Has anyone had four passengers on a longer road trip? I am thinking of using my 2016 e400 sedan for a 4 hour trip but not sure if 3 people will comfortably fit in the backseat - it would actually be two adults and a child in a carseat in the back, plus a passenger in front passenger seat. I also don't want the rear of the car sagging lol. Trunk will have 4 or 5 medium sized bags.

 

The child car seat will make it very uncomfortable for the other 2 in the back no matter how you configure it. They are huge these days.
Get a sitter.

 

^^^^^^^^^, yea, this. And doesn't the car seat have to be placed in one of the outboard seats (not over the tranny tunnel) where the child seat ISOFIX anchors are located? (Page 71 +/- in owner's manual)? I'm not sure, but I think the ISOFIX anchors have to be used in matched pairs on either the right or left seat. That would make it a squeeze for the two adults in the opposite seat and center seat.

Alternatively, one could use the old school seatbelts over the center (tunnel) seat, so the adults could sit to either side. But I don't know how that would work with the Presafe system to secure the seat. And the child seats made today are indeed huge.

Maybe someone with a W212 wagon would have better experience with this challenge.

 

I'd say it depends on car seat and size of adults, 120lbs woman and a 220lbs man are quite different "adults" in size comparison. Most car seats have tethers that could be attached over center tunnel at least the ones I have could, but the tethers will stretch into adjoining seats a bit. Also comfort is a very personal thing, Ive been in a back seat of a Lada Oka with my wife on my lap, her cousin and sister next to us, and we had room to play a piano, and you can fit that car in the trunk of your e-class, but then again not everyone likes to be that cozy.
Sagging rear will mostly depend on weight of all people + bags, if you have airmatic it won't sag.

 

I just went to Steamboat from Denver with four adults, and it was a great car for that. Car seat, uggg.

The only way you can get the rear tire camber right is with back seat passengers.

 

With rear passengers the main issue usually is legroom.
I have long legs, so push driver seat pretty much back. Anybody taller than 5-2" behind me will complain.

 

We're planning a family road trip this winter -- 4 adults, 2 child seats. Going to rent a large passenger van. Just not worth the discomfort and aggravation.

The most we can fit into either the E400 or the GLK is 2 adults and 2 child seats. If the whole crowd wants to go, it is either 2 cars, or a rental.

 

I have done multiple long road trips in my E350, although I do have the wagon version with 7 seats. Longest single day trip was about 400 miles with 4 adults and 1 kid plus lots of luggage.
The most I've had was 3 adults 1 toddler and 3 teen/tweens plus about 200 pounds of luggage on the roof cargo box.
Didn't have to worry about rear sag as the rear air suspension took care of it.

I believe the rear seat of the sedan is same size as wagon. I've had 2 adult and 1 child seat in the rear row and done 6 hour trips without anyone complaining of discomfort.

 

But airmatic will not increase tire weight rating.
Beware that in such case that can be issue so at least pump the tire to max recommended pressure.

 

Yup, I was actually slightly over the max load limit of the car. I had the tires pumped up to max.

 

I guess we scared Joe! Growing up, the six of us in my family would vacation in the 1965 Mustang convertible that my dad had to have. Yep, 4 kids jammed in the rear seats.
And we loved it!

 

I don't know what the problem is. Until my second child was born, I used to do all my trips in this car (including grandparents there were four adults and one child). we place a child seat in the center. Adults can comfortably sit on either side. As they say the center of a vehicle is the safest place for a child, this would be as center as a kid can get. The child seat can latch on the center two anchors and / or the center seat belt. All our highway rides this way were very cozy and comfortable.

 

Thank you everyone for the input. I think i will do a test run first to decide. Thanks again!

 

I found it on other forum, that not all child seats are equal.
The most popular are huge and 3 of them will not fit on rear seat, but you can buy narrower ones, who will, so with mixed passengers they will leave more elbow room for adults.