2004 Mercedes-Benz ML350

Most Americans know Mercedes-Benz as a maker of German luxury cars ranging from the "entry-level" C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedan and SL roadster. Some may not know that M-B also offers tiny economy cars and large commercial trucks around the world, and its U.S. truck line includes the boxy G-Class utility and the more civilized and popular M-Class.

With front, center and rear open differentials, its full-time 4WD distributes 48 percent of engine torque to the front wheels and 52 percent to the rear.

Slotting between truck-based (full-frame) luxury SUVs such as Cadillac's Escalade and Lincoln's Navigator and Aviator and the growing ranks of car-based (unibody) models such as BMW's X5, Lexus' RX330 and Cadillac's new SRX, M-B's Alabama-assembled M-Class sits on a rugged truck chassis but drives and performs more like a tall, heavy car.


Two versions are offered: a 232-hp V-6-powered ML350 and a 302-hp V-8-powered ML500 (the high-performance ML55 AMG model has been dropped). Besides the V-8 engine, the ML500 offers more standard equipment, including a new DVD-based navigation system that is optional on the ML350. It needs just one DVD to map the entire contiguous U.S. (vs. the previous system's nine CDs). Unfortunately, our test ML350 did not have it.


The ML350's 18-valve SOHC V-6 displaces 3.7 liters (shouldn't it be the ML370—) and makes 232 horses vs. the previous ML320's 3.2 liters and 215 hp. More importantly, its peak torque is 254 lb.-ft., an improvement of 21 lb.-ft. over the 3.2L, which is available between 3000 and 4500 rpm. Both M-Class models feature M-B's 5-speed adaptive automatic transmission with "Touch Shift" control for manual shifting when a twisty road and the spirit moves you.


The fully-independent suspension (double A-arms, stabilizer bars and gas shocks front and rear, with front torsion-bar and rear coil springs) provides reasonably car-like ride and handling—better than the average truck but not up to the average Mercedes. Performance (0 to 60 in the 8.5-sec. range) was adequate for a V-6-powered 4,800-lb truck, but why does a 232-hp base V-6 require premium fuel when some rival V-8s don't?