Mercedes’ AMG division has been in a bit of flux as it transitions to mainly offering plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicles. The four-cylinder C63 PHEV hasn’t been well received by the media or the public, but V8-powered PHEV versions of cars like the AMG-only SL roadster and GT coupe are quite awesome. For the eleventh-generation E-Class, up until now we’ve only seen a mid-range E53 model, with no word on whether a more potent E63 will be coming. As with the previous gen model the new E53 “only” uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, but it gains a plug-in-hybrid system that gives it 604 horsepower — more than the old V8 E63 — along with a usable electric range.
It’s a pretty great powertrain worthy of the AMG name, but there still has been another big problem. The old E63 was one of the only performance wagons still available in the U.S., and it’s the only reason we’ve seen other wagons like the Audi RS6, BMW M5 and Porsche Taycan come to America. But following discontinuation of the old E63 and the introduction of the latest generation of E-Class, Mercedes has only offered a lifted, cladded All-Terrain wagon model with a much more boring powertrain. AMG wagon lovers, who have for decades been some of Mercedes’ wealthiest customers (if not the wealthiest), have been outta luck.
Today, that changes. Mercedes announced that the E53 wagon will be sold in the U.S., with deliveries set to begin later this year. Y’all better buy these things.
So much power
The E53 wagon’s powertrain is identical to the one in the sedan. On its own the AMG-tuned engine makes 443 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, the same as the nonhybrid CLE53 and an increase of 68 hp and 44 lb-ft over the inline-6 in the E450 All-Terrain. AMG integrated an electric motor into the 9-speed automatic transmission that gives a boost of 161 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, which gets fed by a 28.6-kWh battery pack with a usable capacity of 21.2 kWh. As standard the E53’s powertrain makes a combined 577 hp and 553 lb-ft, which is good to send the all-wheel-drive E53 from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, but add the AMG Dynamic Plus package and output is upped to 604 hp while the 0-to-60 time is dropped to 3.8 seconds. That package also increases the top speed from 155 mph to 174 mph.
That makes the new E53 wagon more powerful than the old E63 wagon — by only one horsepower, sure, but still, more is more. The E53 does have 74 fewer torques than the last-gen E63, and it’s four tenths slower to 60. What the E53 lacks in absolute quickness it makes up for with efficiency. Thanks to that fairly large 400-volt battery pack, the E53 will have a meaningful amount of electric range. We don’t have U.S.-spec figures from Mercedes or the EPA yet, but the EPA says the E53 sedan has an electric-only range of 42 miles, and the wagon should be about the same. Like some of Mercedes’ other recent PHEVs, the E53 also has DC fast-charging capability of up to 60 kW, means it can be juiced up from 10% to 80% in about 20 minutes. Unlike lots of other PHEVs, including performance-oriented ones, the AMG system also does a great job of charging the battery back up quicker the harder you drive in the sportier modes.
Looks to back it up
Other standard performance enhancements include bigger brakes, a reinforced body shell, rear-wheel steering that turns up to 2.5 degrees, an AMG Ride Control steel-sprung suspension with two-valve adaptive dampers, seven drive modes, and a fully variable all-wheel-drive system that uses an electromechanically controlled clutch to distribute torque. Add the AMG Dynamic Plus package and along with the added horsepower you also get active engine mounts, a sportier steering wheel, an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, a high-performance composite brake system with even larger front discs and red calipers, and launch control.
I think the E53 looks awesome, too. Wider front fenders, a mouthy front end with larger intakes, unique wheel designs up to 21 inches in size, quad exhaust tips, and gill-like vents in the front quarter panels set it apart from a normal E-Class. Mercedes will offer twelve different paint colors, packages that black out all the exterior trim or make a lot of it out of carbon fiber. On the inside there AMG-specific color and trim choices, and optional performance seats with fixed headrests. Every E53 has a 17-speaker Burmester 4D surround sound system, but you’ll have to pay extra to get the Superscreen that adds a passenger display.
How much? That’s TBD
Mercedes isn’t yet talking about how much the E53 wagon will cost, only saying that it will arrive at dealerships in the U.S. “later in 2025.” The E53 sedan currently starts at $89,150 including destination, which is about ten grand more than the old non-hybrid E53 but around twenty grand less than the old E63. Expect Mercedes to add a premium of few thousand dollars onto the wagon’s price tag, and for them to be harder to get than the sedans.
Well, that’s what I would say in a world before Trump’s tariffs existed. The E-Class is built in Germany, so it’s at risk of being affected by the soaring tariffs. Whether the price consumers pay will be raised or if Mercedes eats the tariffs itself remains to be seen, but for now Mercedes hasn’t made any comment on how the global turmoil will affect the company. Other brands have already paused new vehicle imports into the U.S., but I doubt Mercedes would be announcing this E53 wagon now if it expected it wouldn’t make it to our shores at all. We’ve reached out to Mercedes for comment and will update this story with any new information.
Mercedes-AMG
