Motor Trend E53 Wagon test
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Without looking up the reference, I believe it was the top gear 50-70 time in one of the magazines that was slower than the rest of the E53 acceleration tests. It was done in comfort mode. The car was driving on battery and took a bit for the ICE engine to kick in. Otherwise, the E53 is punching above its weight. That compromise lets the E53 cruise around town on electric with no ICE.
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True, but in the real world how often to people actually engage launch control (or do a brake torqued launch so that the car is starting with the engine already revving and in the boost)? The 5-60 time has some value as a more realistic measure of acceleration in normal conditions.
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I've gotten into the habit of putting my BMW X5 into sport transmission mode for highway entrance ramps. I normally drive the X5 in Economy mode. In Economy mode the X5 doesn't accelerate 40-70. Put it into sport transmission mode and it goes.
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From: New York, NY
2026 E53 wagon
When going onto a highway entrance ramp, I'll switch the E53 drive mode to S (sport) to get the combustion engine running before entering the ramp. Then there is no delay for combustion HP if the car needs more than 161 HP from the electric motor.
I've gotten into the habit of putting my BMW X5 into sport transmission mode for highway entrance ramps. I normally drive the X5 in Economy mode. In Economy mode the X5 doesn't accelerate 40-70. Put it into sport transmission mode and it goes.
I've gotten into the habit of putting my BMW X5 into sport transmission mode for highway entrance ramps. I normally drive the X5 in Economy mode. In Economy mode the X5 doesn't accelerate 40-70. Put it into sport transmission mode and it goes.
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2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
.It would be interesting if Mercedes released an E55 with the E53 engine, a larger electric motor like in the C63 and a smaller battery. Due to the increased performance, the E55 might sell more than the E53, but for the E53's mission of a daily driver with enhanced performance the E53 drivetrain is a great choice.
It finally goes back to the roots of being a long roof luxury car without pretending to be something it is not. The entire All-toad/All-terrain thing they tried in the US, both Audi and MB, to me just seemed stupid.
To me the long range PHEV is what is the primary appeal, any less and I would not be interested. Also, range is really driven by EU WLTP requirements for tax breaks which make 100km the barrier. The only reason the US would get PHEVs with less range would be for cost cutting and I sure hope MB won't try to go down that path.
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Such car would absolutely not appeal to me at all. We'll see how the sales figures for the E53 truly shake out in a year but I think it is going to be a massive success relative to the E450 All Terrain.
It finally goes back to the roots of being a long roof luxury car without pretending to be something it is not. The entire All-toad/All-terrain thing they tried in the US, both Audi and MB, to me just seemed stupid.
To me the long range PHEV is what is the primary appeal, any less and I would not be interested. Also, range is really driven by EU WLTP requirements for tax breaks which make 100km the barrier. The only reason the US would get PHEVs with less range would be for cost cutting and I sure hope MB won't try to go down that path.
It finally goes back to the roots of being a long roof luxury car without pretending to be something it is not. The entire All-toad/All-terrain thing they tried in the US, both Audi and MB, to me just seemed stupid.
To me the long range PHEV is what is the primary appeal, any less and I would not be interested. Also, range is really driven by EU WLTP requirements for tax breaks which make 100km the barrier. The only reason the US would get PHEVs with less range would be for cost cutting and I sure hope MB won't try to go down that path.
The main thing that got me interested was simply having an E53 wagon come to the USA. I would be interested in an E55, even if I would pick the E53 if I had the choice between an E53 and an E55. I would likely be tempted by the E55's improved performance numbers but then pick the E53 for better everyday practicality.
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Car and Driver just posted their test of the 2026 RS6 wagon. Actually 0.3 seconds slower 5-60 than the E53 sedan. Just 0.1 second quicker 0-60 and in the quarter mile.
The as tested prices for the 2026 RS6 Avant was $161,300.
Audi does a great job with the exterior look of the RS6 Avant.
Last edited by Mercuccio; Dec 9, 2025 at 05:28 PM.
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Bummer...I was hoping they'd do a 3-way wagon comparison of the E53, RS6, and M5.
Very impressive indeed compared to the E53 sedan they tested...1/10 sec between them all the way to 150mph, and almost identical braking from 100mph.
https://www.caranddriver.com/mercedes-amg/e53
Very impressive indeed compared to the E53 sedan they tested...1/10 sec between them all the way to 150mph, and almost identical braking from 100mph.
https://www.caranddriver.com/mercedes-amg/e53
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The 5-60 number of 4.4 seconds for the RS6 seems like a publishing error. It's possible that the instant torque from the 161 HP electric motor is helping the E53 off the line, but I would have liked Car and Driver to have commented on 4.4 second 5-60 number for the RS6.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
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Their 2021 RS6 test was also 4.4 sec 5-60. It is a very boosted engine, and a very heavy car.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
When I saw that the 2021 5-60 was the same time as the 2026 5-60 for the RS6, I was assuming there was a publishing error for the 2026, but maybe relying on turbo boost is causing the big gap in 0-60 versus 5-60.
Last edited by Mercuccio; Dec 9, 2025 at 06:33 PM.
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The E53 is turbo charged, electrically supercharged and has an electric motor for instant torque. The supercharger will also help it get off the line. There are a bunch of go fast bits in there.
Last edited by Mercuccio; Dec 9, 2025 at 06:44 PM.
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Good point. Maybe it is taking a while for the turbos to spool up in the 5-60 whereas revving the engine in the 0-60 has the boost going before launch. It may be that the RS6 getting delayed boost and the E53 benefitting from instant torque from the electric motor is resulting in the E53 being quicker 5-60.
When I saw that the 2021 5-60 was the same time as the 2026 5-60 for the RS6, I was assuming there was a publishing error for the 2026, but maybe relying on turbo boost is causing the big gap in 0-60 versus 5-60.
When I saw that the 2021 5-60 was the same time as the 2026 5-60 for the RS6, I was assuming there was a publishing error for the 2026, but maybe relying on turbo boost is causing the big gap in 0-60 versus 5-60.
The E63 wagon they tested had a similar gap: 3.0 sec 0-60, 4.2 sec 5-60.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
Last edited by Alan Smithee; Dec 9, 2025 at 06:48 PM.
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Yes, that is the benefit of a hybrid powertrain. Conversely, the 50-70 times are quicker for the RS6 once the V8 is on-boost.
The E63 wagon they tested had a similar gap: 3.0 sec 0-60, 4.2 sec 5-60.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
The E63 wagon they tested had a similar gap: 3.0 sec 0-60, 4.2 sec 5-60.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...y-the-numbers/
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W214 E450
I do not believe this is correct. The W214 E53 is not supercharged. It has a gasoline 3.0-liter inline-6 turbo engine paired with a 163 hp electric motor.
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That was really surprising for the new generation 2026 RS6 wagon. The 0-60 time for the RS6 was 3.2 seconds excluding 0.3 seconds of rollout. The 5-60 number of 4.4 seconds for the RS6 seems like a publishing error. It's possible that the instant torque from the 161 HP electric motor is helping the E53 off the line, but I would have liked Car and Driver to have commented on 4.4 second 5-60 number for the RS6.
The as tested prices for the 2026 RS6 Avant was $161,300.
Audi does a great job with the exterior look of the RS6 Avant.
The as tested prices for the 2026 RS6 Avant was $161,300.
Audi does a great job with the exterior look of the RS6 Avant.
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Bummer...I was hoping they'd do a 3-way wagon comparison of the E53, RS6, and M5.
Very impressive indeed compared to the E53 sedan they tested...1/10 sec between them all the way to 150mph, and almost identical braking from 100mph.
https://www.caranddriver.com/mercedes-amg/e53
Very impressive indeed compared to the E53 sedan they tested...1/10 sec between them all the way to 150mph, and almost identical braking from 100mph.
https://www.caranddriver.com/mercedes-amg/e53
The others thing these reviews remind me is how the astonishing straight-line performance of EVs is an elephant in the room when you start thinking of mega-performance sedans/wagon. C&D had the base AWD Tesla Model Y 0.3 seconds quicker than this RS6 in the 5-60 rolling start. Obviously the vehicles differ on a bunch of other dimensions, and the Tesla presents its own set of trade-offs. But in terms of real-world acceleration, the RS6 at $130K+ can’t keep up with a $50K Tesla.
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2014 E350 Wagon, 2025 GLC 350e, 2026 E53 Wagon
I did strike me as odd to not even mention the E53 wagon at a possible competitor. I get the idea that the M5 wagon is the direct comparison — both V8s, both the highest level performance trim as opposed to the E53 as the “mid-level” below a (still-hypothetical) E63. But getting very similar performance from the E53 for tens of thousands less should be a consideration.
The others thing these reviews remind me is how the astonishing straight-line performance of EVs is an elephant in the room when you start thinking of mega-performance sedans/wagon. C&D had the base AWD Tesla Model Y 0.3 seconds quicker than this RS6 in the 5-60 rolling start. Obviously the vehicles differ on a bunch of other dimensions, and the Tesla presents its own set of trade-offs. But in terms of real-world acceleration, the RS6 at $130K+ can’t keep up with a $50K Tesla.
The others thing these reviews remind me is how the astonishing straight-line performance of EVs is an elephant in the room when you start thinking of mega-performance sedans/wagon. C&D had the base AWD Tesla Model Y 0.3 seconds quicker than this RS6 in the 5-60 rolling start. Obviously the vehicles differ on a bunch of other dimensions, and the Tesla presents its own set of trade-offs. But in terms of real-world acceleration, the RS6 at $130K+ can’t keep up with a $50K Tesla.
It's not dissimilar to the era of cheap quartz watches proliferating and destroying the intrinsic value of swiss mechanical watches. As Rolex's CEO famously once said, "we're not in the timekeeping business, we're in the luxury business". And most of the cars I have mentioned are in the similar vein are not in the straight line acceleration business, they're in the luxury business.
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It's not dissimilar to the era of cheap quartz watches proliferating and destroying the intrinsic value of swiss mechanical watches. As Rolex's CEO famously once said, "we're not in the timekeeping business, we're in the luxury business". And most of the cars I have mentioned are in the similar vein are not in the straight line acceleration business, they're in the luxury business.
One distinction, though, is that in some sense EVs offer the apotheosis of the performance characteristics that I think a lot of folks have grown to associate with luxury over the past couple of decades. As forced induction became ubiquitous in the German brands’ offering, I think people have grown to appreciate that wide powerband, which makes the vehicles feel powerful in real-world driving. That’s what “luxury” performance feels like. And of course EVs offer the widest possible powerband, with tons of torque right off the line.
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Car & Driver just posted their test of the E53 wagon. Looks like it’s mostly just a bit slower compared to the sedan they tested over the summer, except the 50-70 time is significantly faster in this one. That must be down to a difference in drive mode here (i.e., testing in Sport or Sport Plus instead of Comfort)?
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2025 911 4GTS, 2025 Macan 4s, 2026 E53 Estate
Car & Driver just posted their test of the E53 wagon. Looks like it’s mostly just a bit slower compared to the sedan they tested over the summer, except the 50-70 time is significantly faster in this one. That must be down to a difference in drive mode here (i.e., testing in Sport or Sport Plus instead of Comfort)?
