The interior is too lovely for muddy boots — but the car is a refreshing alternative to the gazillions of SUVs on offer

I HAVE a solitary problem with the new Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain – its interior is too nice.

Hold tight, I’ll explain: The All-Terrain is a jacked-up version of the regular E-Class estate — a car renowned the world over for its sumptuous interior.

The E-Class is the car which makes you late, because when you get in you can’t help but take ten minutes to slather social media with show-off shots of the Van Gogh you’re about to drive.

When I say jacked-up, it’s been given a 29mm higher ride height over the standard version — which inflates by a further 20mm in All-Terrain mode — and is fitted with air suspension as standard.

It’s also armoured with protective plastic cladding, which some might say would look more at home on something cheaper from Japan (via Sunderland).

What I’m getting at is, this is a car which on the outside and underneath the skin is a bog-snorkeling rockhopper, a boulder-bouncing mud muncher.

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It belongs in the filth, getting down and dirty in the muckiest slurry this rain-drenched isle can muster.

But step inside and it’s a pristine vista of supple-to-the-touch materials and attention to detail.

It’s a Savile Row suit, a Rolex watch. The Queen herself would remove her shoes before sliding on to the mattress-comfy back seats.

So does this car have an identity crisis? Well, yes, but in today’s market that’s a good thing.

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These days off-roading isn’t just for ruddy-faced farmers and Land Rover rodeo clowns — the ability to leave the asphalt without looking an ass is something almost everyone could do with at some point.

People with double-barrelled names living in the home counties want something they can park close to the stables and won’t get stranded at rugger practice.

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But, at the same time, your mate John down the local wants something handy to tow his caravan to Camber Sands. And nobody — no matter which side of the tracks they live — wants to compromise on comfort and driving pleasure.

That’s where the All-Terrain slots in. Its opulent interior is at odds with its go-anywhere driving credentials, but these days people want it all.

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And let’s not get carried away — this car won’t quick-step you to the summit of Mount Fuji. But it will get you out of a lot of trouble in the slippy stuff.

As well as the Merc’s Air Body Control suspension system, the All-Terrain has permanent AWD and five driving modes which tailor the ride height and behaviour of the nine-speed box.

The All-Terrain mode is capable of negotiating gnarly ruts, steep inclines and declines, and deepish water — helped by tyres which are 14mm bigger than standard boots — and it’s powered by a torquey three-litre diesel engine.

Thanks to such a big lump, it’s good for a six -second 0-62mph time.

Elsewhere, the All-Terrain is very much a normal E-Class – a very good thing.

Before you buy one of these though, you should think carefully about whether you would feel the benefit.

The All-Terrain is £20,000 more expensive than the entry-level E-Class estate — that’s big biscuits.

If the most rugged terrain you ever drive on is a slightly pot-holed cul-de-sac, don’t waste your cash.

But if you live in one of the increasingly flood-blighted areas of Britain, or want to travel in style towing a horse box or caravan, the All-Terrain is a refreshing alternative to the gazillions of SUVs on offer.

Just remember to take your shoes off before entering, Your Majesty.