What's all this about?
Mercedes-Benz has improved the versatility of the E 220 d saloon and estate models by now offering them with the company's 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, these grippy Benzes commanding a £2,330 premium over and above their rear-wheel drive equivalents.
So what prices do the saloon and estate versions start at?
The E 220 d 4Matic begins at £38,175, while the E 220 d Estate 4Matic will cost at least £40,175. They are available to order now, with first deliveries in the UK from April.
Do we have any specification changes, aside from drive going to the front as well as the rear?
Nope, the new 2.0-litre turbodiesel coughs up robust numbers of 194hp and 400Nm, exactly the same as on the RWD 220s. Drive goes to all four corners via the usual 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission, although pay attention to the green data, as having 4Matic has a minor effect on road tax.
How so?
The rear-wheel drive E 220 d Saloon returns bests of 72.4mpg and 102g/km; the 4Matic, 62.8mpg and 117g/km. That means an additional £10 a year on road tax after the free first 12 months... IF you register it before April 1. After that, it will incur an extra £20 in year one. Not so bad, eh? Well, spare a thought for Estate buyers. Where the RWD E 220 d wagon can achieve 67.3mpg and 109g/km, the 4Matic climbs to 126g/km and tumbles to 57.7mpg - enough to knock it up two VED bands under the due-to-be-replaced laws (meaning an extra £90 annually after the free first 12 months)... and, perhaps more pertinently, its £40,000+ list price means it is £450 per annum for years two-six of ownership, rather than £140 annually, if registered after April 1. Oops.
Right, but some people have to have 4Matic, don't they?
Indeed so, and of course it brings security benefits, what with its 45:55 front-rear split of torque and additional stability in all conditions. And then there’s the ability to annoy RWD Merc-owning neighbours with the extra '4Matic' badging.
And what about the technology onboard?
Like the regular RWD E 220 d models, the new 4Matic twins come in SE and AMG Line specifications, both of which have good levels of standard equipment. Although you can augment the list prices of the cars considerably with the massive wealth of optional technology that is offered for the E-Class family.
Matt Robinson - 9 Feb 2017