Mercedes C-Class EV Going Sedan-Only Because America Hates Wagons, Unless They’re BMW M5s

If you’ve ever said you’d buy a wagon but then bought an SUV instead, congratulations, you’ve helped kill one of the most beloved body styles in the business. Mercedes has confirmed it currently has no plans for an estate version of the new electric C-Class, which would make it the first C-Class ever to skip the long-roof option.

That’s not just a break from recent tradition. Every small Mercedes sedan since the very first C-Class took over from the 190 in the early 1990s has been offered in shooting brake form. True, it was only fleetingly offered in the US, but it’s been a staple of Benz’s European lineup for decades.

Also: AMG’s Sleeper Wagon Has Over 500 HP And A Deployable Rear Wing

Now though, Mercedes is set on ending a 30-year streak, and the reason is a simple mathematical one. We just didn’t buy enough of the things for the brand to bother investing in a new version.

Increasingly For Enthusiasts Only

“If I sit down with guys like you or other designers, they say ‘well, I like station wagons!'” Mercedes designer Robert Lesnik told Autocar.

“But in the end, nobody is buying them. We have three regions. Nobody is buying them in America; we tried the shooting brake CLS and nobody bought it. The Chinese don’t understand them and don’t buy them. Then Europe is left, and if you look at a Mercedes E-Class, it’s pretty expensive – so who can actually buy a car like that in Europe?”

Lesnik isn’t some wagon-hating SUV bro, either. His first car was an Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon, and he reckons the best car in his company’s current lineup is the “almost perfect” E-Class Estate. He’s clearly pained by the whole situation.

GLC Takes Over

“I say we should have station wagons, but the reality is a little bit different,” Lesnik says. Though he left a door ajar with a “never say no,” it seems like the automaker has made up its mind. For now, Mercedes expects the electric GLC SUV to cover family-hauling duties instead.

Which is a shame, because the new C-Class is shaping up to be a genuinely impressive kit that could work well in wagon form. The C 400 4Matic that arrives first pairs two electric motors for 482 hp (489 PS / 360 kW), dispatching 0-60 mph (97 kmh) in 3.9 seconds. Mercedes claims up to 473 miles (762 km) of WLTP range from the 94 kWh battery, and a 10-minute charge can recover up to 202 miles (325 km) of range.

Full-Width Digital Dash

The cabin features an optional 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen and a panoramic roof with 162 illuminated stars. It’s launching in the US first, with pricing still to come, but likely to start at around $55-60,000 when it takes on the new BMW i3 in the first half of 2027.

BMW Might Offer Salvation

In contrast to Mercedes, BMW has already teased a wagon version of the i3 for Europe, though it probably won’t come to the US. One wagon that might, however, is the next M3 Touring. America didn’t get it this time around, but BMW North America has been knocked out by the surprise success of the M5 Touring, which handily outsells the sedan in the US, and could lead to more performance Tourings being offered stateside.