Category: Large MPV 
Price Range: £36,970 to £53,630
Passenger space, refinement, easy to drive, high power and equipment levels, Mercedes badge
Not much luggage space six-up, looks like an MPV, very expensive
It's essentially a very posh MPV with four-wheel drive, but as yet, it's the only one of its kind
This is a real priority for Mercedes; the R-Class comes with front, side and window airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and the Pre-Safe system, which tightens belts for optimum restraint, adjusts the seats and primes the airbags for optimum protection.
There's also, besides the four-wheel drive system for extra grip in slippery conditions, traction control, stability control, skid control and brake assist.
Options include neck-protecting head restraints - which can avert whiplash injuries in a rear-end impact - and bi-xenon headlights with active beams to "see" round corners.
Mercedes typically tend to be quite thief-resistant - most new Mercs stolen these days have to be lifted onto trucks, or have their keys taken first - but the keyless entry and ignition system should be difficult to bypass. An alarm is only optional, though; we'd recommend this, and a satellite tracking system.
It's also worth noting that, with a lower ride height and lower centre of gravity, it will be more stable and less likely to roll over in the event of an impact or loss of control than a conventional 4x4 or SUV.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mercedes R-Class
wrote on 01 05 2007