ML350 good for opera or outback
Four-wheel-drive Mercedes SUV packs power, class
Cox News Service
September 23, 2005
ATLANTA — Despite having features that make it more than capable of tussling with demanding off-road terrain, the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 is one of those SUVs that seem just too, too nice to sully.
But don't worry about its carpeted floor mats and, in the case of the test ML350, its ash leather interior. Cleanups aren't that difficult, and the reality is that today's lifestyles offer few chances to really soil or abuse SUVs unless your work or recreational inclinations set it up.
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It's because of its luxury features, however, that the ML350 is likely to generate sales, and they don't come cheap. The base price is $39,750 plus $720 delivery, and the tester's options totaled $8,355, adding up to a bottom line of $48,825.
Like other luxury-oriented SUVs, the test ML350 delivered a carlike — well, almost carlike — ride. What's interesting about that is that many reviews and media mentions note its heritage. Mercedes-Benz introduced the ML350 in 1998 and, as Consumer Review puts it, "went out of its way" to make it off-road-capable because "the thought at the time was that's what SUVs do."
Now, having learned that's not always the case, M-B's revisions for '06 represent a move toward car-ness. So the ML350 has most of the niceties that are standard on M-B cars and some from the SUV realm that can add to the driving experience.
There's an electronic off-road program that can be switched on if you're really going into the outback, and it will adjust shift points for its seven-speed automatic transmission. That transmission is driver adaptive, with steering wheel-mounted shift buttons that give the driver control.
Also useful to the everyday driver is the hill-start assist feature, which holds the ML350's brake for a second after your foot leaves the pedal to give you a chance to get to the accelerator. The switchable downhill speed regulator feature can be set to hold your speed to 3-10 mph when descending hills.
The off-road-oriented features may be more than most M-B drivers want or need, but for those who do, they're clearly state-of-the-art (of auto engineering) and raise the target for other manufacturers.
SPECS:
• Test vehicle: The 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 four-wheel-drive sport utility
• Price as tested: $48,825 (base price: $39,750 plus $720 delivery)
• Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 24 valves (268 hp); seven-speed automatic transmission with column shifter and steering wheel-mounted shift buttons
• Safety features: dual front air bags, dual side air bags, front/rear side window air bags, power anti-lock disc brakes with off-road mode, front knee bolsters, switchable traction control system, hill start assist/downhill speed regulator system
• Other standard features include: automatic two-zone climate control system with rear vent controls; eight-way power-adjustable front bucket seats; 60/40 split rear bench seat; tilt/telescope steering wheel with cruise control; power locks; heated power mirrors; automatic lighting system; front/rear fog lamps; rear wiper/washer; CD stereo with MP3/iPod inputs in glove box; 17-inch seven-spoke wheels with 235/65 all-season performance tires with temporary spare; drink holders; power outlets
• Options on test vehicle: obsidian black paint, $690; power folding mirrors, $75; DVD navigation system, $1,240; Sirius satellite radio, $500; heated front seats, $690; sunroof, $1,390; trim package with leather and wood, roof rails and Tele-Aid system for obtaining information, roadside assistance and emergency services, $2,200 (subscription fee); entertainment package with upgraded stereo and six-disc CD changer, $1,080; trailer hitch, $490
• EPA figures: 16 mpg premium unleaded city; 20 mpg highway
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