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| 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetech Obsidian Black on Black MSRP: $56185 |
2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetech
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Click To View Standard Features
Click To View Technical SpecificationsVehicle Overview
Comprehensively redesigned for 2006, including a switch from body-on-frame to unibody construction, the Mercedes-Benz M-class is a well-mannered and attractive luxury SUV for those whose needs don’t include hauling more than four fellow travelers. After three years on the market, it’s still a pleasing, elegant shape.
But, just as we didn’t realize we needed HDTV until we had it, we didn’t realize the M-class looked dated until we laid eyes on the 2009 model, making its first public appearance since the surgery alongside Mercedes’ lineup of 50-state BlueTec diesels at the 2009 New York auto show. The changes are few and small, but taken together they represent a tasteful and well-executed update of the ML’s face.
The grille is larger and drops lower into the front fascia, where it mingles with a taller and wider lower air intake in a move reminiscent of the current Honda CR-V, only graceful. The headlights are subtly reshaped with a small step on the inner edge that follows the line of the larger grille. The smaller, round fog lights perch in angular housings that share cut-lines with the headlamps.
Out back, the rear bumper is reshaped with sunken reflectors and a stainless steel skid plate. Larger side-view mirrors offer better visibility than the minuscule units on the previous M-class.
Updates to the interior are likewise conservative, with new door panels, a new steering wheel with shift paddles, and new seats. Perhaps the biggest news with this redesign is the addition of Pre-Safe to the ML’s standard equipment list. This technology, first debuted on the S-class, senses impending collisions and reacts by tightening seatbelts, rolling up windows, and moving the front seats to positions optimizing airbag protection. If it senses a rollover might occur, Pre-Safe will also close the sunroof.
Engine choices remain the same for ’09: a 215-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 turbo-diesel powers the ML320 Bluetech; a 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, the ML350; a 382-hp, 5.5-liter V-8, the ML550; and the totally-over-the-top 503-hp, 6.2-liter V-8, the ML63 AMG. All models use a sophisticated seven-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive is standard.
Introduction
With so many premium-badged luxury SUVs available now, it's easy to forget that just 10 years ago Mercedes-Benz was one of the first with its M-Class. The original, truck-based (body-on-frame) M-Class was a strong seller for the brand, despite a number of early build quality issues related to its new U.S.-based production. A few years ago the second-generation model debuted. Evidently realizing that about the same number of people who actually use their home fitness machines use their SUVs to go off-road, Mercedes gave the new ML (officially now referred to as the M-Class) a carlike unit-body architecture and a revised suspension design that brought a more on-road-biased personality to this premium sport-utility. In addition to improved handling and ride qualities, the second-generation ML received more aggressive styling, higher-quality cabin fitments and new engines.
The M-Class rolls into 2009 with mostly detail changes that include a celebration of its 10th birthday. Mercedes offers the widest array of power plants in the segment, from a fuel-stretching diesel in the ML320 Bluetech to a supercar-worthy 507-hp V8 in the ML63 AMG. There's also a new mainstream V8 this year. Found in the ML550 model, this latest-generation 5.5-liter V8 cranks out 382 hp -- 80 more than the 5.0-liter V8 found in last year's ML500. The rise in power hasn't come at the expense of fuel economy, either, with the ML500 and ML550 having very similar EPA estimates.
The new engine is welcome, but the 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class faces some serious competition in the $50,000 luxury midsize SUV segment. It's not the only fresh-faced ute on the block, as the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and BMW X5 were all- new or redesigned just last year, and the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg 2 have been heavily revised for 2009. The advantage of the M-Class is that it offers what most folks typically buy Mercedes-Benzes for: a vaultlike feeling of quality and luxury, visible prestige and state-of-the-art safety. What it doesn't offer is a third-row seat. But one can always consider its stablemate, the larger GL-Class, if the ability to carry up to seven passengers is a must.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a midsize, five-passenger luxury SUV. Four trim levels are offered: ML350, ML320 Bluetech, ML550 and ML63 AMG. The ML350 and 320 Bluetech are identically equipped with 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, TeleAid, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats, maple wood interior trim and a CD player with an auxiliary audio jack. To celebrate the ML's 10th birthday, there will be the ML350 Edition 10, which comes in either black or white and features split-spoke wheels, tinted headlight and taillight bezels, a two-tone leather interior with birch wood and aluminum accents, heated seats, a CD changer and the obligatory "Edition 10" floor mats and exterior badges.
To the regular ML350, the ML550 adds AMG-style bumpers and (19-inch) wheels, running boards and heated front seats. The ML63 AMG features special interior and exterior styling details, as well as a sport-tuned air suspension, 20-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, active headlights, corner-illuminating foglights and ultra-supportive sport seats.
For all but the ML63, there are many options, most grouped in expensive packages. Feature highlights include an adjustable air suspension, park assist, adaptive cruise control, adaptive xenon HID headlights, leather upholstery, a navigation system with a rearview camera, a rear-seat entertainment system and a Harman Kardon Logic7 surround-sound audio system with satellite radio. Upgraded front seats with driver memory, heated front and rear seats, tri-zone climate control, a sunroof and a power liftgate are also available.
Powertrains and Performance
A variety of engines are available for the 2009 M-Class. The ML320 Bluetech has a 3.0-liter turbodiesel rated at 215 hp and a stout 398 pound-feet of torque. Being a diesel, it provides better fuel mileage (rated at 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway) and range (more than 600 miles) than a comparably sized gasoline engine. Note that due to stricter emissions standards, the ML320 is unavailable in California-level emission states. The ML350 has a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.
Offering brisk performance, the ML550 boasts a 5.5-liter V8 that pumps out 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Should that not be enough, there is the ML63 AMG with a 6.3-liter V8 making a stunning 503 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to propel this SUV from zero to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds. All models are fitted with a seven-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Maximum tow capacity when properly equipped is 5,000 pounds.
Safety
Antilock disc brakes with brake assist, traction and stability control, hill descent/ascent control and a full complement of airbags (front seat side and full-length side curtain) are all standard. In government crash tests, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class posted perfect five-star scores in both frontal- and side-impact testing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the SUV a top score of "Good" for its protection of occupants in frontal-offset crashes.
Interior Design and Special Features
Generous fillets of bird's eye maple wood and brushed aluminum trim lend the cabin a warm, upscale ambiance. Large front cupholders and adequate storage cubbies come in handy on road trips. Passenger room is especially impressive, as the ML affords rear-seat passengers more than 39 inches of legroom -- nearly 6 inches greater than the RX 350 offers. Folding down the rear seat provides a maximum 72 cubic feet of cargo room, which is on the small side for the segment.
Driving Impressions
Although the 2009 Mercedes ML's steering is precise, it doesn't offer much feedback and feels a little dead in the center. The brakes, however, offer a sure-footed pedal and stop this SUV quickly. Despite some body roll, the near 5,000-pound, all-wheel-drive ML is a predictable and stable handler. It offers a confident feel during inclement weather as well as when negotiating twisty mountain roads on the way to the hiking or mountain biking trailhead.
