The Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain will celebrate its second anniversary in September. However, the high-riding executive estate is still not available with a powerful diesel engine. But that鈥檚 about to change, according to MercedesBenzPassionBlog, as the three-pointed star鈥檚 Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V90 Cross Country challenger will welcome a new powertrain in Q3. The twin-turbo 2.9-liter inline-six is entirely new, and already powers the E400d, S400d and new CLS 400d. It delivers an identical output of 340 PS and 700 Nm of torque in all three cars. This should be a welcomed departure from the current 194 PS 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill used in the E220d, or the E350d, with its 3.0-liter V6 that generates 258 PS. Both models have a standard dual-clutch nine-speed automatic gearbox, which will be the sole transmission offered in the E400d (name unconfirmed), too, according to an initial announcement made by the automaker. Just like the rest of the high-riding E-Class lineup, the new E400d will keep its rugged design with generous plastic cladding and a jacked-up suspension. The latter allows it to sit 39 mm higher than the standard Estate, and provides it with a ground clearance of up to 156 mm. The most extreme version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain adds the 4脳4虏 suffix, and was created by a company engineer.
The XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid offers buyers an alternative fuel choice in their luxury seven-seat SUV, and at 拢71,945 in Inscription Pro trim, it鈥檚 a match for its diesel-engined rivals in this test. Our pictures show a D5 model, but it鈥檚 a T8 we鈥檙e testing. Volvo has made a commitment to putting a million electrified cars on the road by 2025, and it鈥檚 models like the XC90 T8 that will make that possible. It鈥檚 a hybrid that you can plug in at home or at work to keep the battery topped up, avoiding heavy use of the engine. The T8 Twin Engine uses a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with an electric motor and an eight-speed auto box. The electric motor drives the rear axle, so the XC90 does have some off-roading potential with its 4x4 layout, but this isn鈥檛 the road-biased SUV鈥檚 main focus. Adaptive dampers and air suspension are fitted as standard in Inscription Pro trim as part of Volvo鈥檚 Four-C active chassis set-up, matching its rivals. It differs in this group test thanks to its hi-tech powertrain, but also because it鈥檚 a little smaller than its competitors when it comes to footprint and interior space.
Due to its high-quality interior, however, it feels just as upmarket as it ought to at this price. It uses a neat, clean design with a large portrait touchscreen and plush materials. The Volvo isn鈥檛 quite as luxurious as the BMW or Land Rover, although our top-spec Inscription Pro model is very well equipped. It comes with 21-inch alloy wheels, heated leather seats, four-zone climate control, a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment set-up with sat-nav, and a digital instrument cluster. A core part of the XC90 T8鈥檚 driving experience is the electric motor. It has 86bhp, which complements the petrol engine鈥檚 299bhp output, especially at low revs. As the engine is building speed and getting into its power band, the electric motor fills in with its instant torque (240Nm of it), so the XC90 is really quick off the line. We recorded a time of just 5.7 seconds from 0-60mph, which was more than a second faster than either of its rivals here, despite them having larger engines. The electric motor also allows for near-silent running at low speed, so driving around town is very relaxed in the XC90, not to mention efficient.
However, once the 2.0-litre petrol engine fires up the Volvo鈥檚 refinement is eroded compared with the Land Rover and BMW. Despite being slightly smaller than its rivals here, the Volvo is competitive when it comes to boot space. It has 262 litres available with all the seats up, which is more than in the Discovery (258 litres) but less than the X7 (326 litres). Fold the third row and it also has a bit more capacity than the BMW, at 967 litres. So while the XC90 is practical enough, it can鈥檛 match the Disco. However, the Volvo has the least total boot space and, perhaps more importantly, the rearmost seats are pretty small and won鈥檛 be of much use for adults. That鈥檚 unlike either of its rivals, which have loads of room in every seat. At least the Swedish car鈥檚 second row has plenty of leg and headroom, though. Volvo put in a decent showing in our Driver Power 2019 customer satisfaction poll, finishing 13th in the manufacturers鈥?standings.
The Swedish firm set a target of zero deaths in any of its cars by 2020, so there鈥檚 lots of safety kit. The XC90 gets autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, run-off-road mitigation and traffic sign recognition. It even managed a 100 per cent rating in the Safety assist category in its Euro NCAP test. If you are looking for a company car, the XC90 is a clear winner. Low CO2 emissions of 55g/km put it in the 16 per cent Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) category, resulting in a tax bill of just 拢5,462 for higher-rate earners. Both of the other models sit in the 37 per cent range due to their large diesel engines, so the X7 and Discovery will cost 拢10,857 and 拢10,196 respectively in tax. That huge difference shows how much you can save by running a plug-in hybrid as a company car, but as a percentage of its value, it鈥檚 perhaps less important than luxury or practicality for buyers of these SUVs. The Discovery badge means a lot to buyers of luxury SUVs, and there鈥檚 a good reason why.
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