End of an Era for C-Class Wagons
If you ever promised yourself to buy a wagon but ended up choosing an SUV, you are not alone—this choice by millions of buyers led to the demise of one of the most beloved body styles. Mercedes confirmed it is currently not considering the possibility of creating a wagon version for the new electric C-Class. This means that for the first time in its history, the C-Class model will not have a long-wheelbase variant.
This is not just a departure from recent tradition. Every compact Mercedes sedan, starting from the first C-Class that replaced the 190 model in the early 1990s, was offered as a wagon. Of course, in the US, this version was only available to a limited extent, but for the European market, it was an integral part of the model range for decades.
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Now Mercedes is ready to break the 30-year series, and the reason lies in simple math. We simply did not buy enough of such cars for the brand to consider it worthwhile to invest in developing a new version.
A Car Becoming Increasingly Niche
Mercedes designer Robert Lesnik, in a comment to Autocar, noted: “When I meet with you or other designers, they say: ‘Well, I like wagons!’. But in the end, no one buys them. We have three regions. In America, they don’t buy them; we tried with the CLS Shooting Brake—and no one bought it. The Chinese don’t understand them and don’t buy them. That leaves Europe, but if you look at the Mercedes E-Class, it’s quite expensive—so who in Europe can actually afford such a car?”
Lesnik is not someone who hates wagons in favor of SUVs. His first car was an Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon, and he believes the best car in his company’s current lineup is the “almost perfect” E-Class wagon. Clearly, this situation upsets him.
The GLC Takes Over the Role
“I say we should have wagons, but reality is a bit different,” says Lesnik. Although he left the door open, saying “never say never,” it seems the automaker has already made a decision. For now, Mercedes expects the family duties to be taken over by the electric GLC SUV.
And this is a shame, because the new C-Class is shaping up to be a truly impressive car that could have performed excellently in wagon form. The first to hit the market will be the C 400 4Matic with two electric motors producing a combined 482 hp, accelerating the car to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Mercedes claims a range of up to 473 miles according to the WLTP standard from a 94 kWh battery, and a ten-minute charge can restore up to 202 miles of range.
Full-Size Digital Dashboard
The interior offers an optional 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen and a panoramic roof with 162 illuminated stars. The car will debut first in the US, prices have not yet been announced but are likely to start around $55-60 thousand when it competes with the new BMW i3 in the first half of 2027.
BMW May Offer an Alternative
In contrast to Mercedes, BMW has already shown a hint of an i3 wagon version for Europe, although it likely will not reach the US. However, one wagon that might make it is the next M3 Touring. America did not get it in this generation, but BMW North America was impressed by the unexpected success of the M5 Touring, which in the US easily outsells the sedan, and this could lead to more performance wagons appearing on the American market.
This situation with Mercedes clearly illustrates how global market trends shape model lineups even for premium brands. Demand in the US and China, where SUVs dominate, proves decisive, despite the affection of European enthusiasts for wagons. The success of the BMW M5 Touring in America, however, shows that a niche for high-performance wagons can exist if the car offers enough emotion and status. The future of wagons seems to depend not on their practicality, but on the ability of brands to position them as exclusive, emotional products for a limited circle of enthusiasts willing to pay for them.