2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon first drive: The benchmark

[Suarez™]

Fifty years ago last month the Mercedes-Benz Universal, a station wagon built in Belgium by Benz contractor IMA, debuted. The Universal was based on Mercedes’ 200 D and 230 S fintail sedans and boasted a split rear-seat backrest, a self-leveling rear suspension and an optional third row -- all ahead of their time. Even with those innovations, Benz only sold 2,754 of them, putting a bullet in the poor thing's head after 1968.

Undaunted, Mercedes tried the wagon idea again in 1978, launching the Wagon 123. This time, the idea took: Well over a million E-Class station wagons have been built, and, especially here in the U.S., their blend of elegance and practicality have helped them carve out their own niche. As Benz notes, U.S. E-Class Wagon buyers have among the “most affluent customer profiles of any vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio,” joining the S-Class Coupe as Mercedes-Benz USA’s demographic leader.

So next spring a new E-Class wagon arrives: the E400 4Matic Wagon, based on the E sedan launched six months ago. Mercedes’ 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 powers the wagon, producing 329 hp and 354 lb-ft with the new 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission standard. So is all-wheel drive, as the name implies.

Like the E-Class sedan, the new wagon’s long hood, steep rear window and short overhangs make it look more modern and dynamic than the outgoing car. The higher beltline makes the ’17 look stretched -- it’s also an inch longer and an inch lower overall.

The interior is straight-up E sedan, so fit and finish is among the best in all of automobiledom with rich woods and excellent fit and finish. Where it diverts from the sedan, of course, is the Wagon’s standard third-row folding bench seat -- yup, the E400 seats 7!