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2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon is a luxury haulerback hero

Benz's latest E-Class wagon is posh, quick and aimed at the discerning.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
1 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

About one out of every two E-Classes sold in Germany is a wagon, but in the US, they're much less common.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
2 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Auto-leveling air suspension is standard, and helps when you load down the rear end with kids and cargo. It can also firm up for sportier driving.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
3 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

The author thinks the wagon looks better than the sedan from this rear three-quarter vantage. How about you?

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
4 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Note the stereo camera at the top dead center of the windshield. It's the key to much of the E400's semi-autonomous capabilities.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
5 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

A wide hatch and a low floor makes loading objects easier than in most crossovers and SUVs.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
6 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

If there's a more luxurious or tech-forward interior in the midsize luxury segment, we don't know about it.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
7 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Fit and finish are excellent, as is the range of available interior seat and trim colors and materials.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
8 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

While these are not sport seats, they're plenty supportive for 99 percent of driving.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
9 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

One of two 12.3-inch widescreen displays, this one is used as a configurable gauge cluster.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
10 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Here's the bird's-eye view from the navigation system. If you get in closer, you'll see building outlines in cities and a lot more detail.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
11 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Having such a wide center display enables a significant amount of on-screen real estate to two totally different functions. In this case, that's the navigation map and what's playing on the stereo.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
12 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

This front end, with its large air intakes and pie-plate-size Mercedes star emblem in the grille is the Sport trim. Also available is the Luxury trim, which features a traditional hood ornament and a more conventional radiator grille insert.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
13 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

245/35 R20-size Pirelli P Zero tires would be oversized and overkill for the Autobahn-free US, so expect smaller all-season tires as standard equipment.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
14 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
15 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Look closely and you'll see some of the "stardust" detailing inside of the taillight lens. It shows up best when illuminated at night.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
16 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
17 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
18 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
19 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
20 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Turn-signal repeaters are nicely integrated into the side mirrors.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
21 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
22 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
23 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
24 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
25 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
26 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
27 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
28 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
29 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
30 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
31 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

Prince-spec purple not for you? There are 63 other interior lighting colors to choose from.

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
32 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
33 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
34 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
35 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
36 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
37 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
38 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
39 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon
40 of 40 Chris Paukert/Roadshow

2017 Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon

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