Cars
The Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon is German, features all-weather all-wheel-drive, and is definitely powerful. It also looks fantastic in a legitimately blue-blooded, aristocratic sort of way, all the more so in the facelifted 2014 version. The E350 wagon is elegant. Call it classy, sophisticated, even dapper.
Fortunately, it's not ostentatious like Caddy's CTS-V or gaudy like a Porsche Panamera, or meretricious like a Mini Countryman.
The E350 wagon is a traditional car in a crossover world. The vast majority of buyers will direct themselves toward Mercedes-Benz's own ML350. The E350 4Matic Wagon requires buyers to take a stand, and with no financial benefits over the ML, I can see why.
Nevertheless, a big-wheeled bruiser of a wagon says something about your car-buying intelligence that no humdrum SUV ever will.
Engine: 302 horsepower; 273 lb-ft of torque from a 3.5L V6
Base USD/CAD Price: $57,700 / $70,400
City Fuel Economy: 19 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: Oh wait, it is perfect. Except for the fact that somebody else is driving the 516-horsepower E63 AMG Wagon, a car that makes the E350 4Matic seem a bit weak-kneed. And, if we're nitpicking, the front end is a bit fussy and the interior's a bit complicated. The upcoming facelift improves the front end issue.
Sales Stats: Aided by multiple bodystyles - sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible - the E-Class is substantially more popular than the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS, and every other premium brand car in its price range.
Viable Alternatives: While you can, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is a unique proposition.
The Bad 8
- 2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Cayenne S - $70,000-$80,000
PORSCHE CAYENNE S The Porsche Cayenne S actually has a U.S. base price below $70,000 USD, a violation of GoodCarBadCar's eligibility for this price segment. The $65,850 Cayenne S isn't the Cayenne you want, though. It seems necessary...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Svt Raptor - $40,000-$45,000
FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. Sure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000
RAM 1500 There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Fiat 500 Turbo - $15,000-$20,000
FIAT 500 TURBO Remember all the times you questioned whether 101 horsepower was enough in a modern automobile? Fiat heard your concerns. The 135-horsepower 500T is no Abarth. This wasn't the car Tracy Chapman was singing about. But it's plenty...
Cars
2013's The Good 12 - Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - $50,000-$60,000
MERCEDES-BENZ E350 4MATIC WAGON
Wagons are a rare thing in North America these days. Mercedes-Benz's E-Class is basically without rivals. The BMW 5-Series GT isn't a wagon, and it's ridiculously ugly. The Cadillac CTS and CTS-V wagon won't continue much longer. Audi no longer sells the A6 Avant on this side of the Atlantic. The Acura TSX Sport Wagon? It's not very German, it is very front-wheel-drive, and it is not very powerful.The Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon is German, features all-weather all-wheel-drive, and is definitely powerful. It also looks fantastic in a legitimately blue-blooded, aristocratic sort of way, all the more so in the facelifted 2014 version. The E350 wagon is elegant. Call it classy, sophisticated, even dapper. Fortunately, it's not ostentatious like Caddy's CTS-V or gaudy like a Porsche Panamera, or meretricious like a Mini Countryman.
The E350 wagon is a traditional car in a crossover world. The vast majority of buyers will direct themselves toward Mercedes-Benz's own ML350. The E350 4Matic Wagon requires buyers to take a stand, and with no financial benefits over the ML, I can see why.
Nevertheless, a big-wheeled bruiser of a wagon says something about your car-buying intelligence that no humdrum SUV ever will.
-----
Engine: 302 horsepower; 273 lb-ft of torque from a 3.5L V6
Base USD/CAD Price: $57,700 / $70,400
City Fuel Economy: 19 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: Oh wait, it is perfect. Except for the fact that somebody else is driving the 516-horsepower E63 AMG Wagon, a car that makes the E350 4Matic seem a bit weak-kneed. And, if we're nitpicking, the front end is a bit fussy and the interior's a bit complicated. The upcoming facelift improves the front end issue.
Sales Stats: Aided by multiple bodystyles - sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible - the E-Class is substantially more popular than the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS, and every other premium brand car in its price range.
Viable Alternatives: While you can, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is a unique proposition.
The Good 12
Kia Rio 5-Door - Fiat 500 Turbo - Volkswagen Golf GTI
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
The Bad 8
Chevrolet Spark - Chrysler 200 Convertible -
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
The Good 12 Rules
- 2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Cayenne S - $70,000-$80,000
PORSCHE CAYENNE S The Porsche Cayenne S actually has a U.S. base price below $70,000 USD, a violation of GoodCarBadCar's eligibility for this price segment. The $65,850 Cayenne S isn't the Cayenne you want, though. It seems necessary...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Svt Raptor - $40,000-$45,000
FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. Sure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000
RAM 1500 There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Fiat 500 Turbo - $15,000-$20,000
FIAT 500 TURBO Remember all the times you questioned whether 101 horsepower was enough in a modern automobile? Fiat heard your concerns. The 135-horsepower 500T is no Abarth. This wasn't the car Tracy Chapman was singing about. But it's plenty...