Space, as Einstein or somebody like him once said, is relative. I know people (no names, of course) who could fill a pantechnicon with clothes they "need" for a three-day break.
Me? I'm so sparing in what I take anywhere that I'll settle for an out-sized matchbox to carry my few essentials, so you might as well get two things straight about this new Mercedes E-Class estate. One: it's huge in the true sense of the word (4.895m long). The second: I don't know too many people who really need that much room.
And you pay the penalty for the extra with a car that might, for some, be far too long, big and awkward to park. Thank heavens I had the "parking assistant" in my test car. Just to give you an idea of how large it feels (it is also 1.85m wide and 1.47m high), I can tell you I got out of a Land Rover Discovery (a fair old mountain in itself) and felt I had got into something bigger.
But hey, don't let me put you off. If you have a zillion children and they have a friend each and they all want to use your new E-Class as a playschool, then this is the car for you.
I exaggerate (a little), of course. The E-Class estate has always flaunted its size, claiming to be the largest estate on the market. It's a title that will not be easily conceded.
Merc has done tremendous work to the interior but there is no doubt in my mind, after 850m or so, that such length noticeably affects handling and ride, despite a selective damping system that is supposed to make it smooth and sporty.
This is no BMW 5 Series Touring, a car whose maker managed to keep taut and tight. Neither has it the top-of-class mix of comfort and zip you get in a Volvo X70.
No, this is a big, comfy executive that rolls along at an amiable pace and makes you feel like one big happy family. Well... perhaps not quite that easygoing. The engine had real bite and a quick look at the 0-100km/h figure (7.8sec) shows how sharp and biting it can be.
In the main, however, this is a big tourer for well-to-do families. The luggage area is huge and has so many combinations of seat-drops and fold-flats, I'll take their word for it.
You are looked after rather well.
Certainly, the driver gets the best of what is going: a big, strong, comfortable seat (mine had lumbar support adjustment, which was most welcome) and back-seat passengers have huge leg-room.
There are several small storage areas -- like the one under the front passenger seat -- that are just a notch above average. The one I mentioned was great for a purse or small handbag.
Estates are not normally my cup of tea; never have been, but they have evolved and have more going for them now than ever.
EVERYTHING STREAMLINED
The so-called "demise" of the SUV is one reason. The latter virtually wiped out the estate at the height of the boom. Heavens, they'd laugh you off the posh road back then if you were seen with anything other than the latest over-muscled SUV. I mean, who needed all that 4x4 power and its attendant fuel-soaking capability? A smart estate with two-wheel drive and far more space makes a much stronger case these days.
Especially when you have a car whose engine, aerodynamics, tyres, mirrors - the works - have been streamlined to cut fuel consumption (that's why they call it Blue EFFICIENCY). And especially when you can order a seat for two in the boot so you have a seven-seater.
Whether or not you need all the space the E-Class provides is another question entirely and one, I feel, that will only be answered on a case-by-case basis. My preference is for the sedan but I can see the practicality of this winning its share of what is - like space - a relatively small market. - Irish Independent