Having driven the Mercedes E class sedan earlier in this blog, I was keen to see if the estate/wagon version was just as good.
On a recent interstate run from Adelaide to Melbourne and back, the E 250 wagon impressed with its outstanding comfort and economy.
The two point one litre turbo diesel returned around five litres per 100 kilometres, giving a range from the 70 litre tank of well over 1,500 kilometres. It develops 150kw and a gigantic 500 nm of torque.
Passing heavy vehicles was a breeze. Selecting Sport gave the car tremendous urge and it easily flew past the other vehicle, spending a minimum amount of time on the wrong side of the road.
The seats , while initially quite firm, were excellent on this long trip.. they became more comfortable as the miles passed. Arriving at our destination it felt like I'd just had a trip down the road to the shops.
The suspension soaked up just about everything the road threw at it..but tyre noise on some coarse chip surfaces was pretty loud.
The column mounted gearshifter takes some getting used to.. but with time becomes second nature.
Up for reverse, down for drive, and Park is just a press of a button on the end of the wand. Occasionally I went for the non existant floor gear lever.. but not too often.
The steering aid feels a little weird until you get used to its lane assistance in corners.. servos gently nudge the wheel to follow the arc of a corner. You can even take your hands off the wheel (but kept close) and the E class will track truly through the bend on its own.
Mercedes' Distronic cruise control worked a treat.. slowing the car automatically to keep a set distance from a vehicle in front, before speeding up again on the open road, again keeping the same set distance.
The wagon had a seven seat configuration, the rear pair folding flat into the floor.
No shortage of leg and headroom in the car. The parking brake is of the foot pedal variety, released with a lever under the dashboard... I'd much prefer the electronic brake or even a regular hand operated hand brake lever to this setup.It's clumsy and awkward.
The multi speaker digital sound system is superb.. one of the best of its type.
The only thing missing was heated seats.. I guess they are an option, not that I needed them in summer but a strange omission given lesser cars have them as standard. A power tailgate was also very welcome.
So apart from tyre roar attributed to some road surfaces, the E Class Estate proved to be an excellent highway long range tourer.
The E250 CDi wagon costs around 107 K.Pretty good value considering the level of kit, performance and comfort features.
PeterSellen
The Jaguar XF has been around for a few years now but style- wise it's still holding its own against newer competition. It sits low and purposeful..the epitome of what the company is all about. Distinctive daytime running lights complete the package up front.
The latest XFs now have slightly different badging. The "Leaper" on the boot lid is now joined by the word Jaguar beneath it, just in case other drivers didn't know what they were following.
It's a big car,but from the drivers seat it shrinks around you and you don't really notice its width and length.
The previous XF I drove was the 2.2 turbo diesel, and I was mightily impressed with it.
Add a few more CCs and the package becomes even more desirable.
The 3 litre turbo diesel is an amazing powerplant.
It's so smooth and vibration free, that during my two weeks with the car, no one could ever pick it was an oil burner
It's utterly quiet and vibration free at idle and on the move.You really couldn't ask for more performance from an engine... 600 nm and 202 kw propel the big cat down the road with a giant surge of power that lifts the bonnet when you floor the throttle. Nice. Claimed fuel consumption is 6 litres per 100 kilometres.. I averaged about 8 in city and country driving.
Select Sport on the circular gear selector and the eight speed gearbox changes instantly in response to the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
The test car was fitted with a few options including a bootlid spoiler, and piano black 20 inch alloys with 255/35 series tyres front and rear.
Often that sort of combination makes for a jittery ride but not with the XF. Sure it's firm-ish, but never uncomfortable.
The seats are comfy and have two memory positions, but the front pair aren't heated...although the driver's seat has two memory positions.
The novelty of the rising console gearshift and opening air vents in the dashboard doesn't last long however.. I grew impatient for the knob to rise before I could select a gear even though it takes just 2 or 3 seconds to do so. It's not as immediate as a regular shift lever.
I found myself turning off the default stop start idle fuel saving mode each time I drove the car as it would cut in too easily. Having the system off should be the default position rather than the other way around.
The XF is a supreme highway cruiser, with minimal wind and road noise..
Show it a few corners in lower gears and it transforms into an exciting barnstormer.. sitting flat and neutral going into a bend and leaping out under acceleration on the other side.
Steering feel is good and the turning circle is commendably tight for such a large car.
It's cosy inside, and legroom in the rear is not so generous with a tall occupants in the front seats.The controls are well placed and easy to read. The dashboard layout is clean and uncluttered.
The touch screen is of the older generation but I had no problems working it out.
The test car with extras, tops out at 103 K , but the standard 3.0l diesel is 95K.
If you are looking for a stylish, power packed luxury sedan the 3.0l diesel XF should be at the top of your list. It's very comfortable, capable, economical, enjoyable to drive and a real head turner as well.
Peter Sellen
