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20/05/2011
REVIEW By EWAN KENNEDY
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We planned to review a Mercedes-Benz R-Class in January, but the Brisbane floods meant that the local Mercedes people needed all the suitable vehicles they could lay their hands on. They tell us the R-Class was pretty useful during that dramatic period as it’s a big seven-seater with plenty of luggage space. Backed up by the extra traction of all-wheel drive if they suddenly needed it.
Having said that, the Mercedes R-Class should not be regarded as a full-on 4WD, you have to buy one of the M-Class Mercs with the heavy-duty off-road kits for that purpose. But families who love to get off the beaten track and explore forests, beaches, mountains trails, even mild desert conditions will find the R-Class a perfect choice.
Everyone knows the Mercedes-Benz R-Class is sensible and practical, but in our culture that’s seldom seen as a good enough reason to buy a car. So, despite all these sensible features, the R-Class is outsold by a huge margin by tough looking SUVs that will only ever be used as on-road station wagons despite owner’s dreams of tackling the great Australian outback one day.
Mercedes-Benz is well aware that it’s easier to sell big station wagons if they have the tough SUV look and so gave the R-Class a major facelift at the end of 2010. The Benz stylists revised the complete front end and increased the size of the wheels to 20 inches in diameter, thus giving the R-Class a bolder semi-SUV look.
The Mercedes R-Class with the standard wheelbase that we reviewed has enough room for seven people without any real need to compromise on legroom. There’s also a long-wheelbase model that gives stretch-out space as well as extra luggage carrying ability. The seats in both variants can be juggled around in various ways to let you sort out the best people/luggage combination.
R-Class gives a feeling of spaciousness and luxury the moment you step inside. The cabin received a minor redesign at the same time the body’s looks were toughened up, but most of the redesign budget went into the exterior revamp so the inside of the 2011 R-Class will be immediately familiar to those who own a previous edition.
We loved the serene feeling that makes it certain you can ride in this grand touring Merc all day and emerge without experiencing any discomfort when you step out.
Handling is good for a vehicle of this size and class, but you certainly wouldn't call it sporty. Similarly, the steering isn’t as prompt as we like, even in a big wagon. The latest M-Class Mercs are better in these aspects and we anticipate these suspension and steering improvements will be incorporated into the next generation R-Class.
Power comes from a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine that produces up to 140 kilowatts of power, and 440 Newton metres of torque over most of the rev band. The latest iteration of this turbo-diesel engine is even cleaner and more frugal than the one it replaced.
The turbo-diesel engine in the R-Class sounds much like a petrol unit from the inside, although there’s some diesel clatter when you hear it from the outside, particularly when it’s cold. It has a healthy growl when accelerated hard to overtake and once the minor turbo lag period has passed the 3.0-litre V6 has plenty of acceleration.
During our review its fuel consumption ran in the eight to nine litres per hundred kilometres range on the motorway and country roads. Around town it rose to ten to twelve litres, which may sound relatively high but remember this is a big seven-seat wagon with a relatively tall body.
This low fuel consumption is due not only to the new-design diesel engine, but also because the seven-speed automatic has a ratio to suit all conditions.
Big, sensible and stylish, the latest Mercedes-Benz R-Class now has a more rugged look that should help it along in the sales race in Australia.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
R 300 CDI 3.0-litre turbo-diesel SWB five-door wagon: $93,295 (automatic)
R 350 CDI 3.0-litre turbo-diesel LWB five-door wagon: $108,900 (automatic)
(Prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for driveaway prices).
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in both models
Automatic Transmission: Standard in both models
Cruise Control: Standard in both models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in both models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in both models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in both models
Rear Parking Sensors: Standard in both models
Reversing Camera: Standard in both models
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in both models
Satellite Navigation: Standard in both models
Bluetooth: Standard in both models
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in both models
SPECIFICATIONS (Mercedes-Benz R 300 CDI 3.0-litre turbo-diesel SWB five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.987 litres
Configuration: V6
Head Design: Four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 17.7:1
Bore/Stroke: 83.0 x 92.0 mm
Maximum Power: 140 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 440 Nm @ 1400-2800 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: AWD
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Seven-speed
Final Drive Ratio: Not Available
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4925 mm
Wheelbase: 2980 mm
Width: 1930 mm
Height: 1665 mm
Turning Circle: 11.8 metres
Kerb Mass: 2185 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 80 litres
Towing Ability: Not supplied
Boot Capacity: 550 litres (1950 litres with rear seats folded)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Double wishbone, upper control arms, air springs
Rear Suspension: Four-link, upper control arms, air springs
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.8 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 9.3 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 5/10
Air Pollution Rating: 3/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km
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