THE large, three-pointed star gives it away. The iconic badge, now on the grille, is hardly subtle, but no-one could mistake if for anything other than a Mercedes and a styishly good-looking one at that.

The big E-Class estate must surely be one of the most best looking and luxurious load-luggers on the market.

It offers just two, high specificaton trims, the SE  and AMG Sport and a choice of diesel, petrol or in this case disel/electric hybrid, which combines impressive performance with excellent economy and cheaper running costs once over the initial high purchase price.

The combined diesel/battery gives plenty of grunt allowing the car to zip from 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds, but still delivering economy of a claimed 62.8 mpg and 119g/km CO2 emissions.

The hybrid power unit and other Mercedes BlueTec fuel saving economy gives a claimed 880miles range on a tank of fuel. The power is delivered through a sophisticated seven-speed automatic gearbox which switches gears seamlessly to power the car ahead.

Ride and comfort rather than sporty handling is the order of the day and the car is offers cathedral-like quietness when on the road. Engine, road and wind noise are all but absent as the car whisks you quietly down country lanes or motorways.

In either guise or whatever power unit, it is a luxurious yet practical vehicle, offering as it does, and as you need when visiting the local tip, remote powered boot opening and then closing with the touch of a button. This gives access to a large load area of 650 litres, expanding to vast 1,950 with the seats folded flat.

The Mercedes Quickfold system enables a one third/two thirds split which can be folded  via a cable in the boot. The versatility means in can accommodate all shapes and sizes and number of passengers, depending on the seatconfiguration. Door bins, glove compartment and a central storage bin add to the practicality.

It offers just about everything that is practical in a estate car. The styling is impressive with a new sports grille and that large centrally-mounted star. The new single-unit part-LED halogen headlamps feature running lights and give  brilliant illumination.

The interior is a little more conservative than the sleek and sporty-looking exterior, designed for comfort rather than dynamism.

The dial and control layout have been around for a while now and  for  those who switch between cars, the location of the gearchange stalk, where the wiper would normally be, takes a bit of getting used to. I found my self knocking the car intro neutral when going for the wiper. I also found myself forgetting the release the foot-operated parking brake.

Having said that the layout of the console and dash is generally of the highest quality with the three chrome-backed central dial catching the eye. Standard specification includes artificial leather upholstery with soft touch finish trim and thick carpets.

All seats are comfortable and supportive with the front pair heated and electrically adjustable. There are a host of creature comforts like automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, climate control, parking camera and collisions warning system which beep when you get to close to other vehicles, to name but a few.

Most of the major functions are operated by a command dial to the driver's left which controls online navigation, connectivity and entertainment system. The sound system is also superb with ear-splitting surround sound speakers system.

Mercedes has always had an excellent reputation for safety the E-Class is no different, featuring ABS braking, stability control, a comprehensive list of airbags. Collision Prevention Assist and Pre-Safe system can protect occupants in the event of potential front and rear end collisions and are fitted as standard, while Active Park Assist with Parktronic provides near-autonomous parking in parallel and 90-degree parking spaces.

Despite being a quick car the car is a comfortable place to be when on the road and features self-levelling rear air suspensions maintains a neutral ride height regardless of load weight.

This hybrid model weighs in with a hefty price tag of £41,670, but the equipment list is just too long to list, but some of highlights include the COMAND infotainment system, heated electrically operated front seats, steering wheel paddle shifters, ambient lighting, dimming mirror and automatic wipers and lights.

It's easy to see why this economic and green motor would appeal to the company car driver, it should also appeal to the larger family who are not short of a few quid.