Category: Executive 
Price Range: £29,324 to £68,409
Refined, quick and prestigious; excellent new diesels; relatively low fuel consumption and emissions.
Rather conservative, not a sporting drive.
The consummate executive all-rounder, now more fuel-efficient and better value for money.
Expect a high five-star score in the Euro NCAP crash tests.
Aside from all the worthy devices to keep you out of trouble in the first place, the radar-based Mercedes Pre-Safe system includes a degree of automatic braking. It can't intervene completely to prevent a rear-ender, but the driver is prompted to hit the brake pedal, and if there is no response, the car will be automatically slowed to reduce the speed at impact and thus lessen potential damage or injuries.
Seven airbags are standard, with seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, active head restraints, Isofix child seat mounting points and a pop-up bonnet to limit damage to pedestrians.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes E-Class Estate
wrote on 05 10 2007