What do you call a five-seat, four-door, long-roof car with 577 horsepower and 41 miles of all-electric range? With 0-60 in the sub-4-second range and a top speed of 174 mph (with the proper packages, mind you), you can definitely call it quick. Meanwhile, Mercedes calls it B-tier.
Officially, it’s called the Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 Wagon, and while you might scoff at the notion of something with nearly 600 hp playing second fiddle to anything else, in this case, the name really says it all – “53”. Not “63” or “65” – numerical designations for the company’s top-flight, multiple-piston-powered monsters. Why? Easy; It doesn’t get most of its power from a V8, but suffice it to say that with the hybrid inline-six, Mercedes learned its lesson with the C63.
engine
Benz’s new 3.0-liter inline six makes only 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. It’s smooth, linear and looks quite nice. This isn’t the only car where we’ve seen this engine; It occupies the space where Mercedes previously used a naturally aspirated V8 or “biturbo” V6.
In a world where Mercedes-Benz can get more volume out of a wagon, we imagine this engine (without the electric accompaniment) would have made for a solid AMG 45 model.
Motor
The rest of the E53’s power comes from an electric motor that produces 161 hp and 354 lb-ft. That’s enough torque to move the heavy E53 on its own, but not particularly fast. With 161 hp and 5,401 pounds, it has the power-to-weight ratio of a 1990 diesel Chevy Suburban…
I have to say this: this is it No Very AMG.
drive
We often call out cars for their duality of character, but nothing really says “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” like a car that transforms from 161 to 577 hp with a simple flick of the steering wheel knob. In short it is E53. And with the default drive program, you’ll do exactly that every time you turn it on, because if the battery is sufficiently charged, the E53 Wants Having an EV. Soon, maybe it will.
Yes, it will start only in electric mode until the battery drains. He is alright; You don’t need 577 hp to get out of a parking space. And this makes a lot of sense for Europe, where many large municipalities have banned combustion-engine cars (other than service vehicles and taxis) that are not equipped with hybrid systems. This is why you see a lot of “last-mile” electric modes on European cars; They need to be compliant. Here in the States, this seems to be somewhat of a omission.
My time with the wagon is coming to a close, and I’ll have a more comprehensive review of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
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