2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon

Diehard car enthusiasts are a tricky group to explain. Most people assume they only love sports cars with 600 horsepower, but true gearheads actually enjoy the idea of a super-powerful station wagon even more. Why? Because it's hilarious! Luckily, the engineers in Affalterbach have a sense of humor and cater to the niche market with the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon.

Though only a handful of these cars are sold in the United States each year, the discerning owners know they are getting a rather special experience that is very different from the average crossover or SUV. Fast wagons like the E63 bundle all the benefits of a sports sedan with the practicality of an SUV, without sacrificing handling. But Mercedes no longer has the segment all to itself, and the Audi RS6 Avant wants to ruffle feathers. To counter, Mercedes-AMG has refined the E63 Wagon further with updated styling and tech improvements, but the core elements remain the same: the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood is untouched with 603 horsepower, and AWD is still the default means of propulsion. CarBuzz spent a week in the refreshed E63 S to see if it's still the ultimate performance wagon.

The E63's front end is dominated by Mercedes-AMG's trademark Panamericana grille with large intakes below it. LED headlights and taillights also feature, along with a massaged hood, fender badges, roof rails, and a panoramic glass roof. 20-inch wheels in various designs are offered, while the rear end boasts a subtle roof spoiler, a full-width chrome accent, a prominent diffuser, and quad-exit exhaust tips. While car enthusiasts love the dimensions of a wagon, non-car people typically prefer the style of an SUV.

The 2021 E63 S wagon has a length of 197.1 inches with a wheelbase of 115.7 inches. Width is rather expansive at 81.3 inches, while height measures 58 inches on the dot. Curb weight starts at 4,725 pounds, but if that seems like a lot, Audi's RS6 Avant is even lardier, tipping the scales at 4,960 lbs.

As standard, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S comes in Black or Polar White at no charge. If you want something a little more adventurous, metallic hues like Selenite Grey, Cirrus Silver, Lunar Blue, Graphite Grey, and Obsidian Black are available for $720. Also offered are designo Cardinal Red metallic ($1,080), designo Diamond White metallic ($1,515), and two matte shades that cost $3,950 each: Brilliant Blue Magno and Selenite Grey Magno. Our tester came finished in Brilliant Blue Magno, which drew stares in traffic from people who thought the car was wrapped. Their shock after learning it's a factory paint color was priceless. Should none of these colors be to your liking, the Designo Manufaktur program offers virtually any color from Mercedes' illustrious history.

As standard, many of the exterior accents are finished in chrome, but gloss black can be specced with the addition of the AMG Night package for $750. Alternatively, carbon fiber accents will set you back $1,750. The standard brake calipers are painted red, but upgrading to carbon ceramics will see these change to a gold hue. This option costs $8,950.

Mercedes only offers the more potent E63 S Wagon here in the US market. This means you get a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood, producing an astonishing 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. A Speedshift MCT nine-speed automatic transmission handles the output of the engine and apportions it to all four wheels via a 4MATIC+ AWD system. This combination is capable of achieving the sprint from 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds according to Merc's estimations, although we clocked it a little quicker at 3.38 seconds, before topping out at 180 mph. Audi's RS6 is a little slower in the benchmark sprint, achieving 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. It will also be slower on the top end, with a limiter at 174 mph. Of course, you could upgrade the brakes on the Avant and unlock the full 190 mph. Doing the same to the Merc has no effect on its limiter.

Just one engine and gearbox combination is offered with the 2021 E63 S wagon. A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powers all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and produces a total of 603 hp and 627 lb-ft. AMG opted not to add the mild-hybrid system used on the SUV models here, likely to preserve the purity of the E63. This engine sounds throatier here than it does in other applications, emitting delightful wastegate noises when you lift off the throttle. So long as the transmission is in an appropriate gear, power delivery is near-instant and pins you to the leather seat. With AWD grip, the V8 immediately sends the E63 rocketing forward, turning the scenery into a complete blur. Mercedes offers a hidden drift mode that requires multiple steps to unlock, locking the E63 into rear-wheel-drive with zero assists. The E63 can execute tremendous slides and burnouts in this mode, so be sure to take caution and only use this feature on a race track.

Mercedes' nine-speed transmission works well, though it lacks the absolute precision found in the eight-speed boxes used by Audi and BMW. The differences are minute enough to be a non-issue, but someone buying in this price range may want perfection. Specifically on the downshifts, the nine-speed can execute some clunky shifts, though they are far from terrible. We'll still give Audi and BMW a slight nod on their transmissions.

We last drove a Mercedes-AMG E63 S Sedan back in the 2019 model year and came away impressed by the experience but wishing the ride was a bit softer. AMG's engineers clearly had customers who felt the same way because the 2021 E63 has retuned suspension meant to improve ride comfort. So, has it worked? Well, sort of. The facelifted E63 feels slightly softer than before, but it's still on the harsh side, and Audi offers a much more compliant suspension for those who prefer a cushy ride. On the plus side, the E63 still thrills in the handling department, providing supercar handling in a practical wagon body.

Mercedes has made huge strides with its steering, with a rack that provides more feedback than its Audi or BMW rivals in all drive modes. Like all AMG cars, drivers can configure the E63 in a multitude of ways, with various settings for the steering, suspension, drivetrain, transmission, and exhaust. The car ranges from firm but relaxed with everything set to comfort mode to an outright deviant when the settings are all in race mode. With 4MATIC+ AWD grip, the E63 hugs corners like a racecar, hitting insane speeds that shouldn't be possible in a wagon. The performance is highly approachable, meaning anyone can feel like a driving god.

According to the EPA, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S will return 16/23/18 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. We failed to match these numbers thanks to a heavy foot, averaging just 13.8 mpg during our week of testing. With a 21.1-gallon gas tank, you should be able to achieve an average mixed driving range of around 380 miles. In comparison, the RS6 Avant is a little thirstier, returning figures of 15/22/17 mpg on the same cycles.

When you're buying a Mercedes, you expect a high standard and excellent quality. That's exactly what you get in the E63 S, with a stunning interior trimmed in high-quality materials. Behind the steering wheel is a 12.3-inch digital driver display, alongside which is a touchscreen of the same size for the infotainment system. Speaking of, the audio quality in the E63 is brilliant, thanks to a surround sound system from Burmester comprising 13 speakers. You also get 64-color configurable ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats with heated armrests, a heated steering wheel, and wireless smartphone charging. However, features like tri-zone automatic climate control, massaging front seats, and soft-close doors are reserved for the options list.

The E63 Wagon is purely a five-seater, as Mercedes doesn't offer the rear-facing third-row from the E-Class All-Terrain in this application due to packaging restrictions. Front-seat occupants will be fairly comfortable in the E63, but the rear accommodations in the E-Class are far from class-leading for the mid-size segment. The E63 provides just 35.8 inches of rear legroom, which is less than the Audi RS6's 37.4 inches. Rear headroom is slightly better in the E63, with 39.6 inches compared to 39.5 in the RS6.

The E63 Wagon is sold with four no-cost Nappa leather interior color combinations, including Nut Brown/Black, Macchiato Beige/Black, Black Exclusive with Silver stitching, and Titanium Grey/Black with yellow stitching. Our tester featured the Titanium Grey, which looked pretty cool when paired with the yellow accent stitching. In terms of trims, six no-cost options include Natural Grain Black Ash wood, Brown Ash wood, Natural Grain Brown Ash wood, Natural Grain Grey Ash wood, Aluminum with longitudinal grain, and Aluminum with carbon grain. Metal Weave is available for $600, designo Black Piano Lacquer with flowing lines is $1,300, and AMG Carbon Fiber trim is the most expensive option at $2,850.

One of the main reasons you buy a wagon is its practicality, and the fact that it looks cool is just a bonus. In the E63 S, there's plenty of space for the whole family to bring luggage for a two-week vacation, thanks to 35 cubic feet of volume behind the second row. Fold those seats in their 40/20/40 split and you have even more space, with area increasing to 64 cubes. Thanks to the standard inclusion of a hands-free power liftgate, loading is easy. The cargo area is even more practical thanks to elastic nets, grocery hooks, a collapsible crate, and a pet divider.

In the cabin, you get a large center armrest bin, along with decently sized door pockets, a reasonable glovebox, and cupholders for four.

There is certainly no shortage of standard features on the E63 S wagon. Along with adaptive air suspension and dynamic engine mounts, you get a drift mode, launch control, an electronic limited-slip differential, and composite brakes. Also included are things like a panoramic glass roof, adaptive high beams, crosswind assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic park assist with front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, configurable ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats with heated armrests, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, a power liftgate, and a 12.3-inch digital driver display all enhance convenience. If you're willing to fork out some extra cash, the options list will grant access to equipment like adaptive LED headlights, tri-zone climate control, massaging front seats, heated rear seats, soft-close doors, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, forward collision mitigation with automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, front cross-traffic alert, a dashcam, a head-up display, and manual rear sunshades.

All E-Class models receive a tech upgrade for 2021 in the form of the new Mercedes-Benz User eXperience (MBUX) infotainment system. MBUX is a massive improvement over the outgoing COMAND system thanks to a touchscreen, improved touchpad control, natural voice commands with a "Hey Mercedes" function, and improved controllers on a new AMG steering wheel. Drivers who are new to Mercedes may need a learning period to get used to MBUX, but we think it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. All of the best tech features are found here, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, built-in navigation with augmented reality, and a Burmester 3D surround sound system with 13 speakers. Options are few here, with front and rear USB-C ports, and in-car Wi-Fi being the major ones.

Thus far, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 has suffered two recalls. The first was for the front seat, which was missing an adjustment limit stop, while the second pertained to an incorrect vehicle location given for emergency services.

Should you have any qualms about ownership, Merc does provide a limited warranty for the first four years or 50,000 miles, along with a powertrain warranty for the same period. However, no complimentary scheduled maintenance is offered, unlike when you buy an Audi.

In the event of a crash, you want to know that you'll be as safe as possible. At present, the E63 S has not been crash-tested by the NHTSA, but the regular E-Class upon which it is based achieved a maximum score of five stars out of five. Over at the IIHS, no version of Merc's E-Class Wagon has been tested, but the agency did review the 2020 E-Class Sedan which achieved flying colors with a Top Safety Pick+ award for 2019.

As standard, every E63 S wagon comes with safety features like active brake assist, a driver attention warning, crosswind assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view camera, automatic park assist with front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive high beams, and seven airbags including frontal, side-impact, and overhead airbags. Rear side-impact airbags are also optionally available, as are adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, adaptive LED headlights, lane keep assist, front cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking. A head-up display is offered too.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon is an automotive oddity that doesn't need to exist. But the sheer lunacy of its existence is what makes this car so great. No station wagon should be able to keep up with a supercar while carrying an entire family plus their dog, but the E63 can. This is truly a do-anything type of car with very few flaws, aside from the price. We prefer it to any fast SUV on the market (AMG models included) thanks to its car-like handling dynamics and sleeker styling.

AMG only faces competition from a single model, the Audi RS6 Avant. The Audi has more built-up hype since it's new to the US market, plus it's more comfortable and stands out more in a crowd. Despite being newer and more visually appealing, the E63 still offers many benefits over the RS6. It feels more engaging to drive, has a throatier engine with more power, offers a drift mode, and provides better cargo volume. The RS6 makes for a more compliant daily driver, but the E63 puts a bigger grin on your face. We don't know if the performance wagon market is large enough for both of these cars, but we are happy that the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon still exists because it's a rare delight.

Buying a Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon will set you back at least $112,450, before a destination charge of $1,050. Fully loaded, you won't spend more than $150,000. Similarly, the Audi RS6 Avant starts at $109,000 but will also exceed $140k with enough options ticked.

ust one variant of the E63 Wagon is currently available: the E63 S. Powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, this sports wagon will accelerate from rest to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and top out at 180 mph. These stats are made possible in part thanks to a 4MATIC+ AWD system and a nine-speed Speedshift MCT automatic transmission. To ensure the car is as fun to drive as possible, Mercedes-AMG has fitted it with a drift mode, a launch control feature, an electronic LSD, dynamic engine mounts, and composite brakes. Other notable features include a panoramic glass roof, 64-color configurable ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats with heated armrests, and a heated steering wheel. You also get a pair of 12.3-inch screens in the dash, a 13-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system, wireless charging, and navigation.

If you're looking to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your wagon, you can tick the box marked AMG Exterior Carbon Fiber Package. This costs $1,750 and adds carbon elements to the rear diffuser and front spoiler. Carbon fiber mirror covers are also available for $1,200, and you can black out the chrome exterior details with the AMG Night package for $750. Other options include adaptive LED headlights for $900, massaging front seats for $1,320, a head-up display for $1,100, tri-zone climate control for $760, and heated rear seats for $580.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon comes pretty well-equipped as-standard, but there are a few options we'd select to make it feel even more special. The matte Brilliant Blue Magno paint is worth every bit of its $3,950 price with the amount of attention it draws. We think the standard wheels look fine, as does the rest of the exterior. None of the interior color upgrades jump off the page to us, but we would opt for the massaging seats for $1,320, three-zone climate control for $720, HUD for $1,100, acoustic glass for $1,100, Driver Assistance Package for $1,950, and a few other low-cost options. As-described, the E63 S Wagon rings in at around $127,000.

We've spoken about this rival a fair deal in this review already, but with so few fast wagons on the market these days, we didn't have much choice. Nevertheless, this is still one of the best cars on the planet and would have warranted discussion in any case. With standard features like quad-zone climate control, rear-axle steering, and a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system as standard, it already looks like an attractive buy, but what of its performance? Well, Audi says that the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and 48-volt mild-hybrid system in this car produce less than Merc's power plant with "just" 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, but it earns some points back again with a higher top speed (up to 190 mph versus 180). Still, the Merc is more practical with 5 cubic feet more volume behind the rear seats and almost as much with them folded. This is almost too close to call, but we'd have the Merc. It's more spacious, more powerful, and can drift. What more could you want?

If you really aren't worried about money, you could shop at another German purveyor of fast luxury, Porsche. The Stuttgart-based automaker's Panamera Turbo S Sport Turismo starts at over $180,000, making it seriously expensive even at this level. Still, that means you can do 0-60 mph in as little as 2.9 seconds and can keep going all the way to 196 mph, outpacing both the Merc and the Audi. As standard, you get a 14-speaker Bose sound system, but because this is Porsche we're talking about, everything can be either customized or otherwise upgraded, and a 21-speaker system from Burmester is available. Performance enhancements like ceramic composite brakes are standard though, and with bragging rights made possible by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 620 horses and 604 lb-ft of twist, it's hard to ignore this option. However, with less than 20 cubes of space behind the rear seats and no more than 49 with them down, the other German wagons here are certainly more practical. If that's what you need, go for the Audi or the Merc, but if you value driving enjoyment, the Porsche remains the best choice.