2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class T-Modell Proves Elegance and Practicality Mix

Months, maybe even years before we knew anything about the new E-Class or its design, nobody was questioning the fact that it was going to be a beautiful sedan. There were some strong clues, the best of them being the latest S-Class iteration. Traditionally speaking, the E-Class didn't have that much in common with the large limousine from a visual perspective, but Mercedes-Benz decided to bring all of its models together and build them using the same size-adjustable mold.

That meant total predictability regarding new models, and when the new C-Class came out as well, we had all the necessary pieces of the puzzle to imagine what the new E-Class would look like: it was simply a case of calculating the arithmetic mean of the two given models. This January, the method proved correct when the 2017 E-Class was launched looking exactly like the kind of car you would have expected to fill the space between the S- and the C-Class.

But the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is going to spawn a complete family of models, including a coupe, a convertible, and a station wagon, with all of them most likely to receive AMG versions as well. The first to join the recently introduced sedan, however, is the station wagon or, as the Germans call it, the T-Modell.

Just like we're expected to abandon all practicality claims in favor of design when we buy a coupe, the opposite can be said when purchasing a station wagon. Sometimes, you even get the feeling that designers know this and don't even bother to try and make the cars at least marginally exciting. They're large boxes meant to transport kids, luggage, IKEA furniture... you get the point: the kind of cargo that doesn't care about the exterior design.

While it's hard to call the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class T-Modell "exciting," it does seem to be a very elegant car - probably the most stylish station wagon we've seen in a while. The larger size than that of the C-Class makes it look more sorted while the dreaded "hearse-look" is somehow avoided. Look at the images below: one of the cars spotted is black, and even that one manages to look like it's not on its way to a cemetery. A tremendous achievement, I'm sure you'll agree.

The front, as expected, is identical to the sedan, while the rear-end is in line with the C-Class T-Modell, but it also resembles the new GLC compact SUV as well. The roofline has a noticeable drop, and it ends in the mandatory spoiler. Despite the camouflage still being there, it looks like the designers managed to strike a fine balance between aesthetics and trunk space.

It won't be long until the station wagon version of the new E-Class joins its sedan brother, paving the way for the rest of the family that will follow suit. While the situations where the station wagon looks better than the equivalent three-box model are rare - and it's certainly not the case here - the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class T-Modell presents itself as a neat two-box conversion that won't be approached by its owners with their eyes closed. Not at all.