Teresa’s View: Oh the safety, power … this rig’s after a mother’s heart
What mom hasn’t dreamed of owning a high-performance, multipurpose SUV? She can have the roominess, power, safety and that sitting-above-the-rest-of-the-world feeling without having to consider a minivan. In the luxury sport-ute category, moms have a passel of options from which to choose.
Among the originals is the M-Class SUV from Mercedes. When it entered the market in 1997 as a 1998 model, the ML320 stood out for two reasons: it was a luxury SUV with real off-road capabilities, and it was built in Alabama.
As car-like as it looks, the M-Class is a truck at heart. We’re not talking ‘63 Chevy-kind of ride, but it’s not exactly Lexus-smooth, either. Nonetheless, the ML500 we tested was rock-solid, even in icy road conditions, with plenty of power for passing or entering the freeway.
As for style, the exterior of this Mercedes is more understated than most. In its attempt to create a solid family vehicle, however, Mercedes lost some of the classic lines of an SUV. In fact, I heard several comments from non-car geeks who wondered if our ML500 tester was a minivan. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
What Is It?: The midsize luxury SUV is offered in three trims: the ML350 ($37K), powered by a 3.7-liter V-6, and the ML500 ($46K) with its 5-liter V-8 engine. A Special Edition package combines many popular optional features and a number of exterior enhancements.
Gadget Rating: 8 out of 10. It’s a Mercedes, for crying out loud. Of course the ML is dripping with luxury features. Downside? The complimentary scheduled maintenance program has been discontinued beginning this year. The control system for the numerous audio and climate adjustments is overly complicated. Don’t even get me started about the cumbersome navigation system.
Favorite Feature: I believe every SUV should come with a rear-obstacle detection system. Can I get an “Amen” from small-car owners who have had unhappy run-ins with large vehicles? Mercedes offers its as a $1,015 option.
The Back Seat: The M-Class vehicles seat five comfortably and an optional third-row seat bumps up the seating to seven. But, um, where’s the ubiquitous rear-seat entertainment system? Sorry kids, it’s not even available as an option.
The Competition: The M-Class travels in a burgeoning crowd. Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln and Volvo all offer premium sport-utes.
Coming Up: An all-new M-Class will be introduced next year.