14-05-2025
Mercedes-Benz E 450 All-Terrain Cargo Test: How Much Has Changed in 12 Years?
One thing that has survived all these years is a brilliant feature common to wagons that should 100% be common in SUVs. The E 450 not only has a roll-out cargo cover, but a roll-up cargo net that attaches to the roof. Using it negates one of the reasons I never load to the roof: the possibility of luggage flying into the cabin. It can also keep pets in the caboose.
In my old S212, the cover and net rolls are encased in a single unit, which may be some clever engineering, but holy moly does it weigh a lot. Considering I have to climb way into the car to reach it (and not get it caught in the third-row seat belts), removal can be rather difficult.
The S214 has two separate units that neatly sandwich together on separate brackets. This is what Audi does. The individual units themselves are also much much lighter. It's also worth noting that the cargo cover still automatically slides up the rearmost pillar when you open the liftgate and slides down once closed. The BMW M5 Touring does not do this.
