New Mercedes ML 350 CDI review, test drive

This particularly aggressive looking new M-class is a limited edition AMG version that includes a slack-jawed bumper and 20-inch wheels.Mercedes has called it the ‘Edition 1’ and is only offering 100 cars for Rs 66 lakh a pop. The designers have created a very dynamic car with sharp styling, dramatically cut wheel arches and a big grille with a large three-pointed star on the grille. Other details like the aggressive front bumper, AMG-style vents on the bonnet, an imitation sump guard and proud sills make this car quite striking to look at, while retaining a strong family resemblance to the rest of the Mercedes-Benz range.

Despite being 23mm longer, 15mm wider and 19mm lower than before, the new M-class weighs 10kg lesser than the old car, emphasising the use of lightweight materials. Build quality is phenomenal, and the new M-class feels incredibly tough and robust.

It is built around a steel monocoque and features mostly steel panels, although the bonnet and front wings are aluminium. The engine’s power drives all four wheels via Mercedes’ 4Matic permanent all-wheeldrive system, and you can opt for a six-stage off-road package that brings with it varying ride-height adjustments, automatic differential locks and a special off-road calibration for the stability control system.

Mercedes has employed an electrically-assisted power steering unit, and you also get adjustable air suspension as standard. Additionally,the spare wheel sits beneath the boot floor and is a space saver. 

Every inch of the M-class' interior is covered in the finest quality. The grain of the wood, the quality of the thick leather, the well-damped manner in which the metal-capped buttons work and the micron-perfect fit all prove that this is one of the finest cabins you can find. Polished wood and brushed aluminium inserts lend a touch of class, white lighting, chrome, wood and leather give it a sense of occasion, and the styling is more avant-garde than traditional. There is also waterfall lighting on the dashboard and doors, further enhancing the classy feel of the cabin.

The seats have acres of legroom and great thigh support. The sheer width accommodates three people sitting abreast comfortably. The only grouse is the lack of a third row of seats that some of its rivals can be optioned with.

The cabin is quite practical, however, with many cubbyholes, a big glovebox and other storage spaces. Even the column-mounted gearlever frees up space for two extra bottle holders and a small cubby. The boot, at 690 litres, is cavernous, and the middle row folds to give a flat loading bay.   

It comes with a long list of equipment and you get stuff like cruise control, a reversing camera, a six-CD player, Bluetooth with audio streaming, adaptive air suspension, electric steering adjustment, climate control and auto-dimming mirrors.

The ML 350 CDI BlueEfficiency we have for our test is powered by a 3.0-litre common-rail, direct-injection diesel engine. At 255bhp, it has 21bhp more than the old ML 350 CDI. It is mated to the latest version of Mercedes-Benz’s silky seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox, complete with automatic stop-start and brake energy recuperation functions, and a permanent four-wheel-drive system as standard.

The new ML 350 CDI is unbelievably smooth and sweet-sounding, and you could easily mistake it for a petrol-powered car. There’s no hint of diesel motor rattle, there’s very little vibration, and even when you rev it, it feels utterly velvety. If we had to nitpick, it would be about the distant drone that persists if you keep the engine spinning at around 3500rpm.

With 63.2kgm of torque — some 10kgm more than the old car — the oil-burner makes light work of the substantial 2175kg kerb weight. Normal driving conditions need only a gentle dab on the throttle, and even that is good enough to have you scooting forward in that effortless, well insulated, typically Mercedes manner. The greater flexibility of the motor also means that the gearbox, in ‘Comfort’ setting, can shift up gears much earlier, so progress is relaxed, but adequately rapid. On part-throttle loads; the new Mercedes off-roader cruises in a serene manner. Thanks to the especially linear power delivery of the engine, the big M-class feels easy to drive in traffic too. The gearshifts, though smooth, are on the slow side and remind you that, in true Mercedes fashion, refinement and comfort are more important than ultimate performance. It also helps that you are given paddle shifters which, in both Sport and Comfort settings, are nice to use. But they are not the most obedient, and the gearbox sometimes refuses to downshift unless you coax it by lifting off the throttle before pulling the ‘down’ paddle.

Still, performance is strong, with 100kph coming up in a rapid 7.58sec. Performance continues unabated further up the powerband as well and, despite its girth, 180kph comes up in 26.76sec.