2009 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class 4-door ML350 Sport Utility

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV is a far cry from the original model. Whereas the first M-Class featured body-on-frame construction, the newest ML employs a unit-body design. This creates a stiffer chassis, which helps eliminate rattles and vibration as well as quiets the interior. The design also allows for a more sophisticated suspension, yielding better handling and a more civilized ride. Although it can seat five, the ML is most comfortable with four passengers. It offers a modest cargo bay of 29.4 cubic feet, which is more space than an Infiniti FX35, but less than offered by the Acura MDX. The M-Class' BlueTEC diesel engine option is unique in this class, and Mercedes-Benz promises the engine will meet all 50 state's stringent emissions standards.

You'll Like This SUV If...	You May Not Like This SUV If...
If you're seriously shopping in the upscale SUV category and are drawn to the Lexus RX 350 and/or the BMW X5, you may very well find your new home away from home behind the wheel of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class.	If, like so many SUV buyers today, you'll settle for no fewer than three rows of seats, you'll have to look elsewhere. Mercedes-Benz does, however, offer a third-row seat in its slightly larger and pricer GL-Class SUV.

The M-Class receives some modest interior and exterior upgrades including a revised grille and headlamp treatment, four-way power-lumbar support for the driver and a new audio head unit. The PRE-SAFE preventative occupant protection system is made standard, as are newly designed 19- and 20-inch wheels.