Manual Transmision

2006 Mercedes Benz R Class Review

After two concept previews, Mercedes-Benz at last rolled out the production version of its R-class SUV/wagon/crossover whatever, which goes on sale late this year. This is a big boy, stretching 203 inches, riding a 126-inch wheelbase, and tipping the scales at some 4800 lbs. The R-class ferries a half-dozen passengers in six individual chairs.

With the four rear seats folded, it carries 72 cubic feet of cargo. Mercedes newest entry will be sold here in two versions, the six-cylinder R350 and the V-8 R500; both have standard 4Matic four-wheel drive with a standard torque split of 50/50. The R350 uses Mercedes new 3.5-liter V-6, with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. It makes 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

The R500s 5.0-liter V-8 is from the older, SOHC, 3-valves-per-cylinder engine family. Its output is 302 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. Both engines use the same 7-speed automatic transmission, which is controlled by a small, BMW 7-series-style column shifter (to select P, R, and D) along with up- and downshift buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes.

The new Mercedes-Benz R-Class is a bit like the platypus, the fur-covered, duck-billed, egg-laying mammal. It combines aspects of other vehicles without becoming one of them.

Fortunately, the R-Class is better looking than a platypus. Its radically sloping roof and sweeping lines help disguise its considerable size. Longer than a Cadillac Escalade, the R-Class is truly cavernous inside and comfortably accommodates six tall adults in six well-accommodated bucket seats. It comes loaded with passive safety features designed to protect occupants in the event of an accident.

Its quiet and comfortable on the highway, and surprisingly responsive on winding roads. Initially, there will be only two models, the R350 with V6 power and the R500 with V8 power. The R350 is quite responsive, while the R500 is downright fast. Both are packed with all-wheel drive, electronic stability control and other features designed to help the driver maintain control.

Pros:Space, fun to drive, luxurious, field of view, passenger comfort

Cons:While it is not perfect, I would not consider cons to be the right word


Cons? I may have some items that I want changed... but a con, in my opinion would be a reason to NOT buy the car.

ie, I wish the front seats gave you the choice to move back another inch or so, if I wanted/needed to.

I wish there was Bluetooth - instead of having to pay the gross amount I will need to pay if I added it once MB comes out with their kit.

I wish there were more standard options...

I wish it had the cool dashboard display of the E Class

I wish the profile could look a little more agressive/sexy/whatever... but right now it makes me cringe whenever I look at it.

Having started with the negatives, let me tell you this car is absolutely SATISFYING!
The ride height is a pleasure. The composure is reassuring. The brakes are great. The R350 is fine... just enough... yes, there are occasional long hills that make you floor it to get up quicker, but so what!? The 500 cost so much more that you would be paying 7000 more to take an occassional hill faster.

Passengers love it. They will fall asleep on you very quickly if the ride is long.

I did not get the DVD, but may opt for the single dvd option.... have to figure something out....

I am sure there will be plenty of aftermarket custom designs for this car. Will be fun to see.
Kids/young people love this car as well. Of course, they head straight for the very back seat.
My thoughts are scattered here.. but the bottom line is, this is a fun car to drive that you wont regret. The only decision is the options... and of course the V6 or V8. Save the money and get the V6.

Interior

The R-Class was designed from the beginning to accommodate six average American adults, not four adults and two kids. The interior is absolutely cavernous, with gobs of room in all directions, including third-row headroom and legroom thats more than adequate for a 95th percentile (6-foot, 4-inch) man.

In order to pull off the "Grand Sport Tourer" idea, every one of the six bucket seats in the R-Class has its own cupholder, seat adjuster, armrest, ventilation, lighting. The first two rows can provide an independent choice of listening and viewing entertainment. The sound system is capable of playing tracks from any MP3 player, using the player to select, and there is a $299 option that will let you put your Apple iPod in the glovebox and play it through the sound system using steering wheel controls to select track and volume, with track and playlist data displayed on the COMAND screen.

The floor layout allows 16 cubic feet of cargo behind the third seat, 34 cubic feet of cargo with the third-row seats down, and 85 cubic feet of cargo space with the second row of bucket seats folded. Mercedes says cargo lengths approaching nine feet can be accommodated inside. Each of the second-row bucket seats can be moved through four inches of longitudinal adjustment, and each has a reclining seatback for long-distance touring comfort. The seat slider/folder mechanism is brilliant in its simplicity and ease of use. Adjusting the steering column is done manually on the R350; the R500 gets power tilt and telescope that micro-adjusts to any drivers favorite setup.

The new dashboard and instrument panel is easy to use and looks great. Its more chronometer-like in its layout and design, with more chrome ring decoration than any other Mercedes model. This new sport tourer has huge amounts of glass front, side and rear, and that makes for a very open and airy environment inside, whether you get the tan, grey, black, or black and Alcantara interior scheme.

Driving Impressions

The new Mercedes-Benz R-Class does not drive like a truck. For starters, its quick: The R500 is capable of 0-60 mph sprint times of 6.5 seconds and the R350 will do it in 7.8. Those are impressive numbers given the weight of the R-Class (topping 4,800 pounds for the R500). The engines take advantage of the seven-speed transmission, shifting to gain the full benefit of the heart of the torque curve. Relax and the R500 hums along at 80 mph at about 2500 rpm in seventh-gear overdrive. With this kind of acceleration and passing performance, its more than competitive with most wagons and SUVs.

We drove both the V6 and V8 versions in central California. The V6-powered R350 is more than adequate for most driving, chauffeuring, and touring duties, but the V8 is a good deal more satisfying overall to drive, with more reserve power for passing and pulling, and rated to tow 2500 pounds.

The seven-speed is the best automatic transmission currently on the market, smooth, quiet and extremely flexible and useable. Mercedes has abandoned the conventional console-mounted floor shifter in favor of a tiny stalk on the right side of the steering column, supplemented by paddles on the back of the steering wheel. Shifting either way is a breeze. (Its similar to the 2006 Mercedes M-Class SUV, which shares a great number of parts and systems with the R-Class and is built in the same Alabama plant.)

The all-wheel-drive system works in the background whether youre on pavement, dirt, snow or ice, and keeps the car planted and pointed properly. Its engineered in such a way as to keep entry and exit height nice and low, not like a typical SUV.

We found the huge brakes to be especially reassuring on twisty, blind-corner country roads, where just a tiny dab of pedal brings the speed down very swiftly.

Massive amounts of high-strength steel are used in the body shell of the welded unibody R-Class, more than 65 percent of the body, which makes the body extremely stiff and lets the independent front and rear suspension do their jobs quietly and without interference.
The steering on the V6 is a bit more direct and more fun to drive than the speed-sensitive system used on the V8 version. Regardless of engine choice, the steering isnt overly assisted, and is nicely weighted at the wheel. While this new R-Class is a long way from a sports car at this size and weight, it is remarkably responsive and nimble.

At highway cruising speeds, the R-Class is extremely well isolated from the outside world, enabling easy conversation between and among all the passengers.

Classified as a truck and coming in over 6000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, the Mercedes R-Class is eligible for the federal tax break for businesses that still on the books, but thats certainly not the only reason to buy or lease one.

safety

The safety package is comprehensive. Every R-Class comes with frontal, side-impact, and side curtain air bags for all three rows. It has earned five-star crash rating in all directions. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), an electronic stability program (ESP), and all-wheel drive are all standard.

Option packages include Trim ($1750), Lighting ($890), Heating ($1190), Comfort ($1350), Entertainment ($1190), Sunroof ($1490), Airmatic air suspension ($1400), Panoramic Roof ($2390) Multicontour seats ($780), and AMG Sport ($4500). Individual options include Sirius Satellite Radio, Parktronic sonar warning, Keyless Go, heated seats, second-row video entertainment ($3000), second-row console, a power liftgate operated by the key fob, and three-zone climate control ($1050). The Premium package ($5,400) includes the Panorama roof (a five-and-a-half-foot glass section in two huge panels with electric shades for each), the Entertainment package, a power liftgate, DVD navigation and, on the R350, TeleAid.

In about a year, the R63 AMG performance version, with a 500-horsepower 6.3-liter V8 engine, will be added to the lineup, along with a new 5.5-liter four-valve gasoline V8 version replacing the 5.0-liter. And in 2007, Mercedes-Benz expects to add the R320, a 3.2-liter turbodiesel engine version, to the lineup, and an R400, a 4.0-liter V8 diesel for Europe. The factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, will also produce a short-wheelbase version, nine inches shorter, for the rest of the world, as well as right-hand-drive versions.