having to drive in the city traffic I belive a mild hybrid is not enough: it should be at least a full fledged parallel hybrid. Besides, a high profile tire version should be offered from the factory if is to be claimed as an "off-roader" even a mild one. Thus one can see this is a suburban jungle "off-roader".
T8 Volvo V90 CC When?
How can those manufacturers sell such expensive awd wagons when people are willing to stop buying suvs?
What a gorgeous interior, shame they threw so many distracting screens on it instead of designing a nice gauge cluster
I want the one appolstry choice I can't seem to get cloth seats.
This is my favorite review - ever. I love wagons... the price is ri-gosh-darn -diculous. Really an amazing review and comparison. P.s. you look great with/ without your glasses. Why are wagons soooooo expensive? Most people don’t want them..
You think you're gonna get a sport luxury midsize wagon that does 0-60 in 4.4s with an air suspension for $40K?
Interesting review. Usually Alex’s reviews are accurate but I have to disagree on this one. I test drove an E450 all terrain with the 19 inch runflats. The ride was harsh and the suspension was not well sorted out at all. The car felt floaty in comfort mode yet crashed over potholes and in sport, the ride was harsh. I blame the runflats. The car also felt very heavy with no steering feel and lots of turbo lag. I was quite disappointed because I wanted to order one. MBUX also felt needlessly complicated with lots of small icons on the dual screens. The seats were nice but not as padded or as wide or as comfortable as Volvo’s seats in the V90 Cc. Test drove a V90 CC which felt smoother, lighter and easier to drive. Ordered the Volvo. The T6 engine is barely OK but overall the Volvo felt a lot more comfortable and user-friendly to me for a family car. I am used to firm-riding cars like my 2018 911 and I want to point that out as a frame of reference.
Yeah when he said the ride quality was great with runflats I was like 😕😕😕
I get what this wagon is about, but the minute I am thinking of going out in the woods I get scared scratching this Benz. I wouldn't be thrilled scratching any car, but an expensive Benz, not very likely. The Subaru owns the out and about out doors activity. This car is more like a classy Soccer tail gate car to show off in. The Volvo is another one too I like but still the Subaru doesn't make me nervous as it is not a hyper expensive car I never want o get dirty off the pavement. For Class, the Benz is the winner, but for the outdoors lets get dirty, Subaru is King. The Volvo for me is kind of like the Benz, never really want to get that off the road even if I could. If I want luxury, I will get something for myself, and have an Outback for off the road on the trail bringing family or friends.
Who else came here to see the red Estate as shown on the thumbnails?? ✌🏾
I would not call this a off road vehicle. I’m sure winter driving through half foot of snow is indeed a pleasure though.
Aside from the big issue of reliability which you seem to gloss over (and I understand your excitement), who puts a cell phone charger inside the same area for your sugary drinks? It also seem as if one would have to remove the cups to get to the phone?
5:55 - I thought the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo was the fastest wagon sold in America?
Fastest? Maybe, but the AMG smoked it in a drag race.
The folks here attempting to compare the E450 All Terrain to the Outback are smoking some bad weed.
Looks like a CLA from the front
they should just bring th shooting brake version over to the States
Spending that kind of money on a stationwagon, what a waste of dough.
Audi A4 allroad!
I am wagon man, I like that type of body style.
I am surprised there is no AWD Camry station wagon.
Doug Demuro’s next car!
E450 wagon; for me is just the RWD bias that is more appealing.