Review of the new Mercedes M-Class Range

Cast your mind back to the spring of 1998 and just about the coolest set of wheels you could be seen in was a Mercedes M-Class. Unfortunately for Mercedes, the M-Class didn't stay very cool for very long. It was eclipsed first by BMW's X5 and then by a whole slew of pretenders that queued up to put a lick on the big Merc. Volvo's XC90, Volkswagen's Touareg and Porsche's Cayenne all did it better. Unaccustomed to being schooled in quite such a manner, Mercedes have brought us a second generation M-Class. Bigger, sleeker, more powerful and better built than before, this would appear to be the car the M-Class always should have been.

To be fair to the M-Class, although the quality control of the initial batch of cars produced from the Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama were rather patchy, latter models from the Austrian facility at Graz were a whole lot better screwed together. Some of the interior materials were a little half hearted but a nicely specified M-Class was, until the introduction of the Land Rover Discovery 3, still probably the best looking of all the big 4x4s. The lines have worn so well that the next generation M opts for an evolutionary look, keeping the same sporty stance and raked forward C-pillar but adding more pronounced wheelarches and a rising swage line along its flanks that may look a little too Toyota RAV4 for more conservative tastes. It marks a definite swing towards the sports end of the sports utility market and differentiates the Mercedes nicely from cars like the Land Rover Discovery and the Volkswagen Touareg. The next X5 will have its work cut out to offer styling quite as slick as the M-Class.

Although the sharply raked back windscreen and contoured body panelling give the M-Class a sporty, compact appearance, the tape measure shows just how artful its stylists have been. It's 150mm longer than its predecessor, 71mm wider and the wheelbase has grown by 95mm. It is also 7mm lower. Aerodynamics have been improved from a CD value of 0.39 to 0.34 with fuel economy savings of as much as ten per cent.

"The single biggest change that will transform the M-Class' chances is the improved quality of the interior"

The best buy in the old M-Class line up was always the entry-level ML270CDI, so Mercedes are expecting a high take-up on it's replacement, the ML 280 CDI and the more powerful ML 320 CDI derivative. The latter model features a V6 third-generation common rail unit that's good for 224bhp and 510Nm of torque. To put this engine's muscle into perspective, BMW's X5 3.0d, previously thought of as the industry standard unit in this price bracket, can't match the Mercedes. Advantage Stuttgart.

The two mainstream petrol engines are a little more familiar. The 272bhp ML350 opens proceedings at £36,710 and the Range-topping M-Class - if you discount the AMG derivative - is the 306bhp ML500, priced at £49,925. The potent ML63 AMG model features a 510bhp V8 powerplant with a massive 630Nm of torque but don't expect to achieve fuel economy that is in any way sensible.

Fitted as standard to every M-Class model is Mercedes' renowned 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, widely renowned as the best automatic gearbox in series production. Intelligent shift management allows the gearbox to plug into the engine's power band while being more efficient in terms of fuel efficiency than any other automatic. The Direct Select function allows drivers to select gears 'manually' using a selector level positioned close to the steering wheel. Steering wheel-mounted gearshift buttons are also offered.

Both the front and rear suspension has been thoroughly revised for this generation M-Class, with a double wishbone front and a multi-link rear arRangement. For those that really want the ultimate in ride quality, Mercedes also offers an Airmatic air suspension system option that teams up with an Adaptive Damping System that adjusts the responses of the shock absorbers According to the situation in hand. There's also an optional off-road biased air suspension option 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. This means that the M-Class will now ford water up to two feet deep.

Mercedes also offer PRE-SAFE, a safety function that won the Prince Michael International Road safety Technology Award. This system can detect critical driving situations that indicate an imminent or potential collision before it occurs, and goes into action to provide enhanced passenger protection. If a potential impact is imminent the seatbelts are tensioned, the sunroof and windows are closed to avoid intrusion and the seats are moved into an optimal position. In combination, injuries to the driver and passengers have been shown to be drastically reduced.

For all the talk of slick styling and more powerful engines, the single biggest change that will transform the M-Class' chances is the improved quality of the interior. Gone are the brittle plastics and uninspired ergonomics of the old M-Class, replaced by something that's far more in keeping with Mercedes premium image and pricing. The dashboard features a pair of cowled main dials with a digital information panel between, while the centre console retains the styling of the latest E-Class models. Although it's not what you'd call packed with surprise and delight features, the cabin now befits a vehicle of this class.

At 880mm, the distance between the front and rear seats is a full 15mm greater than in the old car, achieving a level more akin to a luxury saloon. Despite the additional rear legroom, luggage space goes up. Fold the 63:37 rear bench flat and there's 2050 litres (up by 30l) available. Removable cushions can be ordered as an option, which means that an entirely flat load floor can be attained, stretching 210cm to the back of the vehicle.

If Mercedes managed to shift 620,000 of the old M-Class, imagine what they could do with a car that's fundamentally better in virtually every regard. The established pecking order looks set for a reappraisal.

TOP 5 M CLASS DEALS

The results below show the top M CLASS deals on buyacar

Mercedes Benz M Class ML350 CDi BlueTEC Special Edition 5dr Auto[Comand] station wagon special editions
Price £42,928 Read M Class Reviews	Save £5,517
Mercedes Benz M Class ML250 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto [Comand] diesel station wagon
Price £42,046 Read M Class Reviews	Save £5,449
Mercedes Benz M Class ML250 CDi BlueTEC Special Edition 5dr Auto[Comand] station wagon special editions
Price £41,500 Read M Class Reviews	Save £3,855
Mercedes Benz M Class ML350 CDi BlueTEC Sport 5dr Auto [Comand] diesel station wagon
Price £46,234 Read M Class Reviews	Save £4,351
Mercedes Benz M Class ML250 CDi BlueTEC Special Edition 5dr Auto station wagon special editions
Price £39,583 Read M Class Reviews	Save £3,642
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