As holidays go, Father’s Day can be the third third-place game where Mother’s Day is the tournament championship — but you could really make Dad’s day this year with the Ultimate Dadmobile. And the collective wisdom of the Cars.com staff is that the 2019 Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon fills that bill (not to mention is a gift the whole family could enjoy).
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Give Pop the Ultimate Dadmobile: The Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon
Wagons are so rare these days that it might seem we’re coloring outside the lines. But many cars you’d think of sooner, such as the new Porsche Speedster, are fantasy cars that are not for real dads. No backseat, not even air conditioning, not likely. And SUVs are such a carpool-lane cliché.
Meanwhile the E63 is practical without being a Wagon Queen Family Truckster (sales pitch in the classic “National Lampoon’s Vacation” movie: “You think you hate it now … but wait ’til you drive it!”). Such wagons would be the Father’s Day equivalent of ugly socks. But the E63 can handle real dad duties and be his fire-breathing fantasy car. It might even spark nostalgia for his own dad’s family wagon, though the AMG version deletes the standard wagon’s rear-facing jump seat in the wayback.
The E63 S also has world-class safety and semi-autonomous driving tech. And it can treat the whole family (or just mom and dad on date night) to the sort of luxury you’d expect in a six-figure Benz. That includes buttery Nappa leather, first-rate multimedia and audio, along with heated seats, steering wheel and armrests. It can even be a rolling spa with front-seat massage modes from “hot stone” to “active workout” and aromatherapy in six mood-themed scents.
I’d be thrilled to get a luxury hauler with its own version of Tesla’s Ludicrous Mode. It was an easy choice for my colleagues, too.
Does It All, Leaves Room for More Toys
“The 2019 Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon takes a proven family vehicle — a big wagon — and goes nutso from there with 603 horsepower and zero-to-60 mph in 3.4 seconds,” says Joe Bruzek, Cars.com managing editor.
Another plus for dad, according to Bruzek: “Instead of having a fun car and a family car, you can combine both with the E63 wagon to free up space in the garage for more power tools and a bigger lawnmower.”
A One-of-a-Kind Car for Your One-of-a-Kind Dad
“The rarity of the E63 wagon, its packaging, its handling characteristics, it’s blistering acceleration and all the unique elements add up to something incredibly special,” says Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman. “It’s as much a statement as it is a transportation device: It says, ‘Dad didn’t just buy this off a lot or get it on a great lease special.’ It says, ‘Dad knows what he’s doing — and he’s doing something ridiculously fun.’ ”
Show the Love — and Put Turbo Boost in His Step
“Dear old dad: mower of lawns, wearer of dad jeans, teller of horrible jokes. There’s one surefire way to add some spice to your dad’s life, and that’s with the Mercedes-AMG E63 wagon,” says Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Newman. “With its 603-hp, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, it can make that honey-do list a license to drive, and with its 35 cubic feet of cargo area, it’s got the room to bring home all the goodies.”
Ideal for Dad the Role Model
“Much to the chagrin of my Asian parents, I’m still not a father — just a theoretical one for this exercise,” says L.A. Bureau Chief Brian Wong. “And in my head, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon hangs as a sort of idealized version of fatherhood: one without compromise. It’s the ultimate ‘have your cake and eat it, too’ vehicle, with enough passenger and cargo room for a family, and enough performance to shred tires and engage in irresponsible shenanigans. And besides, if you want the kids to grow up to love cars as we do, this is probably the perfect entry point to display the upside of oversteer.”
The Whole Package
Beyond being a “sensible SUV alternative, the E63 S wagon combines practicality, performance and pampering,” says Senior Research Editor Mike Hanley. “The AMG E63 manages to be both practical and irrational — all at the same time. The E63 S sprints to 60 mph quicker than many sports cars while still coddling its occupants in traditional Mercedes luxury and comfort. Have to pick up a few of your kid’s friends from the mall or the in-laws and their luggage from the airport? No problem; the E63 S can make quick work (literally) of each. While it’s a verified fact that auto writers have an unusually strong affinity for wagons, in the case of the E63 S the love is warranted.”
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A Final Word of Advice
We have just one request if you buy our choice: Don’t let the kids put those family stick figures on the liftgate of Dad’s sleek new wagon. A tasteful “World’s Best Dad” decal would not go amiss, however, and would spark V-8-powered envy among those dads who only got the coffee cup.
Editor’s note: This post was updated June 12, 2019, with additional information from Mercedes-Benz correcting the wagon’s list of standard features. The third row in the regular wagon is deleted for the AMG version because of different suspension components and bracing in the rear.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
