As I’m considering the relative merits of the E53 wagon vs. an E450 All Terrain, I’m wondering if anyone has thoughts or experience with one use case: Taking the E53 on camping trips (and similar excursions) that may require some travel on sometimes potholed gravel roads. I do this maybe 5-6 times per year with kids’ scout trips, and I’m wondering if it’s crazy to consider an E53 if that’s something I need to use the vehicle for?

To be clear, I’m not talking about anything remotely close to real off-roading. These are trips I’ve been taking either with my current ‘14 Audi S4 or my wife’s Honda Odyssey, without real incident. I’m confident the All Terrain would be fine, but not sure about the ground clearance and general suspension performance of the E53 in this kind of scenario.

Any thoughts? Would be grateful if anyone has relevant experience with E53 in either wagon or sedan form.

If I were doing 6 camping trips a year I would opt for the E450 All Terrain with air suspension which allows the car to be raised for better clearance. Even though the MBUSA website reports the cargo capacity the same for both the E450 and E53 wagons, I have a hard time believing that there isn't a little more room in the The E450 version. My E53 does not like potholes very much, but it does have a 15 degree approach angle which may be adequate for your needs.

^ Ditto. If my E53 wagon ever shows up, it will be replacing an AT. I will forego off-pavement travel with the E53; with the AT, the street tires became very cut up/chunked up over time with occasional mild off-roading, and even on fire access roads there are inevitable ruts/drainage channels that require at least the ground clearance an AT provides. The E53 is not the right tool for the job.

And the E53 does have less cargo space with the elevated trunk floor to house the hybrid battery.

Thanks for your thoughts.

On the cargo space issue, I’m pretty sure the MB USA website’s info is wrong. For both the sedan and wagon body styles, the US site reports the same cargo capacity for both the E53 and E450 Variants (12.7 cu. ft. for the sedans and 33.1 cu. ft. for the wagons). European materials show a reduction of ~5.5-6 cu. ft. going from the 450 to the 53, reflecting the cargo space lost to higher floor in the trunk that results from the battery in the 53. The cargo capacity figure reported for the non-53 sedan variants is actually higher in Europe at 19 cu. ft, which doesn’t make any sense to me. (The wagon figures are also totally different as between Europe and US, but I think that reflects the difference between measuring up only to the the wagon’s cargo cover for the Europe figure and measuring the full cargo area for the US figure.)

My guess is I could get by even with the reduced cargo capacity in the E53 — it would still be a significant upgrade from my S4, both in terms of actual space and practical usability given the wagon’s hatch opening. But the suspension may be another story. (My instinct is that it’s probably not too much different from the S4 in terms of ground clearance and the like, but I’d still be much more worried on the same terrain with a significantly more expensive vehicle.)

Difference in ground clearance between E53 wagon and E450 All Terrain is less than 2 inches. This can be managed with driver skill.

I would not make a vehicle decision based on a small difference in ground clearance.

Get the E53. The All Terrain looks terrible.

Haha. You guys are like the good angel and the bad angel I have perched on my shoulders when I think about this stuff on my own . . .

Just to make it harder, I'm in the E53 crowd as well

If the E53 came without the PHEV hardware, and did not compromise the interior space with the hybrid battery, I would have looked at it as a strong contender. But due to the battery situation in the trunk, it was not an option for me at all, since those extra missing inches in the trunk/hatch height department, kills its utility.

Plus in your use case, the E53's 4.9" of ground clearance is asking for trouble. I would not want to go any lower than the 6+ inches of GC in the All-terrain. In fact, I personally would have liked to be in the 7.5" range, from a GC perspective, to make it a true "all terrain".

The picture below, is my dog crate, that was transferred over from my 2022 All-Terrain, to my current 2025 All-Terrain. As you can see, I have placed a couple of yellow napkins at the point where the sides touch the ceiling. It is literally brushing the top of the ceiling (the 2022 All-Terrain had even MORE height, and thus had over a inch of spare height at the top). You take away an additional 3 inches of hatch area height, like in the E53 wagon, and neither the crate, nor anything close to the crate's height, will fit.......a practicality killer, in a wagon body that's supposed to epitomize practicality.

The below is 6.4" of ground clearance. I would not want to lose even an iota of what's available here, if any kind of rougher roads are involved.

A true swiss-army knife. 2 German Shepherds in the crates in the rear, all 5 seats up, the vehicle itself loaded down with over 1000 lbs of payload, spillovers into the roof-top box, and during the 1500 mile trip, sustained 100mph+ speeds without even blinking an eye.

Don't forget that just because you need to put two dogs and a kennel in the trunk doesn't mean everyone else has the same needs. My testing of trunk space ends with putting two hockey bags in. If they fit, I'm good.
Ironically for me the E53 drivetrain is what makes it the clear winner over the E450 All-terrain. The PHEV drivetrain is pure genius and is a fantastic setup that I can't wait to get. Even with the 4-cylinger in my daughter's GLC it's awesome! Most people underestimate just how good a city EV and highway monster combo really is.

Most campsite gravel routes are perfectly fine for most passenger cars, don't make a decision based on that. And if you find that it's not the case, you can still get a rental for those days when you need more clearance. Don't buy a car for the "in case I will need it" scenario. Many do and drive a sacrifice all the time for those select few days of convenience. It's legit not worth it.

Had the E53 not come out I likely would have kept the A6 Allroad for another year or two as the All-terrain just doesn't provide me with anything significantly extra over the Allroad.

This poster has some kind of maniacal hatred of the loss of a few inches of space in the E53. We all get that it does not work for him and his dogs. This is I think the 4th time he has posted this rant of not wanting to lose even one inch or trunk space or one inch of ground clearance. His point is abundantly clear.

LOL Some people can be so one dimensional and lack perspective other than their own.

If you drive off road quite a bit, then E450AT is your winner. Airmatic makes it like driving a boat and the ride will be very comfortable.
E53 has stiffer suspension as it's by design a sports car. The difference is very obvious when I'm just driving on normal roads. I would expect off road driving would have bigger differences in comfort level.

The biggest concern are probably the low profile high performance tires on the E53. An unfortunate sharp rock and they can be easily sliced open, or you drive away with wheel damage. This question reminded me of my '07 Audi S4. We once took a gravel road by mistake. We literally had to get out periodically to move rocks that the car wouldn't clear, to avoid underbody damage, but we made it through. Funny thing is about half way into it we came by a group of people who were laughing and asking if the GPS took us here. Ironically it was my friend's paper map. My GPS actually plotted the long way around, but we decided to go with the paper map. I felt like a rally driver . My friends were in a Mini and next day their dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and they had some damage, but my S4 survived.

Another time we went house boating in Shasta during the drought. The lake was so low that we had to park in what's technically the lake bed. It had huge rocks and at the time I had my '13 Audi RS5 with 20" wheels. I had to drive very very slowly to not damage the car, but ultimately it worked out. AWD of course helped to get in and out.

I'd definitely not attempt any of this with my current C63S Coupe, and not even just because it's RWD, but the suspension is not made for this. Audis are more rugged, even the S model. Rally history and all. I'd think twice with an E53. Keep in mind the car is very heavy due to all the hybrid gear, and it doesn't have much suspension travel, so any impact is that much more force. In the end, though, it comes down to the specific road. A bit of gravel isn't gonna kill any car and you can always drive slow through potholes or around them, but rocks and so that might not clear under the car can potentially cause some real damage.

Yesterday I spend a good bit of time in an E53 wagon (this one). Next to my E63S.


The new one is MUCH smaller on the interior. The front feels far tighter (it has bucket seats). The cup holders are FREAKING TERRIBLE as compared to my E's and more so compared to our GLS...and shamed by our 3500. The rear area is far smaller as well. The roof line not as high, not as wide and with the seats folded - they are not flat. There is ZERO storage under the panels in the rear hatch area (where as I have a spare AND extra room and compartments.

For me, if I wanted to go camping? I would bust out my internal Lez and get a Subaru if there was ANY chance I would need to go "off road". Or, simply take the GLS. I was VERY underwhelmed by the E53 interior. I do not need to play space invaders in my car...do not need an all glass dash and know for certain that their future is very limited - more so, if you are moving something and it hits the dash.

Thanks to you all for your reactions. It’s helpful to hear how others think about the same problem.

Agree with superswiss re: wheels and tires. Easy to scratch 20” and larger wheels on a mildly rutted gravel road.

I took my W166 up steep, rutted and rocky Colorado trailhead roads and had zero concern about the drivetrain or chassis capability.

I did have concern at all times about scratching the flat/non-dished 20” 5-spoke wheels with Michelin 60 series highway tires. The tires themselves were
OK but they offer zero protection to the wheels. It required careful path choice along the rocky roads.

"Internal lez"???...I guess his username is apropos...and I am not sure about others, but I can safely say that cupholders are probably the last thing that determines if I buy a car or not. "Wow...everything on this car is perfect for me...great engine, great handling, great comfort, great gas mileage...oh...wait...the cupholders are strange. Nope..not going to buy it." or "hey guys...I just got a new car!!! You gotta come check out these awesome cupholders!!!"

And what are the size differences in terms of inches? Did MB make the W214's smaller than the W213's? Also, I think that almost every review I have read about the seats say to get the standard seats and not the performance seats as they are not comfortable for any length of time. So maybe this exact car is not the best choice, but saying all E53's have got to go because of this seat option and the option for a superscreen, is pretty weird in my book.

As the owner of two AMG V8's a GLS and a FULL FREAKING CONVERSION (Mercedes 3500 / Airstream Interstate - CAMPER)...yes, cup holders are very important. On my way to the clinic every day I have a cup of coffee. On any given road trip we have two cups in there. Now, my 911 Turbo S had terrible cup holders - then again, that was a "Fun Car" - not a "Road Trip" car. By definition a "camping" vehicle is a "road trip car" - plus, Subaru 100% had a definate and purposeful marketing campangn specifically for lesbians - https://adamhaynicholls.substack.com...s-love-subarus

Gets even better..."on my way to the clinic every day"...hmmmm I wonder what Old Man is trying to let us know without just coming out and saying it..."I am a doctor dangit!!!!" This is just full of humble brags...

And I was calling out your usage of "internal Lez", not commenting on what groups of people purchase which cars...

Thank you for being the voice of reason. As I pointed it out, empathy and emotional intelligence to recognize that your own needs do not necessary match that of other people is a learned trait. Some just simply never learn....

I will say this: generally cup holders are a big deal in the US market and it's one aspect that European car makers often get wrong because their OG focus is on the Euro market where cupholders are often an afterthought. However, most US people who buy European vehicles tend to be a bit more understanding and accepting of the trade-offs that come with a European car purchase. I personally have never bought a car based on the cupholder. But I had an MKIV Jetta where they were totally unusable. The current cupholders in the W214 and the GLC I find perfectly adequate and acceptable, and even my Starbucks loving daughter approves of them. They're definitely nowhere near as bad as they once used to be, not even for the American market.

As for the other arguments, such as the bad seats, I 100% agree that you can't write off an entire car because an option does not fit my fat ***. I test drove an E53 Edition 1 Wagon and promptly ordered one with the Multicontour seats. The AMG seats felt too tight for me too, but if I was my 160 lbs self from a decade age I probably would have been ok with the AMG seats yet most likely still would have ordered the massage seats.

The old guy also has a fair point in the space department. I have a W212 wagon and the rear seat certainly feels more spacious than the W214, at the very least ingress and egress feels easier. My old one also have the rear facing jump seats and a spare tire, which I was sad to see go, but unlike others who complain about it I'm elated for the new powertrain instead. Things are a always going to be a compromise, no matter what. The key is to choose the vehicle that has the most of the things you want and the least of the things you can't stand. Fortunately with the world we live in, the options are endless and one can definitely find a peak car choice for themselves. Whether that would be an E53 wagon is a different question.

Where I'm at in my life and what my needs and wants are, the E53 makes sense. For someone who wants the V8 rumble, never wants to plug in their car, likes to carry a 4 gallon jug of coffee with them or wants to explore nature on unpaved muddy roads, there are clearly better choices out there.

Yep, definitely true that it comes down to the specific road (and its condition at the time you’re on it). I guess I’m really just trying to get a sense of how unforgiving the suspension and wheels setup is on the E53; I’ve been able to muddle through with my S4 on 19-inch wheels, but the added weight of the hybrid drive train in the E53 is definitely a concern. And just the value of the car: If I messed up my S4 badly that would end up being an excuse to get a new vehicle. An expensive repair on an E53 wouldn’t have that silver lining …

This all reminds me — Do we really know what the extra ground clearance is on the All Terrain, and where it’s coming from? MB’s website shows only a 0.5 inch difference in overall height between the All Terrain and the E53. Reviews of the vehicles seem to be all over the map when it comes to ground clearance. Plus the website specs seem to be unreliable, as I noted above w/r/t cargo capacity.

It has got to be from the different suspensions. The different tire sizes have the same diameter and the body height dimensions are the same.