Review of the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class Range

Large, sleek, powerful and beautifully built, the second generation Mercedes M-Class is the luxury 4x4 its predecessor always should have been. Though it only seats five, it does so in some style and offers a great range of engines with surprisingly crisp road manners. You won't want to cross the Serengeti in one but you'll adore it in the urban jungle.

The Mercedes approach to luxury 4x4s got off to an inauspicious start. Though 40,000 examples for the first generation M-Class were sold in the UK, the car's US-built quality was from an era the brand would rather forget. Fortunately, things were very different with the second generation version launched in 2005 and further improved in the 2008-onwards facelifted guise we're looking at here. If you're looking for a large five-seater SUV of this sort mainly for on-road use, yet still need to cope with the possibility of flash floods on the school run, there are few better choices if you can afford the up-front asking price.

Though this car still isn't a BMW X5 around the twisty stuff, in many other respects it matches or even betters its Bavarian rival and is a superior on-road choice to the other favourite in this sector, Land Rover's far slower Discovery. MK1 M-Class customers, whose cars rode on ancient old ladder-framed chassis rather than this model's contemporary steel monocoque set-up, won't recognise themselves at the wheel of this car.

In theory, it's reasonably competent for testing off road use too and at first glance, that side of the M-class's character appears as if it's going to be quite accessible. The manual promises that merely pressing a button on the dash will put the car into off-road mode, changing the behaviour of the automatic gearbox, adjusting the throttle map and switching the anti-lock and traction control to off-road use. The permanent four-wheel-drive system splits the engine's output equally to both axles, with 4ETS traction control using the anti-lock braking sensors on each wheel to juggle the power delivery, while the Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR) feature controls descents.

"This is now one of the three pointed star's strongest products.."

In practice, only a tiny proportion of owners will ever get to experience all of this in extremis since to responsibly use this car for anything other than muddy carparks, you've to make pricey forays into the options list. The first extra 'must have' is AirMATIC air suspension. Featuring Auto, Comfort and Sport modes, this lowers the car automatically by 15mm at high speeds and raises it 80mm for off-road driving at the touch of a button on the dashboard. Secondly, you'll need Mercedes' Off-Road Pro pack which adds a two-speed transfer case with an off-road ratio, manually or automatically selectable diff locks and a version of Airmatic which raises ground clearance by 110mm to as much as 291mm. Which means that in this guise, this Mercedes would theoretically ford water up to two feet deep.

In practice, hardly any one is going to specify their M-Class in this form and those who go for AirMATIC (standard only on pricier models) will usually only be doing so for its adjustable damping system which set in 'Sport' enables you to keep an X5 in sight, while switched to 'Comfort' mode will create class-leading motorway ride. Refinement and build quality are also unsurpassed in this sector, as is the standard, silky-smooth 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, marshalled by an American-style stalk off the steering column.

This is arguably the best looking of the modern breed of luxury SUVs, created to meet consumer taste for edgier, more dramatic designs, hence the pronounced wheel arches, the raked forward C-pillar and the wedgy, nose-down stance with a slippery 0.34Cd drag factor. In styling this car, it also helped that unlike its Audi Q7 and BMW X5 rivals, the Mercedes designers didn't have to trouble themselves with allowing for an optional third row of seats, given the availability of their even larger GL-class model. The 2008 M-Class facelift saw the lights, bumpers and front grille all tweaked and roof rails included as standard fit.

Inside, the cabin is even more beautifully finished than before, with the seats redesigned for better comfort and support and a choice of three different wood finishes for the fascia. At 880mm, the distance between the front and rear seats is reasonably good and the split-folding rear bench folds to increase luggage room from 833 to 2050 litres. Removable cushions can be ordered as an option, enabling owners to create an entirely flat load floor. Those wanting such versatility would also do well to consider the optional Easypack system for holding and dividing loads.

Most M-Class models sell in the £40,000 to £55,000 bracket, though if you go for the manic ML63 AMG flagship, it is possible to pay over £75,000 for one. One way of looking at it is that the entry-level ML 300CDI's list price is only £3,000 or so off that of a well equipped Mitsubishi Shogun, a choice that's pretty easy to make.

Though at first glance, more realistic rivals like BMW's X5 and Audi's Q7 appear similarly priced, their more powerful models cost less and of course, both, unlike the Mercedes, can offer you up to seven seats. As can Land Rover's Discovery of course, usefully cheaper and better off road but lacking the M-Class's power and panache. Under the bonnet, there's a choice of the 190 or 224PS diesels, the V6 ML 300CDI or the ML340 CDI. Alternatively, there's the twin-turbocharged 306PS V8 ML 450 CDI. Petrol customers have only the V8 388PS ML 500 if they don't want the storming V8 510PS ML63 AMG.

Equipment levels have been upped in recent times, now running to rear parking sensors, heated seats, an electric rear tailgate, rain sensing wipers and hands-free Bluetooth 'phone compatibility as standard. As you'd expect, standard equipment includes a comprehensive array of electronic stability and braking aids, including six main airbags, plus optional rear side 'bags, 'Neck-Pro' anti-whiplash head restraints and a 'Pre-safe' system that readies the car's safety systems (even adjusting the electric front seats and closing the sunroof) should its ABS and ESP sensors pick up warnings of an impending crash.

Mercedes has improved its engine efficiency in more recent M-Class models with BlueEFFICIENCY technology but it still can't match BMW in this respect, with even the most sensible ML300 CDI model recording 32mpg on the combined cycle and returning 236g/km of CO2, figures equalled by the ML350 CDI variant. As for the petrol models, well, it's best to say that if you can afford them, then you probably won't be worried.

The Mercedes returns to the top of the class when residual values come into play however: expect to get between 55-57% of your purchase price back after three years if you go for one of the V6 diesels, an improvement over BMW and Audi rivals and vastly better than any petrol M-Class can manage. That helps create relatively affordable running costs for ML300 CDI and ML350 CDI models of 77.6 and 81.9ppm respectively. Insurance ranges between groups 17 to 20.

Today's M-Class is very different to its predecessor and is now one of the three pointed star's strongest products. The way it looks will sell the car to many, while the way it drives on tarmac will lure others. Though the more powerful versions are appealing, it's not surprisingly the V6 diesels that most people buy that add up best as ownership propositions. Either way, Mercedes has a luxury 4x4 it can be proud of.

TOP 5 M CLASS DEALS

The results below show the top M CLASS deals on buyacar

Mercedes Benz M Class ML250 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto [Comand] Diesel Station Wagon
Price £44,459 Read M Class Reviews	Save £3,036
Mercedes Benz M Class ML250 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto Diesel Station Wagon
Price £42,500 Read M Class Reviews	Save £2,865
Mercedes Benz M Class ML350 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto [Comand] Diesel Station Wagon
Price £47,324 Read M Class Reviews	Save £3,261
Mercedes Benz M Class ML350 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto Diesel Station Wagon
Price £45,364 Read M Class Reviews	Save £3,091
Mercedes Benz M Class ML270 CDI 5dr Tip Auto Diesel Sw
Price £8,540 Read M Class Reviews	Save
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