Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat?

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Sat 24 Mar 2012 10:54
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - AGS40593
I finally felt I could escape MPV world as my older teenagers don't squabble as they did as children. So I bought a 5 year old e class estate avantgarde 220cdi but I am disappointed in the quality of the mid rear seat which is uncomfortablly shaped for more than a 30 mins car journey, the car is great in most other respects but this is making me think I must change again.

I need plenty of luggage space as my kids will be going through university, and a comfortable cruiser as the first is now living 600 mile round trip away. I have checked the new Audi a6 and latest e class but neither seem great.

Anyone have a car they would recommend? I certainly don't want to go back to MPV land!
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Sat 24 Mar 2012 11:22
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - Avant

Have a look at a Ford S-Max. It has as much room as an MPV but doesn't look too much like one and certainly doesn't drive like one. And it's got plenty of room for luggage behind five people.

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Sat 24 Mar 2012 11:58
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - injection doc

I had an E250 avantguarde new and the seats were so uncomfortable, it was deadful & unreliable as well with quirky blue efficency injectiors that were troublesome & electrical issues galore.

Bought an SUV

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Sat 24 Mar 2012 13:25
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - Collos25

Althought it does not help the poster we have a number of e class 220 I myself have a w211 mine and a w212 lease the total amount of problems on them all is faulty door lock absolutely excellent cars this cannot be said of the BMWs they replaced.

You will never find a truly comfortable middle rear seat in a saloon based vehicle perhaps you should look at estates with a third row of seats other than that you are into MPVs.

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Sat 24 Mar 2012 13:39
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - barney100
The middle seat is never comfortable on any car I've been in, alternate the passengers so they don't get a numb rear.
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Sat 24 Mar 2012 18:19
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - Brit_in_Germany

Depends what you consider to be a quality car but the Peugeot 308 SW is estate shaped with three individual seats in the rear.

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Sat 28 Apr 2012 22:09
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - Mercian

LR Discovery 3/4 - it has a proper centre seat, a flat floor and tons of room. 100k trouble-free in mine but the downside is cost, cost, cost. But nothing else comes close for comfort and practicality I think, other than perhaps another big MPV.

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Sat 28 Apr 2012 23:43
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - Any quality car with comfortable 5th adult seat? - Avant

It would be nice if the OP could come back to us and let us know how the decision-making process has gone.

The moral here is to take all potential passengers with you if possible to car showrooms and try the seats out - or at least to sit in the middle of the rear seats and see how comfortable it is.

A maker of the reputation (and the lengthy options list) of Mercedes really ought to have the imagination to offer a bench seat as an option.

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