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2006 Mercedes ML Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
An alien encounter in a Mercedes
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New Car Review of the 2006 Mercedes ML Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $39,750 - $48,500
Base Invoice Range: $36,968 - $45,105
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MSRP As Tested: $40,470
Versions: 350, 500.
Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: All-Wheel Drive.
Standard Engine: 3.5-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-6, 268 â€' horsepower at 6000 rpm and 258 lb-ft torque at 2400 rpm.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 16/20.
Optional Engine: 5.0-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-8, 302 â€' horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 339 lb-ft torque at 2,700 rpm.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 14/19.
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic with Tiptronic.
Standard Safety Features: Dual front airbags, Front side airbags, Curtain side airbags, Antilock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Antiskid system, Hill ascent and descent control, Tire-pressure monitor, Daytime running lights.
Competition: Acura MDX, Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX, Volvo XC90.
POTEAU, Oklahoma -- It looked like Christmas shopping season in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Evidently there's not much to do on a Friday night in Poteau -- other than huntin' and fishin' in the nearby mountains -- so it seemed everybody in town had shown up at Wal-Mart to meet their buddies and share a little gossip on this cool April night. I had to hike from my faraway parking spot to get inside, where the locals were talking a lot more than they were shopping.
I was obviously a foreigner. My Texas drawl didn't sound like an Oklahoma drawl, and my blue Rangers cap didn't match everybody else decked out from head to toe in Sooners garb.
To make matters worse, I was driving a trendy Mercedes SUV in a place where Toyotas and Hondas seem rare. I might as well have been a space alien when I pulled up.
It's all part of the fun when you take a Mercedes ML camping.
With four-wheel drive, plenty of cargo space and a heavenly ride, the new ML is perfect for taking your family on a weekend excursion to the mountains, which is exactly what I did. As expected, it transported us in serenity for several hours on the highway in a near-silent cabin fitted with the plushest amenities, and all our camping gear fit just fine.
It also had a couple of pleasant surprises.
For one, it was actually fairly fun to drive on the twisty mountain roads, something you can't say about many mid-size SUVs. The only ones that offer more thrills are the Porsche Cayenne S and the BMW X5, neither of which are as comfortable as this Mercedes after a few hours on the road.
Another surprise was how great the transmission worked.
Usually a car's transmission isn't noteworthy unless you have a degree in mechanical engineering, but this one is so astoundingly smooth -- and so revolutionary -- that you can't help but notice it. It's just incredible.
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