2006 Mercedes Ml350

[RX400h]

The new Mercedes SUV with 3.5-liter, 24-valve engine was recently tested by Car & Driver magazine. The results?

Horsepower:

ML350: 268

RX400h: 268

Torque:

ML350: 258 lbs-ft

RX400h: 650 lbs-ft

Acceleration, 0-60:

ML350: 7.1 seconds

RX400h: 6.7 seconds (updated from long-term Car & Driver test)

Fuel milage:

ML350: 16 city and 20 highway

RX400h: 31 city and 27 highway

Weight

ML350: 4802 lbs

RX400h: 4500 lbs

Cost:

ML350: $47,280

RX400h: $48,300

Interior sound level:

ML350 66 dBA

RX400h: 67 dBA

I guess Mercedes fans will have to wait for the NEXT redesign before they can cut back on fuel costs!

[scoobie]

Would you do us a favor and drive your brand new 400h to a MB dealer and ask for test drive of the ML350 ? And then report as objectively as you can on the results ?

[LexKid630]

Mercedes Suv's are WAY behind Lexus just as BmW is....Their cars are just about as nice though....My 600 is wonderful, but stil can't beat the LS ;)

In 1999 i looked at the Ml's and hated them... I bought the rx300 instead..

[Lexusfreak]

The new MB is a nice looking vehicle however IMO. B)

[RX400h]

Would you do us a favor and drive your brand new 400h to a MB dealer and ask for test drive of the ML350 ? And then report as objectively as you can on the results ?

←

It is true that you cannot base any decision solely on facts and figures. However, I think we can all agree that they don't pay much attention to efficiency (fuel milage) when designing these behemoths. I for one, would not even consider buying a vehicle that has an EPA rating of 16 city and 20 highway. My Corvette is rated 19 city and 29 highway and is the biggest gas hog I own (as soon as I sell the Nissan Quest).

Now, I would love to go to an MB dealership and wait until a bunch of salepeople come by before I point at the sticker EPA numbers in horror, gasping loudly!

[SW03ES]

I personally think the new ML is a very attractive vehicle, but I've yet to drive one.

[RX400h]

I personally think the new ML is a very attractive vehicle, but I've yet to drive one.

←

Thus far, I have not heard of huge waiting lists for this gas guzzler, has anyone else?

[LexKid630]

I personally think the new ML is a very attractive vehicle, but I've yet to drive one.

←

it is attractive from the outside, yes. But the ride is horrible...Well not horrible but can't beat a lexus at ALL

[gtfrench]

The issue with the M-Class is reliability. Look at Consumers Reports and you will see a lot of "Black Dots".

My last vehicle was the ML430. It was the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned. In fact, it would be hard to name a part that wasn't repaired or replaced. Regardless of performance and economy, the car needs to be something you can count on. This car spent a lot of time in the shop and I just don't have that kind of time.

I would seriously wait to see how the redesigned M-Class fairs in quality and reliability before buying. The Alabama manufacturing plant has yet to prove they can build an MB quality vehicle.

[Matthew_McNally]

My experiences are of the UK car - but - a friend of mine had an ML270 a few years ago.

He "owned" it for maybe 7 months, but it spent more time in the dealers than on his drive.

Not little problems either - major things.

He could not wait to get shut of it - and buy an IS300 :D

[LexKid630]

My experiences are of the UK car - but - a friend of mine had an ML270 a few years ago.

He "owned" it for maybe 7 months, but it spent more time in the dealers than on his drive.

Not little problems either - major things.

He could not wait to get shut of it - and buy an IS300 :D

←

i'm telling you; no one does it like lexus can!

[SW03ES]

Lex- did you drive the all new one? It just came out a week ago. Supposedly it rides much better than the old one.

RX- No waiting lists but its not that type of vehicle. You dont see waiting lists like that on a normal type of vehicle, only something "chic" like a hybrid. They'll sell far more of them than Lexus sells RX400hs in the end though.

[SKperformance]

The ML has had quite a bit of a waiting list until delivered to dealers 3 weeks ago.

It is a vast improvment over the prevous lemon.

I have to say Alabama is no place to make a MB and the ML shows it.

But to really be impartial you would need to compare the ML500 to the RX400h or the ML350 to the RX330.That would be much less biasied as they are totally different.

[RX400h]

Lex- did you drive the all new one? It just came out a week ago. Supposedly it rides much better than the old one.

RX- No waiting lists but its not that type of vehicle. You dont see waiting lists like that on a normal type of vehicle, only something "chic" like a hybrid. They'll sell far more of them than Lexus sells RX400hs in the end though.

←

I've read that Lexus sells more of this size and type (luxury) of SUV than any other manufacturer, including Mercedes. If this is true, then I expect the RXs to continue to outsell the ML line quite handily. The fact that the ML reliability has been at the bottom of the barrel for many years now doesn't help their sales, that's for certain.

Regarding waiting lists: Some in recent memory.....

The first Mazda Miata

The PT Cruiser

The Infinity G35 Coupe

The 1997 Corvette

The 2002 BMW M3

There could be some Mercedes models in the bunch, but I haven't heard of any.

[LexKid630]

Lex- did you drive the all new one? It just came out a week ago. Supposedly it rides much better than the old one.

RX- No waiting lists but its not that type of vehicle. You dont see waiting lists like that on a normal type of vehicle, only something "chic" like a hybrid. They'll sell far more of them than Lexus sells RX400hs in the end though.

←

Yeah i test drove one the same day i looked at a CPO rx at my dealer. And yes, it's better than the older ML's (i have driven in those before) but still not as good as a Lexus. Deffinetly not worth $47,000 though!!

[RX400h]

Yeah i test drove one the same day i looked at a CPO rx at my dealer. And yes, it's better than the older ML's (i have driven in those before) but still not as good as a Lexus. Deffinetly not worth $47,000 though!!

←

This is why I compared the ML350 to the RX400h - the cost. While technically, you can buy a stripped ML for 42K, it is unlikely that you'll find one anywhere.

[LexKid630]

Yeah i test drove one the same day i looked at a CPO rx at my dealer. And yes, it's better than the older ML's (i have driven in those before) but still not as good as a Lexus. Deffinetly not worth $47,000 though!!

←

This is why I compared the ML350 to the RX400h - the cost. While technically, you can buy a stripped ML for 42K, it is unlikely that you'll find one anywhere.

←

LOL who ever heard of a stripped mercedes. Heck, who ever heard of a stripped lexus? A lexus isn't stripped; it has everything you could ever want. With mercedes though, every option you add on, more money you pay. It's like a game. with lexus, you see it, and you get it. There is either a lower-end or high end. Mercedes has a million options not standard.

[bartkat]

The ML has had quite a bit of a waiting list until delivered to dealers 3 weeks ago.

It is a vast improvment over the prevous lemon.

I have to say Alabama is no place to make a MB and the ML shows it.

But to really be impartial you would need to compare the ML500 to the RX400h or the ML350 to the RX330.That would be much less biasied as they are totally different.

←

Germany isn't a good place to make MB's either, according to reliability reports from the last few years. Maybe it's a company problem.

[RX400h]

LOL who ever heard of a stripped mercedes. Heck, who ever heard of a stripped lexus? A lexus isn't stripped; it has everything you could ever want. With mercedes though, every option you add on, more money you pay. It's like a game. with lexus, you see it, and you get it. There is either a lower-end or high end. Mercedes has a million options not standard.

←

It's the same thing with Porsches. You can easily spend $80,000 on a Boxster!

[PharmGuy]

Kinda interesting, and I'll fling my 2 cents in, just because I test-drove

a 2000 ML320 before I bought my 2001 RX-300. It drove just like a truck.....

PERIOD. I didn't find the ride comfortable, or relaxing, it was just stiff.

I had owned a F-150 a few years earlier, and the ML320 didn't ride a whole

much smoother.

When I looked at a Lexus, I was definitely impressed at the smooth ride.

And, lastly, the reliablity of Mercedes was sub-standard to the Lexus. If I was

going to plunk down 25K or more, I wanted a quality vehicle. I was just sick

of having a vehicle, 5 yrs, dealing with repair issues, then trading it in and

getting the equivalent of a "Bag of Peanuts" for my car.

So far..I'm thrilled.....at 70K miles, the only problem I've had is electrical,

and it was easily fixed.

PharmGuy

[LexKid630]

You can't beat a lexus!! The mercedes's ride is soo horrible; it's like riding in a truck yes it is! I had an old ford explorer for a year. It's ride was soo bad.

[LexKid630]

The ML interior is horrible too. The leather feels very fake; not the smooth kind in a lexus. The steering wheels are so freaking big! and so ugly. The S600 steering wheel is big too, but at least it has the wood on it. The ML gauge lighting is just plain bulbs; no color except yellow; puke!! At least the S600's cluster is like a lexus; must be white led b/c it comes on instantly like an led compaired to a bulb which takes 1/5 a second to warm up. The center console on the ML is wicked small!! And it lights up an amber color; puke again!! Ughh horribe And believe it or not the headlights aren't even Xenons!! They're projector, but no xenons. I would NEVER spend 40k for one of those...those... things!!

Lexus all the way B)

[caps04]

The ML interior is horrible too. The leather feels very fake; not the smooth kind in a lexus. The steering wheels are so freaking big! and so ugly. The S600 steering wheel is big too, but at least it has the wood on it. The ML gauge lighting is just plain bulbs; no color except yellow; puke!! At least the S600's cluster is like a lexus; must be white led b/c it comes on instantly like an led compaired to a bulb which takes 1/5 a second to warm up. The center console on the ML is wicked small!! And it lights up an amber color; puke again!! Ughh horribe And believe it or not the headlights aren't even Xenons!! They're projector, but no xenons. I would NEVER spend 40k for one of those...those... things!!

Lexus all the way  B)

←

Sorry to revive an old topic but I have a question and a comment.

Question: From the first post, it says:

Torque:

ML350: 258 lbs-ft

RX400h: 650 lbs-ft

Is it really true for RX? I don't remember reading this figure anywhere online or in my manual.

Comment: The ML rides like a truck because its built on a truck frame instead of crossovers like RX or X5. On a side note, even an RX cannot beat the handling of an X5...that is a "man's SUV" ;) And it has panoramic moonroof...sweet. Wish my car had that.

[RX400h]

Sorry to revive an old topic but I have a question and a comment.

Question: From the first post, it says:

Torque:

ML350: 258 lbs-ft

RX400h: 650 lbs-ft

Is it really true for RX? I don't remember reading this figure anywhere online or in my manual.

Comment: The ML rides like a truck because its built on a truck frame instead of crossovers like RX or X5. On a side note, even an RX cannot beat the handling of an X5...that is a "man's SUV" ;) And it has panoramic moonroof...sweet. Wish my car had that.

←

The 650 lbs-ft of torque figure was taken from Car & Driver's review. The exact page may be seen here:

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?se...2&page_number=2

Regarding a "man's SUV", the RX400h handily out-accelerates the 6 cylinder BMW X5. The 8-cylinder version is about even with the RX. Of course, if money is no object and hence, neither is fuel mileage, the Porsche Cayenne turbo tops the list as fastest SUV (and it probably handles at least as well as the X5). :o

[jashev]

Follow this link to the MB site if you want to see how MB compares their ML to the RX. Pretty funny actually......

http://www.mbusa.com/models/comparisons/co...torTrimID=16824