ML320: The Surprisingly Affordable and Luxurious SUV from Mercedes-Benz

Author's Rating:

Pros: A Benz in the driveway for under $40K

Cons: $40K here, $40K there, sooner or later it adds up to real money

The Bottom Line: 
ML320 is a stylish, sophisticated SUV that's truck like enough to be taken seriously -- if you ever do take it off road.

Author's Review
Are you in the market for a sport utility vehicle? Any SUV?

If you're thinking that an SUV would be a mighty fine addition to your driveway, you might want to take a good, hard look at the Mercedes Benz ML320, even if you think that a Mercedes is totally out of your price range.

Case in point: the Mercedes-Benz ML320 -- a solid vehicle with great creature comforts -- yet with a base MSRP of $37,265, it is a solid competitor against much lesser SUVs, including Chevy Tahoes and Toyota 4-Runners, not just the obvious high-line competitors like Lexus RX300 and the BMW X5.

Yes, the ML320 could be a fine addition to your driveway, and it is within the budget of a lot of families who might not think they could ever be Mercedes people.

The category here on epinions is for the generic "M-Class", which comprises 3 distinct models: the ML320, the ML500, and the M55 AMG. These all use the same basic body, chassis, and interior, but they differ in interior appointments and in power and performance. The ML320 is the entry level with a 215 horsepower V6 engine -- this is the model I am reviewing here. The ML500 comes with a 288 horsepower 5.0 litre V8 engine and a starting price tag that's about $9,000 higher than the ML320. The M55 AMG is the performance oriented SUV and it cranks out 342 horsepower from its 5.5 litre V8 engine -- but look for prices on the high end of $66,000.

Of these, I think the ML320 is the vehicle that packs the most bang for the buck, so without further ado, let's take a look at the ML320...

Can the M-Class Turn Heads? Styling and Design...
I have mixed feelings on the M-class as far as curb appeal goes. On the plus side, it is a distinctive looking vehicle with an efficient, rugged, truck-like appearance. On the minus side, it hasn't been updated in a few years and it looks the same as it looked the last time I drove one, which was probably 1998 or 99 and I sometimes think that the front-end looks too squat and stubby (especially when its parked next to something like the BMW X5 -- which is the ML320's closest competitor). I think the huge Mercedes star on the grill is ostentatious, and frankly, a bit hokey.

I like that the vehicle is truck like, but that it doesn't sit up so high that it's difficult to get into. I also like that the rear doors are large enough to be comfortably usable by real adult humans -- not just children and very tiny midgets.

A roof rack with roof rails is standard, or you can get a sunroof as an option. I'd stick to the roof rack, not just for aesthetics, but for practical reasons -- especially if you go for the optional third seat.

I like the looks of the standard 17-inch alloy wheels, and I like that the overall vehicle size is manageable (I really can't stand those huge Chevy Suburbans or Ford Excursions, both of which probably can't fit in any garage much smaller than an industrial warehouse -- much less a downtown parking spot).

Overall, I think the M-class is a stylish and functional design that, although its getting a bit dated, is still very modern and still identifiably Mercedes.

And yeah, I think it can still turn some heads...

Is the ML320 Comfortable? Interior Space and Design...
One of the big reasons to prefer a Mercedes over another SUV is for its level of comfort and its top-notch ergonomics.

If you've never driven a Mercedes before, a few of their quirks will take a little bit of getting used to, but once you know what to expect from them, you might well start wondering why the heck everyone doesn't do things the Mercedes way.

What am I talking about?

Well, take for example the controls for the power windows and door locks. On most cars and trucks, the controls are on the door. On Mercedes vehicles, they're often on the center console (it's that way with models like the E-class, and it's that way with the M-class). I found that quirk a little offputting the first time I drove one, but as I got used to it, I found that I actually preferred having the window control where I could reach it with my right hand. I also found that it has another advantage -- my front seat passenger could put the rear windows up and down just as easily as I could (like a lot of parents, I disable the rear window controls for reasons of child safety).

While the absolute bare-bones ML320 comes with cloth seats, you will probably have a tough time finding one of those models at your local dealer. Most of the ML320s I've seen have had leather seating, and although it adds $1,700 to the price tag, that money also gives you dual electronic 8-way power seat controls and it gives you dark window tinting -- so you get quite a bit of bang for the bigger bucks.

Besides adding leather, the one option that I think a lot of families will probably want to consider is the third seat. In its base configuration, the ML320 will seat 5 fairly comfortably (maybe a little cramped for the 3 in the back). If you ever find yourself needing to haul more passengers, the third seat will handle two additional passengers. That optional third seat will run you just under $1,000 with cloth or $1,200 for leather.

With leather and a third seat, you're looking at a total vehicle cost just over $40,000. Expensive, sure, but if you're already considering vehicles like the Lexus RX400 or the BMW X5, I think you'll find that the value proposition still works in favor of Mercedes...

Sitting in the drivers seat, I can't help but be impressed with the very clean, simple, elegant instrument panel -- free of the clutter that I find on all too many cars these days. Functionally elegant analog guages were easily read and grasped at a glance. On my right, I liked the rounded look of the climate controls, and although the dials might seem a little old fashioned in an era of electronic push buttons and digital readouts for everything, most people who truly understand usability and ergonomics know that simpler is always better and that controls on most products have gotten far harder to use in recent years. Mercedes shows why they have such a reputation for sophistication by doing things the way that make sense, not the way that looks glitzy in 30-second ad spots that appeal to the trailer park crowd (yeah, I'm specifically thinking Mitsubishi ads -- how did you know?)

Front seat leg room is very impressive and rear seat leg room is adequate even for a tall adult (I'm 6 feet and had no problem finding a sweet spot when sitting behind my wife in the drivers seat -- the sculpted seat back helps provide a squish more space).

Mercedes has a different approach to their leather interiors than other car makers. Where most cars with leather interiors have a solid leather surface, Mercedes has (for several years) perforated their leather seats so that they breathe and they never feel quite as hot in the summer time as do leather seats from other companies. The look is different, but like much of the interior design, its different for a purpose -- and the purpose is to maximize passenger comfort at the expense of appearance. Form follows function...it's a basic tenet of intelligent design, and it shows itself everywhere in every Mercedes. (Can you tell that I have a lot of respect for German engineering??)

Cargo space is sparsely utilitarian without some of the gimmicks and bells and whistles that you find on some vehicles today (like the built-in picnic table on Honda CRV, or the built-in beer coolers on Chevy Avalanche). While there was plenty of room for suitcases or boxes on the ML320, the cargo space is very limited if you opt for that third seat -- don't plan on doing a road trip with lots of passengers, unless you plan to use the roof rack for luggage.

Generally speaking, the ML320 has an extremely nice interior, though it might seem slightly spartan at first glance. Don't be deceived though. Like most products that are truly near the top of their class, this is an interior where form follows function and where less is more. It might not look like it has as many knick knacks as you get on a Lexus or an Acura, but what you get is a space that's far more elegantly designed and is geared for a more sophisticated car buyer.

Is the ML320 a Safe Family Vehicle? Safety Features...
SUVs as a class often have a rather, shall we say "mixed", record on safety. Roll over problems are legend on many models and body integrity has been criticized on more than a couple vehicles.

Yet some SUVs are regarded as "safer" than others, based on engineering and materials, obvious safety features, and results of evaluations and crash tests.

The 2003 models just rolled out recently, and it can be tough to find good data on brand new models, but one of the advantages to buying a model that's been out for a couple years (like the ML320) is that the manufacturer has time to work out initial bugs, and you as a consumer have time to look at safety records for recent years. (Okay, okay, so I'm justifying my inability to track down crash test results on the 2003 models -- but I've found some on recent model years.) Gotcha, Mark -- so how did Mercedes do?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave Mercedes ML320 their "Good" rating -- which happens to be their highest safety rating, and which very few models ever achieve. Yes, Lexus RX300 also got a good -- but more telling was that a far larger number of vehicles scored as merely "Acceptable" and quite a few got ratings of "Poor". Keep in mind too that this is just one data point and should be taken together with other safety indicators, especially since the Institute has been criticized in the past for basing their ratings mostly on a 40-mph head-on crash, which may not reflect performance in other, more common types of collision scenarios.

So what else should we look at if safety is an important criterion for us in choosing a new car?

Well, most high-line (that's auto-speak for luxury brands) cars have a lot of safety features built in that you don't find on mainline brands.

While Volvo is probably the company that most builds its reputation on safety above all else, many other companies -- including Mercedes and BMW -- incorporate a lot of the same kinds of safety features. The ML320 is no exception.

Like most highline vehicles, the ML320 has multiple airbag systems including both driver and passenger front seat airbags, side curtain airbags, and rear seat side impact airbags. The front seat airbag cannot be deactivated except by the BabySmart child seat, which is a far superior system to domestic truck-based vehicles, which often have a key-operated switch (that of course, stupid people continuously disable).

I think every parent today knows that the safest place for a child to be in most cars is the rear seat. Yet I can imagine situations where necessity dictates having a child up front. As an option, parents can order what Mercedes calls their "BabySmart child seat". When this seat is used, the vehicle deactivates nearby airbags that could otherwise crush a child.

Overall, I am very impressed with the safety features that Mercedes engineers into the M-class. Good engineering, good materials, and intelligent features really seem to team up to create a very solid vehicle that provides good security for the whole family. I am impressed.

Does the ML320 Get Up and Go? Power and Performance...
Your plain vanilla (if there is such a thing as a plain vanilla Mercedes) ML320 comes with a 3.2 litre, 18-valve V6 engine that cranks out 215 horsepower and 229 foot-pounds of torque at 3000 rpm. (These numbers come from the Mercedes web site: www.mbusa.com). If those numbers don't impress you, you can always move up to the ML500 or M55 AMG models, with their more potent V8s, but of course those models also carrying much beefier price tags...

I took the ML320 out on a test drive for about an hour. The engine cranked up with a suitably throaty truck-like rumble and I eased it into gear and out onto the highway feeder road.

Shifting felt very good with the shifter thunking solidly into position for each gear and the vehicle responding without the annoying jarring motion that I feel on a lot of vehicles with auto transmissions. Although it is certainly no speed demon (Mercedes says it does 0-60 in 9.0 seconds), I felt that this truck accellerated better than some of the pickups I've been driving recently, and it was certainly more than adequate for typical family driving situations.

I was very impressed with the steering performance. The wheel felt very tightly coupled with quick response and I thought the turning radius was more than adequate (I could easily make a U-turn within the space of about 2 lanes -- which is probably the situation I face most often).

I'm no road track expert, so I don't know what a pro looks for, but I found the stopping power more than adequate for my needs. The pedal felt firm, and it took more pressure to apply brakes than I need on my Volvo, but the vehicle responded well and seemed more than capable of doing a quick stop, if that's what I needed (by the way, anti-lock brakes are standard, as is full-time four wheel drive).

In its base configuration, I think this vehicle is a good performer for a typical family situation. Families that plan to tow trailers often may do better looking at more powerful engines, or considering the domestic SUVs, which although sometimes priced too high, often give you more power and towing capacity for their big price tags. What do you need though?

I'm probably going to use the vehicle as a family car driving only on paved roads and seldom (if ever) towing a trailer. For my purposes, the base Mercedes V6 provides more than adequate power and performance and I don't see a need to pay more for power beyond what I'll ever use.

How Does ML320 Compare to Other SUVs? Competitive Landscape for 2003...
Let's take a look at how ML320 stacks up against other 2003 model year SUVs. First of all, I don't think there is a single "right" SUV for everyone. I think there are better choices than the ML320 if price is the most important factor in your decision, and I think that there are better choices for you if you are one of those 1 percent of SUV buyers who will ever seriously want to use the vehicle as a rugged, off-road truck to do real work.

Most SUVs today are bought by suburban families doing no more rugged work than taking the kids to soccer practice. We won't ever pull cars out of tar pits with our winches. We won't ever use the 4-wheel drive as a replacement for ropes and pitons. We won't try driving up any black diamond ski slopes. We're the kind of guys who buy most SUVs on the market today.

For most typical buyers of SUVs, I think that the Mercedes-Benz ML320 is one of the best values in today's market. It is a more solid, better engineered vehicle than the trucks being offered by some of the lower end manufacturers, yet surprisingly, the prices aren't always much different.

In my opinion, the closest direct competitor to the ML320 is probably the BMW X5, which is a little more sophisticated in its look and feel, a little more performance oriented, but which also carries more substantial price tags (I'm seeing about a $3-6K difference between BMW and Mercedes on comparably equipped vehicles -- base MSRP on an X5 is $40,195).

Lexus RX300 is also a strong competitor against Mercedes, and I must say, that I generally find the exterior design of the RX300 to be more appealing than the sometimes stubby look of the M-class. Yet, Mercedes has the more elegant feel and the more sophisticated image, and it has better standard equipment than the Lexus -- which is a good thing because Lexus is very close to Mercedes on pricing, with a base MSRP of $37,500.

Most impressive to me is that the ML320 is extremely competitive against mainline offerings from Toyota and Chevrolet. At the prices Toyota dealers are charging for well-equipped 4-Runners today, I can't see even giving them a second thought when I consider how much more quality and how much more truck I get for the money with Mercedes. And although Chevy's Avalanche is a bigger, more powerful vehicle -- packing a 285 horsepower V8 versus Mercedes 215 hp V6 -- the price of an Avalanche is only about $2,000 less than an ML320. While I think Avalanche may be the better choice for someone who plans to tow a trailer or haul cargo, for average SuburbanDadGuy (that's me!), I'd pay the $2K and get the more luxurious ML320 (not to mention irking my neighbors by pretending I'm better than them ;-)

Should I Buy a Mercedes ML320? The Bottom Line...
Time for straight talk. I've looked at a fair number of SUVs over the past few weeks, and so far, my favorite is the Mercedes ML320. It's not a perfect vehicle (I'd like to see it redesigned so it doesn't look quite so stubby and I'd love a smaller, more subtle emblem on the grill, please), but it is a very substantial, safe, SUV that's built on an independently designed truck chassis (this is not essentially a car with truck-looking body on it, as many SUVs today are). The ML320 is also a very stylishly elegant and comfortable interior that an intelligent driver will surely appreciate over the years.

Instead of looking at high-priced domestic and Japanese SUVs, I highly recommend that any serious SUV buyer at least take a look at the Mercedes ML320. You might be as impressed as I am...