After its introduction nearly ten years ago, and now into its second generation, the Alabama-built Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the firm’s mid-sized SUV offering, is still a relevant player in an increasingly crowded SUV field despite moving further up the market with each passing year.

Adept at urban commuting and even the occasional crawl over a grassy field on the way to a polo match, the M-Class has been a favorite of upscale buyers since its late 1997 introduction.

What is it?
The M-Class is a five-passenger luxury SUV that is “right-sized,” meaning not too big and not too small for the average owner’s needs. Available in several flavors to accommodate various tastes, it can be had in with V6 and V8 gas engines, as well as diesel and AMG versions. For 2010, look for the addition of a ML450 Hybrid version.

Our tester is the recently-introduced, entry-level ML350 two-wheel-drive model. Aimed at those who want the high seating position and the style of an SUV, it does help bring down the price at the expense of any semblance of dirt road traversing ability.

What’s it up against?
To say this niche is increasingly crowded is an understatement. From a pricing standpoint, rivals include the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Infiniti FX, Land Rover LR4, Porsche Cayenne and Volvo XC90.

The M-Class only offers two rows of seating, however, so its three-row rivals might steal some sales from larger families.

Any breakthroughs?
Not so much technological as it is a styling breakthrough, the M-Class features new front and rear fascias, with newly styled headlights. But that is clearly superficial. This Merc features the brand’s PRE-SAFE safety system, which to this point has been seen in the E- and S-Class. The system tenses up the seatbelts when it senses an impending impact and moves the front passenger’s seat into a crash-ready position. The windows go up to support the airbags, and if the M’s sensors feel a rollover is likely, will close an open sunroof. We didn’t see fit to test out the system.

The optional hard drive-based navigation system now accommodates Sirius traffic info and Zagat restaurant listings and ratings. We did test out this system and our full bellies thank us.

How does it look?
A few weeks ago, we mentioned in the review of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox that it is channeling its inner M-Class. This is the source of that inspiration. Broad fender flares give the impression that the M is hunching down like an English Bulldog. An aggressive forward slant along the belt line, combined with the front leaning C-pillar make the ML350 look like it’s running while at rest.

Blacked out privacy glass keeps the prying eyes at bay, while the aluminum-alloy 20-inch wheels add a touch of sparkle to the overall appearance of the M, which despite the aggressive lean is surprisingly buttoned-up. But the look is unmistakable Mercedes-Benz.

If appearance has a shortcoming, it’s in the add-on running boards. Handsome enough, they help butch up the exterior, even though to our eyes it doesn’t need it. But what it does add an extra amount of distance that needs to be traversed to get in and out of the vehicle, and in the process soils pants, shoes and the like.

And on the inside?
Leather the color of a Black Angus in a coal mine is what greets you when opening the doors of our test ML350. Simplicity is elegant. And so it starts with a simple but to-the-point gauge binnacle with all the normal gauges where you would expect to find them. The center stack houses a Harmon/Kardon audio setup that can also accept music files from an SDHC memory card through the slot in its nose. But to this day, we know of no one who does this. Does one use SD cards for anything other than their digital cameras?

We also wish we did not have to dig through the menus via the buttons on the sides of the seven-inch monitor display, just to see if the vehicle was equipped with satellite radio. The same could be accomplished through a simple button that displays the word “Band.”

The monitor that anchors the navigation system uses a touchpad to control the destination, phone and audio functions of the Harman/Kardon system. Sitting atop the HVAC controls, they are all surrounded by high-gloss burled walnut trim that shows up throughout the cabin. We love any use of wood in a vehicle and especially the brilliance of this walnut. The rear seat is wide enough to comfortably sit three and offers good legroom for rear seat occupants when those under six feet are seated in front.

The rear seats manage to fold forward in a 60/40 split if necessary, leading to a tastefully covered and finished cargo area which swallows up to 72 cubic feet of cargo.

But does it go?
The ML350’s 3.5-liter V6 puts out a decent 268-horsepower, and 258 lb-ft of torque, with a flat power band from 2,400 to 5,000 rpm with redline at 6,000. The pulling power of the M-Class feels a little thin up until 2,400 and then watch out.

A fly-by-wire selector stalk for the seven-speed automatic transmission is where you would expect if you’ve been in a Mercedes-Benz product lately. Push upward on the column-mounted stalk for reverse, down for drive, away for neutral and push the end button in to park.

This works simply enough, although when switching over to the steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers, there is noticeable shift lag present. We love the paddles in the more powerful Mercedes vehicles. In the M-Class we’d opt for the faster shifting automatic mode.

The ride reflects typical Mercedes-Benz quality. One of the best in the business, it combines great road holding with a firmness that has come to be expected from Teutonic touring machines. Upper and lower control arms with coil spring struts, gas shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar keep things tidy in front. At rear, a multi-link setup with gas-charged shocks and a stabilizer bar keep things flat through the corners. Running through a mental checklist of the laws of physics, it seems as though we have broken most of them. But Electronic Stability Control and ABS keep things right side up and under control. We found the handling was quite good for an SUV, able to maneuver through nice sweeping turns with minimal body roll which surprised us since this vehicle was carrying a curb weight of 4,705 pounds, some of which was located above the center of gravity. As heavy as the M-Class is, we expected a rather thirsty fuel system. We weren’t surprised, then, to find ratings of 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. Oddly, the heavier all-wheel-drive model is rated at exactly the same, so you won’t see a significant fuel efficiency improvement with only two drive wheels.

Credit the engineering that went into the ML for that. As an added bonus, with 8.3-inches of ground clearance, the M-Class is able to leap curbs with a single bound. And that’s all a rear-wheel-drive example like our tester will be doing. But that’s no doubt fine for nearly every buyer.

Why you would buy it:
You’re looking for the cachet of a Mercedes-Benz, but at an “entry-level” price. In that case, the ML350 with two-wheel-drive fits the bill.

Why you wouldn’t:
You live in the snow belt and want all-wheel-drive, or you’re holding out for next year’s ML450 Hybrid model.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Doesn’t rain or snow much where you live? Then M-B has your SUV right here. With classic good looks, and actual utility, it’s the perfect around-town go-getter, albeit with something that begins to approach a substantial price tag and doesn’t exactly sip fuel.

2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 2WD base price, $45,475. As tested, $48,745.
Appearance package, $950; Lighting package, $950; Heated front seats, $720; Aluminum running boards, $650; Destination, $875.

Words and photos by Mark Elias

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