E class estate as a 7 seater

Cyrus

Mrs cyrus reckons we need a 7 seater and im struggling to find something i like,

my favourite version of the x5 with the plug in hybrid doesnt offer it, new GLE still too expensive, XC90 not really my bag.

I was looking at a newish (current model) AMG E class estate, my kids are young still, 5 and 1, and we only need it for the odd occasion that we are carrying guests around. Are these rear facing boot seats safe? and do they have isofix?

colm_mcm

Kids love them. Safety is a bit of an unknown. Most small 7 seaters have people sitting right on the back end of the car too so I wouldn’t assume the Merc is less safe.
Being rear facing is better in a frontal crash anyway.

searay

Since 2015, very few of the merc estates have the third row of seats as they have an adblue tank. You might find it very hard to get one.

Cyrus

The new model has it as an option

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/used-2019-191-mercedes-benz-e-class-e-kildare-fpa-201905178065111

invara

I have a 2013 one bought in the UK three years ago. I had a Volvo V70 with the same configuration years ago and then a Touran. It is nice to drive, thrifty, very reliable/solid. Like you I could not bear another family box. Telsa offer this seat configuration on the S model. I had Volvo retrofit the seats as a €2-3k cost, as they are a dealer option- a dealer will do the same on a mercedes.
As a 7 seater, we need a roof box for holidays (4 kids) and there is no boot space with the kids seats in use. The kids grow out of the seats when they get lanky around 12 years old (so good for up to 140-150cm). It works for us because eldest is 16- so guessing she will outgrow us before youngest 9 needs to move up to the front-facing seats. 12 year old is starting to grumble about space. No isofix in boot (they are hard seats so designed for over 2 yr olds).
They are fun- we play sweet and sour - waving to drivers and counting those who wave back. They are safe (although there is less data than other seating types) as their torso are in the main wheelbase of the car. E class has one of the highest safety ratings of any car (see Folskam data on real-world crashes)

Casati

I’ve been looking for a new ish one for years and they simply don’t exist.

Cyrus

There are 3 or 4 currently available in the current model

Ferris

I looked at these as I like the e-class and nearly went for one when we had two kids. The seats are for occasional use imo. Its not safe to keep kids in the boot with any luggage regardless of the cars safety rating so you will have to empty the boot when the seats are in use.

Grand for two kids, useful when you have to give grandparents / other kids a lift. if you're comfortable with high tax what about an R-Class? Ugly as sin but fantastic inside.

useless

What about a Q7 if you were thinking of an X5?

Cyrus

Yeah it’s on the list

Pretty ugly outside tho !!

useless

Cyrus wrote: »

Yeah it’s on the list

Pretty ugly outside tho !!

Agreed. Lovely on the inside though!

grogi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Kids love them. Safety is a bit of an unknown. Most small 7 seaters have people sitting right on the back end of the car too so I wouldn’t assume the Merc is less safe.
Being rear facing is better in a frontal crash anyway.

Those seats are miles better than any FWF seats. RWF are safer for a reason...