Mercedes' E-Class Wagon is the smartest 7-seater in the world

Ladies and gentlemen, you're now looking at the smartest wagon in the world.

Mercedes-Benz revealed Monday morning that it will be bringing its E400 4MATIC Wagon to the U.S. for the 2017 model year.

This is exciting because it's not just another SUV for luxury buyers to choose from, however, it's even more interesting because the all-new E-Class on which this Wagon is based is the most connected car in the world. Let me explain.

Brands like Tesla and Volvo are rolling out increasingly more semi-autonomous, connected cars. So is Mercedes -- but it's taking connectivity one step further.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Along with one of the most robust semi-autonomous driving systems, called DRIVE PILOT (I'm not yelling, that's Mercedes' capitalized branding for the tech), the E-Class also offers Car-to-X communication.

Constantly acting as both a transmitter and receiver, the E-Class can send and receive information about road hazards, traffic and more. Mercedes points out that this essentially allows the car to "see around corners" or "through obstacles."

This might sound like a "yeah, so?" feature. I assure you it's not.

Essentially, for fully autonomous cars to function at an expert level, they'll all need to have Car-to-Car or Car-to-X communication systems that share essential driving data non-stop. So Mercedes, being the first to implement the future-essential tech for the first time in a production car, signals its dedication in both autonomous driving and industry-leading tech.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Pulling back for a second, the E400 4MATIC Wagon allows buyers to step into the world of industry-leading tech and luxury without sacrificing utility. With its big hatch-y area and seating for seven passengers, the E-Class Wagon is a tech-savvy family hauler. Thankfully, it's no slouch, either.

The E400 4MATIC Wagon is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine that produces 392 horsepower. That power is sent to all four wheels through a new 9-speed automatic transmission.

Mercedes says this new tech wagon will go on sale this fall and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date. As for how it drives, you won't have to wait long. We'll be at the 2017 E-Class sedan drive later this month. So look for that report -- and a hands-on video testing its semi-autonomous DRIVE PILOT system -- soon.

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