There’s a quiet revolution happening on luxury car lots across America, appealing to a small but passionate set of drivers: The high-performance wagon is making a comeback.
SUVs might dominate American car sales. But some car lovers prefer the unique combination of SUV-like space and carlike handling only a wagon can provide. So a new, sporty wagon is cause for celebration.
The latest entry comes from Mercedes-Benz. This week, the automaker announced plans to bring the 2026 Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid wagon to the U.S.
“Arriving at U.S. dealerships later in 2025, the new AMG model combines thrilling performance and all-electric efficiency with the versatility of a wagon,” the company explains.
Mercedes hasn’t revealed pricing. The equivalent sedan starts near the $90,000 line. Wagons typically command a slight premium over their sedan counterparts, so we anticipate a price in the mid-$90,000s before tariff considerations.
Americans already have access to the E53 powertrain in sedan form. It pairs a turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine with an electric motor integrated directly into the 9-speed automatic transmission. The combination produces 577 horsepower in regular use and up to 604 hp in short bursts with the optional Race Start system.
Mercedes says the combination gets the wagon from 0-60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Yes, in a wagon.
A plug-in hybrid (PHEV), Mercedes says it can accelerate to 87 mph on electric power alone. The car’s electric driving range is still to be announced.
Every E53 wagon will be all-wheel drive (AWD) and use Mercedes’ excellent rear-wheel steering system, which we’ve loved on the sedan. It makes a big car handle like a smaller one.
Standard features will include a 17-speaker Burmester sound system, and Mercedes’ immense, dashboard-covering Superscreen will be optional.
The AMG wagon joins the BMW M5 Touring and the Audi RS 6 Avant in the renewed high-power wagon wars.
