2023 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon

Some people like trucks, others like sports cars, and then you get those that really know what's up: people who love wagons like the Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon. Wagons are the best type of car on the face of Planet Earth, and arguing otherwise will only lead to you looking like a fool. These cars offer the practicality of an SUV, with the driving characteristics of a sedan, and who can't resist a thicc behind? The 2023 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon is all that and more, taking the already appealing E63 Sedan and popping some extra junk in the trunk. That means you get familiar elements like a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, all-wheel drive - with a drift mode - and a 3.4-second 0-60 mph sprint. The interior is also a superbly refined place to sit in. But despite its uniqueness, it doesn't have the midsize luxury wagon segment to itself, as the Audi RS6 Avant is on the scene, and we're led to believe there may be an M5 Wagon in future, too.

Buying a Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon will set you back at least $120k, before a destination charge. Fully loaded, you could spend a lot more nearing the $150,000 mark. Similarly, the Audi RS6 Avant starts at around $121k but will also exceed $145k with enough options ticked.

Sure, this isn't an ordinary station wagon, but most of those buying this car will expect a sliver of day-to-day comfort and not an all-out track car, which is why the ride can be a bit disappointing. Despite Mercedes-AMG revisiting the suspension setup for the 2021 model year, the ride can still feel jarring, especially over rougher suburban roads; not something you want in a family car.

The Audi RS6 delivers a better ride in this regard, but neither of the two is exactly soft and cushy. The plus side to the harsh ride is that when things start to get more serious, the E63 Wagon clings on for dear life, shows no body roll, and delivers tons of grip.

The steering in this car is also impressive, and the AMG drive modes allow the driver to fine-tune the steering, suspension, and throttle response to suit every driving occasion. With 4Matic AWD on your side, the E63 Wagon has no problem putting all of that V8's power down, and acceleration is brutal. We wish it were a touch more compliant, but the overall experience is a riot.

There's a good reason why Mercedes-AMG only brings a handful of these cars to the USA each year: it shouldn't even be a real thing. Between AMG's excellent lineup of sedans and SUVs, there's little to no gap for anything else, but Mercedes-AMG knows how much its hardcore fans love a wagon, and the rest is history. American demand is surging, too, relatively speaking, which is why the Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon and its competitors stay, despite market conditions suggesting otherwise.

The E63 Wagon looks good from any angle and wraps its occupants in beautiful luxury, but that's only half the story. It provides SUV levels of cargo space and a ton of standard tech, but it's under the hood where things get exciting. That V8 engine delivers a knockout punch that makes this wagon feel faster than any wagon should be. Sure the ride is on the firm side, but this is a minor inconvenience in a car that defies all logic. For its absurdity and oddity alone, the E63 Wagon should be praised.

The Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon comes pretty well-equipped as standard, but there are a few options we'd select to make it feel even more special. The matte Brilliant Blue paint is worth every bit of its $3,950 price with the amount of attention it draws. We think the standard wheels look fine, as does the rest of the exterior. None of the interior color upgrades jump off the page to us, but we would opt for the massaging seats for $1,320, three-zone climate control for $720, HUD for $1,100, acoustic glass for $1,100, Driver Assistance Package for $1,950, and a few other low-cost options. As described, the E63 S Wagon rings in at around $127,000.