2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

The Mercedes M-Class is a smooth driver, with reviewers' only complaints centering on the slightly numb steering. The 50-state diesel model receives lots of praise because it doesn't drive or sound like a diesel. The new ML450 hybrid receives similar praise, with reviewers noting it drives just like the gasoline-powered M-Class -- and blows it away with its high fuel economy.

• "These vehicles lean more in fast turns than the sportier Acura MDX or Porsche Cayenne. Straight-line stability is great, but these wagons are too tall, weighty, and top heavy to be truly agile. The steering is impressively linear and accurate, though its effort in turns can feel too heavy. Strong stopping control is augmented by outstanding brake-pedal modulation." -- Consumer Guide
• "Its ride is smoother and its handling is more poised than the best of Detroit's truck-based sport utilities." -- New York Times
• "Overall: Unusually pleasant to drive." -- USA Today
• "We burst out onto the West Side Highway, and the ML450 felt pretty much like a standard M-class." - Automobile Magazine

Acceleration and Power

The ML350 features a 3.5-liter 268-horsepower V6, while the ML550 comes with a 382-horsepower V8. The high-performance ML63 comes with an AMG 6.3-liter V8. The ML350 BlueTEC features a 3.0-liter 210-horsepower V6 turbodiesel. The new ML450 hybrid comes with a 3.5-liter V6 supplemented by a pair of electric motors. The powertrain is rated for a maximum of 335 horsepower.

Most reviewers agree that the ML350, though the least powerful of the M-Class models, is more than adequate. According to the EPA, it achieves 15/20 mpg city/highway, while the diesel model achieves 18/24 mpg. The new ML450 hybrid is expected to achieve 21/24 mpg -- about 30 percent better overall than the ML350.

• "The AWD ML350 delivers plenty of smooth power around town and on the highway, though it can feel labored climbing long grades. The ML550 furnishes noticeably more thrust, but unless you tow heavy loads, it may be overkill." -- Consumer Guide
• "Easing away from the Javits Center on Eleventh Avenue, the ML450 is indeed very quiet, as it's running solely on the electric motor, at least until about 12 mph, when the 3.5-liter V-6 kicks in unobtrusively. You see what's happening in the powertrain via a graphic interface in the navigation screen; once the picture of the engine goes from gray to white, you know that the gasoline engine is in operation." - Automobile Magazine
• "Because even greenies get pissed sometimes, the ML450 includes a launch-control function that M-B says will sling the hybrid ute to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.8. On the opposite -- and likely much more frequently visited -- end of the spectrum is a traffic-jam mode that allows the ML450 to move under electric-only power even on a low battery charge." - Car and Driver
• "Five speeds are common, six exemplary, so Mercedes' seven-speed gearbox is a bragging point. To manually use those seven gears, you tap buttons on the back side of the steering wheel (the side toward the front of the vehicle). That works dandy." -- USA Today
• "My ML320 tester's BlueTech was almost as vibration-free on start-up and acceleration as a six-or eight-cylinder gasoline engine. No oily diesel smell could be detected inside the vehicle. And acceleration was strong from a standing start thanks to a turbocharger and four valves per cylinder." -- Newsday
• "The ML350 BlueTEC that I drove delivered seamless power without a bit of noisy clatter or oily stink. Whether driving around town or at highway speeds, it was nearly impossible to tell the difference in refinement from a gas engine." -- Arizona Republic

Handling and Braking

The M-Class features a body-on-frame structure with twist resistance, giving it a solid feel. But its power rack-and-pinion steering and brakes receive mixed reviews.

• "Test drives on twisting mountain roads showed the M-Class to have quick steering with Mercedes' slightly heavy, but reassuring, feel." -- MSN
• "Steering is precise, but doesn't offer much feedback and feels a little dead in the center. The brakes, however, supply a sure-footed pedal and stop this SUV quickly." -- Edmunds
• "The one failing in the M-Class' performance repertoire is its braking -- I'm not sure how you build such a powerful vehicle and don't give it the most responsive brakes possible. The 13-inch ventilated four-wheel disc brakes stopped the car, but the mushy brake pedal feel led to poor response at almost every stop sign, light or congested road." -- Cars.com
• "Handling of this five-passenger mini-truck is superb for an SUV or even for a passenger car, and ride can be adjusted from comfy to extra-firm with the optional suspension system." -- Newsday
• "ML handles well, particularly for a tall heavyweight, but I found the steering to be vague and numb, especially straight ahead at highway speed." -- Arizona Republic

All-Wheel Drive

The Mercedes-Benz M-Class has permanent all-wheel drive using a system that diverts power to the wheels that can grip in necessary situations. The system works automatically, requiring no action from the driver.

• "For a tall and relatively heavy vehicle, the M Class is disciplined and upright on curves. It moves quickly and fluidly among traffic. And it is a fully qualified off-roader too, with full-tilt-boogie four-wheel drive instead of less rugged all-wheel drive." -- U.S. News