A big fat "meh" for the new Benz ML350
I was invited by Benz (since I own one already) to a dog and pony show for their new ML series. The MLs are their SUV. It is bigger than their old one in every dimension. However, I came away very unimpressed. First, the tailgate hatch opens up quite nicely so that I can stand under it and load stuff without ducking. This means that it'd be unlikely for Noreen to be able to reach up and close the hatch on her own. I got a few laughs when I squatted down and reached up, trying to estimate if Noreen could reach it. They do offer an automatic opener/closer, but to get it adds $8K to the price (since you need to buy the premium leather package to get it). How hard is it to add a friggin strap to grab? When I was driving it, I felt like I had no idea where the thing was at. I couldn't tell where the front bumper was and wasn't quite sure where the back end was. Again, if I can't tell where the front end is, Noreen would have even more trouble. I can't imagine trying to handle this thing in San Diego on a daily basis, trying to parallel park (or just park in a parking garage trying not to mash the front bumper). Also, driving it wasn't anything special.
I'll compare it quickly to a couple of other SUVs I've driven:
My mom's Suburban (I forget exactly what it's called). Now, this is a truck-based SUV (body-on-frame instead of the ML's unibody), so it wouldn't be something you'd drive hard. But I knew exactly where it was at when I was driving it. I wouldn't try to parallel park it, but I knew where the back end was for sure.
The Volvo SC90 V8: I drove this at at car show in Anaheim a few months ago. It's not as big as the new ML, however, I knew exactly where it was at and could drive it very hard. It handled very well and I don't seem to remember the glaring issues for short people that the ML had.
If I had $50K to drop on a car/SUV, the ML wouldn't even enter my orbit of interest.
I'll compare it quickly to a couple of other SUVs I've driven:
My mom's Suburban (I forget exactly what it's called). Now, this is a truck-based SUV (body-on-frame instead of the ML's unibody), so it wouldn't be something you'd drive hard. But I knew exactly where it was at when I was driving it. I wouldn't try to parallel park it, but I knew where the back end was for sure.
The Volvo SC90 V8: I drove this at at car show in Anaheim a few months ago. It's not as big as the new ML, however, I knew exactly where it was at and could drive it very hard. It handled very well and I don't seem to remember the glaring issues for short people that the ML had.
If I had $50K to drop on a car/SUV, the ML wouldn't even enter my orbit of interest.
posted by Andy in San Diego and Elsewhere at 5/21/2005 05:31:00 PM
1 Comments:
Interesting that the new ML is tall-peoplel-friendly and NOT short-people-friendly. That's the opposite of most cars.
That is strange that you couldn't tell where the front and back of the SUV were. As you mentioned, with the Suburban you know exactly where both are. And you're right, parallel parking the Suburban is not one of life's great joys. In fact taking it to pickup a pizza at the local shopping center is a challenge. It's all perpendicular parking but there isn't much room between the rows and if there's someone parked behind me it takes forever to get out of the spot. The Yukon doesn't have that problem.
But the ride in the Suburban is heaven!
Mom
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