If you have the budget and don’t want to jump on the SUV bandwagon, the Mercedes E 400 d estate could be the ultimate family car. It’s supremely comfortable, effortlessly quick and beautifully equipped. However, at over £56,000 it’s also a long way from being cheap; the more sensible and affordable E 220 d will be perfectly good enough for most people. The latest Mercedes E-Class is a known quantity – it’s been around for a couple of years now and won plaudits for its impeccable build quality, luxurious cabin and best-in-class practicality. Its vast array of engine options also means there’s something for everyone, from efficient plug-in hybrids to high-power AMG versions. This latest E 400 d holds the middle ground between the two, serving up decent fuel economy and punchy performance – on paper at least. • Best estate cars on the market Under the bonnet sits a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel that develops 336bhp and a whopping 700Nm of torque. It’s linked to Mercedes’ tried-and-tested nine-speed automatic gearbox and 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system as standard. The company says it will manage more than 46mpg and cover the 0-62mph sprint in a hot hatch-troubling 5.1 seconds. 16 The engine is near-silent at idle and is so well isolated from the cabin on the move it’s barely audible. The gearbox plays a big role in this, shifting its way up through the ratios at the earliest possible opportunity to keep everything as calm and serene as possible.

The E 400 d does come at a price, though – as an estate it’ll set you back £56,685 before you add any options. That’s a whopping £12,000 more than the already-excellent E 220 d 4MATIC. 16 As you’d expect at that price, the E 400 d is very well equipped; a full leather interior, panoramic sunroof and LED lights come as standard, as do automatic climate control, a 360-degree reversing camera, 12.3-inch digital cockpit, Burmester sound system, Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity and 20-inch alloy wheels. One optional extra that may be worth adding if you’re doing lots of motorway miles is Mercedes’ Driving Assistance Plus package. It’s not cheap, at £1,695, but the semi-autonomous driving function is one of the best around, helping the car to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front and keeping the car perfectly in lane even through high-speed motorway bends. And because it’s an E-Class Estate, the E 400 d comes with best-in-class practicality as standard. The cavernous 640-litre boot is bigger than that of any other estate car in this class, while dropping the rear bench frees up a total of 1,820 litres of space.