America's fickle regard for station wagons hasn't meant much to most luxury automakers, who've continued to offer a steady stream of wagons and wagonlike cars. The latest example is the Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic wagon, based on an E-Class that was redesigned a little over a year ago. Its arrival was all but certain: Of the nameplate's eight prior generations, four have included a wagon. I predict Wagon Five won't go down as a particularly memorable edition.

The E350 wagon brings some useful innovations, but its undersized cargo area and puzzling driving dynamics diminish the appeal.

As its name suggests, the E-Class wagon comes with a V-6 engine and all-wheel drive, in Sport or Luxury editions. Rear-wheel drive, a V-8 and a diesel V-6 — all available in other E-Class cars — weren't offered in the wagon as of publication. Click here to see the E-Class lineup compared, or here to compare 2011 and 2010 versions. I'll focus primarily on the E350 Sport wagon we evaluated. You can also check out our reviews of the coupe, sedan and convertible.

• Not Crossing Over
• Modest Power
• Ride & Handling
• The Inside
• Safety & Features
• E-Class Wagon in the Market