Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain launched at Rs 75 lakh; rivals Volvo V90 Cross Country

Station wagons are not a hit in India. Despite the uninspiring track record for such cars, Mercedes-Benz India has decided to test the waters with the E-Class All-Terrain. It will join the party of Volvo V90 Cross Country.

Mercedes-Benz, numero uno premium carmaker in India, has taken an unusual step by launching a station wagon model. Christened as E-Class All-Terrain, the new model has been priced at Rs 75 lakh (ex-showroom).

Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, as the name suggests, is a four-wheel-drive station wagon and further expands the E-class range in the country. The E-Class range currently consists of the standard sedan and powerful AMG version.

Mercedes-Benz revealed the E-Class All-Terrain for the first time in India at the Auto Expo 2018. The station wagon has a stance which is a blend of sedan and an SUV. The front gets SUV-style radiator grille and heavily cladded bumper extends off-roader appeal. The E-Class All-Terrain gets 19-inch alloy wheels, contrast black roof, wraparound LED tail lamps and a beefy rear bumper with a silver diffuser.

Interestingly, the E-Class All-Terrain is based on the standard-wheelbase E-class. For uninitiated, the sedan version of the E-Class selling in India is essentially long-wheelbase sedan. Hence, the E-Class All-Terrain is 116mm shorter in length (at 4,947mm) and has a 158mm shorter wheelbase (at 2,939mm) over the E-Class sedan sold in India.

The E-Class All-Terrain's cabin is similar to the standard E-Class sedan. The station wagon also boasts Comand infotainment system, air suspension, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, electrically operated tailgate and others.

The E-Class All-Terrain is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that is tuned to offer 192bhp at 3800 rpm and 400Nm of torque at 1,600-2,800rpm mated to a 9G-tronic automatic transmission. The vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in 8 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 231kmph.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain will go up against Volvo V90 Cross Country which is priced at Rs 65.31 lakh (ex-showroom). The Volvo offering is powered by a 2.0-litre D5 diesel engine that churns out 235bhp of power and 480Nm of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.