ML-Class W164 2005 | Mercedes-Benz | Car Reviews

Comfortable ride, tidy handling, excellent engines including 320 CDI, plenty of safety kit, upmarket interior.

Only has five seats, a BMW X5 is a sharper drive, expensive to buy new.

FUEL ECONOMY

REAL MPG

INSURANCE

ROAD TAX

CARS FOR SALE

USED ML-CLASS PRICES

Introduction

Latest Update 1-3-2012. Alerted to Urgent Safety Recall for Mercedes Benz diesels. This relates to a possible diesel fuel leak which may develop at the fuel filter assembly. The dealer will replace the fuel filter.

Introduction (from original road test):

Life is full of compromises.

Do you choose the Rioja because you like it, or the Chardonnay because she likes it, or settle in between for the Viura? Do you buy a small house near your work or big house 30 miles away or a medium size house in the suburbs? Do you go for a prestige 4x4 that's good off the road or one that's good on the road or one that's half good at both?

Until recently those were the choices you faced. LandRovers of all types (apart from Freelanders) were brilliant off the road but dismal on it. BMW X5s and Porsche Cayennes were the opposite. Mercedes MLs, being the first posh ‘lifestyle' SUVs, were neither. Only VW Touaregs and Range Rover Sports have proved surprisingly good wherever you point them.

With the new ML, Mercedes has decided that it won't make the decision for you. Instead, it sells the car in three different spec levels with three different wheel sizes, makes self-raising air suspension optional, and, for serious off-roaders, offers serious off-road gear as a factory fitted option.

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