Used Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate 2010-2016 review

Few cars tick as many boxes as the Mercedes E-Class Estate. Space for five people, their luggage, and more? Check. A seven-seat option? Check. A cosseting interior built so solidly it seems it’ll never fall apart? Check. Lots of equipment, with even more available as an optional extra? Check.

It’s no surprise, then, that the E-Class has become the large estate of choice in recent years. And, while the latest model is deservedly popular, the version made from 2010-2016 is one of the best regarded in the model’s history.

Granted, with the exception of the blisteringly fast E63 AMG version, the E-Class Estate was never as overtly sporting as some of its rivals and lacked the outright sharpness and involvement of the BMW 5 Series Touring and Jaguar XF Sportbrake. But in terms of practicality it beat them hands down, with a larger boot and that extra row of seats, the latter an option none of its rivals could match.

What was more, it was fantastically smooth to drive. Avoid cars equipped with large wheels, and a 2010-2016 E-Class Estate will waft you from place to place in utmost comfort.

Of course, such impressive credentials don’t come cheap. An E-Class Estate will cost you more to buy than the equivalent Audi A6 Avant, not to mention less prestigious large estate options such as the Skoda Superb and Ford Mondeo.

There are a couple of chinks in its armour, too; while most E-Classes of this generation are paragons of tranquility, the effect is spoiled rather in versions equipped with the 2.1-litre diesel, which generates quite a bit of engine noise. And you might find yourself growing less calm if you have to spend any time operating the central sat-nav and entertainment display, which is convoluted to use.

No car is perfect, of course, but if you’re in the market for a used estate car and you can stretch to a good example, the 2010-2016 Mercedes E-Class Estate should be on your list.

The cheapest 2010-2016 Mercedes E-Class Estates can be bought for around £8000, but for that you’ll end up with a very high-mileage car, possibly an ex-taxi or perhaps even a Category C or D write-off.

As you’d expect, then, we’d look to pay a little more; solid, early examples with reasonable mileage and a full service history will cost £10,000 nowadays.

The E-Class Estate was facelifted in 2013, gaining smoother styling and a host of extra safety kit. A tidy example of this later model with average mileage can be yours for around £16,000.

If it’s the V8-powered E63 AMG you’re after, expect to pay around £25,000 for a high-mileage example, or anywhere from £30,000 for a historied low-miler.

Servicing costs on an E-Class Estate will never be as cheap as they will on a car with a less prestigious badge on it, but you can keep the costs down by using an independent Mercedes specialist rather than a dealer – there are plenty around.

The good news is that diesel versions of the E-Class Estate are relatively economical and capable of as much as 60mpg, depending on the model you choose. There’s also a diesel-electric hybrid model, although the extra you’ll have to pay to get hold of one of these will likely cancel out any fuel savings you’ll make.

If you don’t fancy a diesel, the 2.0-litre petrol versions manage respectable economy figures, averaging 45mpg. Avoid the 1.8-litre, though, which is both less efficient and less powerful. Larger-engined petrol versions are, as you might expect, less impressive, with the E63 AMG in particular being very thirsty.

The 2.1-litre diesel engine offers the best blend of performance and fuel economy, but with one considerable downside: it’s the noisest power unit of the lot. If you can live with that, it’s the one to have, but if you’d rather have something quieter, go for the 2.0-litre petrol, which isn’t quite as efficient but is smoother and quieter to drive.

The E-Class Estate had a facelift in 2013, at which point more equipment and, crucially, better safety technology was introduced. In our book, that makes it the one to have – if you can stretch to it.

Go for an SE or Avantgarde model before the facelift, or an SE model after it. Sport versions, later badged AMG Sport or AMG Line, have larger wheels and stiffer suspension, neither of which greatly improve the handling ability but both of which spoil the E-Class’s comfortable ride. Our favourite Mercedes E-class Estate: 2013-on E 220 CDI SE

The most obvious choice would be a BMW 5 Series Touring. It isn’t quite as comfortable or as spacious as the Mercedes but it is more involving to drive, and 2.0-litre diesel versions are just as efficient (and notably quieter then the equivalent E-Class).

You could also go for an Audi A6 Avant, which is cheaper to buy used, meaning you end up with a nicer example for your money. The Ultra versions, available from 2014 onwards, are strikingly efficient, and the interior feels just as classy as the Mercedes’. But the Audi isn’t quite as comfortable as the E-Class, and nor is it as exciting to drive as the 5 Series.

Other options include the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which loses out to the E-Class on efficiency and quality but is huge fun to drive and looks fantastic, and the Volvo V70, which is cheaper to buy than any car here but doesn’t feel as well-made or as comfortable.

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