Dial M for mud-plugging

The M-Class caters to the customer looking for a SUV with a three-pointed star.

“Go to the address mentioned on the slip, we have an account there,” said Mr. Thomas of Mercedes-Benz while handing over the M-Class. “We always fill up our cars and hand them over to the media, but there isn’t anyone in the factory today.”
To give credit where it is due, we did drag out a driver on a holiday, but before we could do that we went hunting for the petrol pump. It was a little too far away, according to the locals, and we didn’t have much time to spare. So we turned around and headed in the opposite direction, to where we knew there were good locations for a photo shoot. We decided to fill the car up ourselves, like we usually do. We reached the pump, and watched the numbers on the fuel dispenser's counter go by. Twenty litres, thirty, forty… By now we were quite amazed at how much fuel the ML 320 CDI could take in. When we were done, our eyebrows had reached our hairline – it had taken in seventy litres and it had had a quarter tank of fuel before we began… This isn’t a car, it’s a fuel tanker in luxury car drag!

The bland looks of the previous-generation M-Class have gone, and it has now gone from anonymous to Armani. The kink at the bottom inside of the headlamps, the two-part grille that the CR-V could take a lesson or two from, the new aluminium skid plate and mufflers at the rear all lend a grown-up sophistication to the exterior design. The silhouette is still very traditional, but the steep C-pillar offsets it quite effectively. We like the small touches like the chrome strip on the doors that not only makes the car look good, but also prevents the paint from getting dinged in parking lots. The vents on the bonnet hint at power, and the longitudinal slashes enhance that effect. The grille, while not subtle, isn’t tasteless, either, but we don’t like the mirror-indicator design. The indicators look like they were afterthoughts from some angles. The M is one of the few SUVs left that persists in mounting the spare wheel on the rear of the car, thus giving it a lot more street cred than the competition, which are unashamedly soft-roaders.
Overall, the new design is quite a leap forward. The M-Class now has the show to match its go.

There’s five-star comfort in here, what with the leather interiors and powered everything. It does have more than a few buttons since there isn’t a COMAND system in this particular variant, but it isn’t complicated. The buttons are easy to understand, and the manual is not needed to understand what functions the buttons perform. Fit and finish is of the highest order imaginable, and everything has good tactile feel. The instruments are arranged in a clear twin-ring format, with two smaller dials that display fuel level and the time housed inside the speedometer and tachometer. A digital display that lies in between the speedo and tacho shows information like the odo and trip readings, ambient temperature, etc. You get a commanding view from the driver’s seat, but the view of the rear is limited – the tailgate-mounted spare blocks out all but the largest vehicles at the rear, and the left wing mirror is a plane mirror, limiting the view on the left.
There is enough legroom for an NBA All-Star forward in here; despite the car’s length, it is only a five-seater, thus giving all occupants more than enough space for their knees, heads and shoulders. This also means that the boot is large enough for a week’s luggage. The occupants will also be kept entertained by the high-quality music system, which delivers punchy bass and clear highs. There are a number of cubbyholes on the inside, and the thought that has gone into the practical touches will surprise you – there are little lamps that light up at night to show you where the cup-holders are, for example.

Engine
The turbocharged V6 displaces 2987cc and musters 234bhp and 535Nm of torque. It sounds like a diesel on the oustide, despite it running common-rail technology that has quietened it a lot. The noise stays on the outside, though - there isn't any intrusion in the cabin of the engine's noise. The power delivery is smooth and linear, and there is almost no hint of turbo lag, partly thanks to the gearbox, which shifts well to keep the engine in its powerband. Rev it to the redline, and you get a pleasing growl from under the hood.

Drivetrain
Gears are selected the American way, with the selector stalk where the wiper stalk usually is. It took us a few minutes to deduce how to select forward, reverse or park (we, bring men, resort to consulting the manual only when all other options are exhausted, or Vrushali shouts at us in exasperation) but we managed without the manual (or Vrushali shouting) and realised that it is really quite convenient, and frees space between the front seats, which then can be utilised for other things like the cupholders. The gearbox slurs from one gear to another very effectively, but hesitates a tad too long before downshifting if given the stick. For the kind of cruiser the M can be, though, we've no complaints. There's also a low ratio option, should you want to try some real mudplugging, but we think the tyres will have to be more suitable if that is what you want. We're happy to use the hill descent control while going down slopes, and set the speed which is then limited electronically.

Fuel efficiency
We had the car for too short a while to judge its fuel efficiency accurately, but with the 95-litre fuel tank, it will have a decent tank range.

The M has an air-damped suspension, so the driver can change the way the car handles at the touch of a button. There's 'Comfort' and 'Dynamic' modes to choose from. As the names suggest, the former softens the damping and offers magic-carpet-like ride quality, and the latter stiffens things up for better control around corners. Dynamic mode also gives the car a sharp edge when going over ridges or through potholes, but the focus is always on comfort. At speed, it will waft along with supreme composure, smothering anything that happens its way. Handling at high speed is predictable, the safety systems reining things in if the driver gets overtly exuberant. It handles very well for a heavy, high-off-the-ground SUV, and as such should be treated as an SUV, not a sports car. The steering is direct and accurate, but lacks a little feel. Ground clearance is not an issue with this car - if you don't have enough, you hit a button on the center console and the ride height is increased for when the going gets rough.

As one would expect, the brakes required to haul all that mass down in quick time have to be epic, and the M's brakes are more than up to the job. They bring this 2187kg car to a halt from 80kph in 41.9m and 3.1 seconds, which is a really good figure for the car's weight. They have very good bite and feel, and are linear.
Bridgestone Turanzas of the size 235/65 R17shod this car. They have good grip and are quiet on tarmac at speed - but don't expect them to work wonders in true off-road situations. They are road-biased rubber and make no bones about it.
First, it's an SUV, so you're going to be safer than the average Joe in his sedan or hatchback. Secondly, it's a Mercedes-Benz product, so you're getting ABS, EBD, traction control, ESP, airbags, three-point belts for all and sundry and compliance with the world's strictest safety standards, since this is a full import.

It isn't cheap, at Rs 54 lakh. Mumbai. Its inability to seat more than five occupants when options like the mammoth 7-seater Audi Q7 exist in the same price bracket will definitely be a negative point in the eyes of prospective owners. The Audi also has a greater measure of street cred and bragging rights, owing to the 'quattro' badge it comes with. Of course, Mercedes has a better service network, which is something prospective owners who will want to go cross-country will give a lot of importance to. We recommend the ML320CDI to those for whom the three-pointed star means something really special.

Test Data

Engine Specifications

2987cc turbocharged, six cylinders in vee, diesel. 234bhp@3800rpm and 535Nm@1600-2800rpm. View specifications

Max in Gear

Performance Test Data

Fuel Efficiency