The Mercedes-AMG E53 Wagon Isn't Quite ThereMatt NagerWinking sleep from my eyes, I contort myself through the gap between the bucket seats up front in the 2026 Mercedes-AMG E53 Wagon. It's 38 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but my PTSD from the night prior won't let me open the doors. I was so close to bailing on this whole sleep-in-a-wagon idea after seeing a literal swarm of mosquitoes enter the cabin through the liftgate while I set up my bed the previous evening.It was the stuff of nightmares, but my quick fix of going for a short mountain blast with every window and the moonroof open was successful in evacuating nearly all the blood-sucking bugs. Would this strategy have worked as well with less than 600 hp? Thankfully I didn't have to find out. Situated at 10,600 feet of elevation in the Colorado Rockies, my home for the night was the forested and lake-adjacent Echo Lake Campground. And no, I didn't bring a camping tent. Instead, the E53 Wagon served as my climate-controlled abode.Matt NagerIn case you missed it, this new AMG station wagon is a plug-in hybrid with a big 28.6-kWh battery pack under the cargo floor. Like EVs and other PHEVs, that makes it a lovely candidate for silent, luxurious car camping. I made sure the battery was as close to 100 percent as I could get it before arriving at the campground and proceeded to simply leave the car running in Electric mode all night. With the climate control set to a comfy 67 degrees, I woke up with just over 50 percent battery still available for use in the morning. I would've loved a softer floor, but I didn't wake up with any new bug bites, so I'm considering this experiment a rousing success.AdvertisementAdvertisementRising with the sun at 5 a.m. in the Rockies is quite possibly the most satisfying combination of time and place, especially with the prospect of an early-morning drive. I strategically chose my campsite such that I can pull straight out and onto the Mestaa'Ėhehe Pass, the almost-31-mile road that connects Evergreen and Idaho Springs, Colorado. This is full of every type of corner, some uphill sections that'll make even the driver of a 604-hp behemoth beg for more power, and steep descents to put even the best braking systems to the test. Later in the day it will be dotted with tourists and bicyclists enjoying the views. But it's just me and the birds at 5 a.m. as the sun flitters its way through the peaks and valleys.Matt NagerAnother advantage of the E53's EV mode is the ability to creep out of the campground almost silently so as to not wake those in tents. But, once on the road, the electric side of the powertrain moves to a supporting role. This hybrid wagon has an innate ability to overcome elevation, with a 161-hp electric motor working in conjunction with the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six to deliver the E53's combined 604 horses. AMG claims a 3.8-second 0-to-60-mph time with my test car's optional Race Start launch control system, and it sure doesn't feel far off up in the mountains. (Race Start is also what bumps up output 27 hp from the standard 577.)The way the inline-six comes to the boil right about the time the electric motor's low-down torque starts to subside shows plentiful care and attention has been taken by the powertrain's calibration engineers. The soundtrack is indeed augmented; apparent exhaust noise is both real and boosted by the audio system. The result is a lovely mix of classic straight-six smoothness with muscular, bassy undertones. It's definitely not the guttural, heavy-metal sound familiar from AMG's V-8s, but it's also light-years better than the buzzy AMG four-cylinder offerings that are now on their way out.Matt NagerOnce the engine and nine-speed automatic transmission are warmed up, I swap into the Sport Plus dynamic mode and set a brisk pace. Shifts from the chunky, solid-feeling paddles come just a beat slower than I'd prefer, so I leave the smart automatic shifting logic to do its job, downshifting under braking and holding gears through corners as it should.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut braking is when I run into the E53's first snag, and it's a big one. There might not be a less predictable or worse-tuned brake pedal on a performance car in the business. Some hybrids are a little fussy, but the transition between regenerative braking and hitting the physical clampers in the AMG is jarring. If this was just the blend point, where one gives way to the other, I could grow familiar—but it feels like a different experience every time I get hard on the pedal.Hearst OwnedOn the mountain roads, I found similar pressures led to varying rates of deceleration, also changing amounts of pedal weight and travel. So if the brakes feel a little unresponsive at first, it was easy to overdo it, my head getting tossed forward by the oddly stepped swap from regen to pad-on-rotor contact. My test car was equipped with the optional AMG composite system, which uses carbon-ceramic discs up front and increases the size of both these and the rear discs. It took prolonged and hard braking to bring this setup to fade, so the performance is solid, but the system lacks finesse.Matt NagerThe unpredictability made corner entry a little tricky, but the E53's chassis did excellent work making up for it once the car had turned in. The rear-wheel steering system can add up to 2.5 degrees of input, pivoting this heavy wagon into tight mountain corners quickly and cleanly. Mercedes uses steel springs and adaptive dampers to keep the big body upright but foregoes the active anti-roll setup used in some of its taller SUVs. I quickly got into the flow, knowing exactly how the car would roll and behave as I increased speed. The big battery is situated far back in the chassis, helping to offset the inline-six up front and imbuing a secure neutrality to responses. There's enough grip from the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber to carry scary speeds, and just the right amount of power to allow the long tail to gently slide around hairpins without it feeling hairy in the well-leashed ESP Sport mode.So I'm furrowing my eyebrows with every dab of the brakes, then smiling and laughing each time I launch back into the throttle. But there's no doubting I'm driving one of the less aggressive 53 AMG models, not the top-dog 63 variant. The E63S station wagon of yesteryear was significantly quicker, stiffer, more agile, had much higher limits, and was simply more serious about performance in every respect. You could take the E63S to the track without hesitation. I'd never even think of doing the same with the E53.Matt NagerUnfortunately, I can't say the E53 is a winner at daily-driving duties either. The transparent weight of this PHEV at 5203 pounds has seemingly forced AMG's engineers to specify a firmer suspension setup than preferable. It feels as if this wagon was dialed in on smooth German roads, paying little mind to the realities of the harsh impacts you find all over American highways. The snow-heavy Rockies have their fair share of these, and I felt every one, particularly on the harrowing but gorgeous road up to Mount Blue Sky, a worthwhile, mountain goat-festooned, 14,264-foot side quest for anyone attacking the Mestaa'Ėhehe Pass.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe E53 rides worse than wagons like the Audi RS6 Avant and isn't much of an improvement over the BMW M5 Touring, all while offering less performance. The attractive but too large optional 21-inch forged wheels can't be doing the ride any favors. And those brakes that struggle to communicate when driven in anger are also difficult to modulate when you simply want to drive the car smoothly.Matt NagerThis whole excursion exposed me to more Superscreen hours than I've had in any dash-to-dash screened Mercedes yet, and I really got along well with the XL UI system outside the couple times the Android Auto connection randomly quit. If a physical volume scroll wheel and dedicated Seek/Back buttons were somewhere easily found, I'd be nearly devoid of functional complaints. Just make sure you keep a cloth in the car to regularly wipe the dust and smudges from those enormous displays.Despite the overwhelmingly digital interface treating me well today, it's hard to see this screen-heavy interior aging with grace. One thing that'll never stop being great, however, is this exterior design. Just look at it flying through the mountains in this resplendent Cirrus Silver Metallic. It's at home up here. The AMG wide-body bulges in all the right places. Its radiator-style grille makes sure the world knows it means business from the front. And then the traditional wagon shape is pure class. I could do without the three-pointed star taillights, but why shouldn't Mercedes have a little fun with lights? Details like the tiniest roof-mounted lip spoiler, the fender vent, and the red-painted calipers really bring the package home. I spent a long while just staring at this wagon during my few days with it, enjoying the bow-like flow of its body lines and superb blend of restraint and flash. It's better looking than the old E63S and undoubtedly the best version of the current E-class.Matt NagerWhen I finally came down from the mountains and parked it among the sea of SUVs crowding Denver's streets, I found myself divided on my verdict. Mercedes has built a wagon that easily coped with most of the niche tasks I asked of it. Is it likely many buyers of this as-tested $116,630 wagon will ever sleep in the back of it at a remote campsite? They're much more likely to be booking a spot at some fully serviced glamping location instead. And the battery brings benefits, with both serious power at high altitudes and lower commuting costs in the city thanks to the 41 miles of all-electric range.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut the E53's fickle brakes, choppy ride, and considerable weight hold it back from being one of the best of AMG's longroof products. Mercedes got closest to perfection with the nonhybrid, V-8-powered E63S wagon. As with other high-performance PHEVs, electrification has brought nearly as many compromises as benefits to the E53. It has a whole lot going for it, but this wagon is not the magical, one-car solution I was hoping for.Matt NagerYou Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State