Judging by the one owned by my former next-door neighbor, the
first M-Class vehicles off the line had more rattles than a
daycare center. Still, they sold like Cabbage Patch dolls to a
public that was willing to pay “just” $35,000 for a Mercedes. And
it’s easy to see why. The price wasn’t that that far off what
you’d pay for an Eddie Bauer Explorer – a Ford for
goodness sakes – and you got the three-pointed star.
I was curious how different – and more expensive – the revised
and facelifted 2002 model would be, and more than pleasantly
surprised to find that the base price is now only $36,300, a
modest rise over the original. Of course, the version I drove had
$495 in paint and upholstery upgrades, $3,425 in options, and
destination and delivery charges of $645 on top of that, bringing
the total to a still-reasonable $40,370.
Make no mistake about it, the ML320 is a truck, not some
car-based hybrid. It feels stout and rugged, has the expected
on-center dead spot in the steering, and sits up off the ground
like a good off-roader should. ESP (electronic stability program)
helps keep cornering speeds within reason and the tires planted
on the pavement – the folks at Mercedes aren’t fools – and the
215-hp V6 has enough grunt to handle most situations.
Inside the ML320, I was amazed to find that the cruise control
stalk was blocked by the steering wheel rim, and the switches for
the optional power rear quarter windows looked like an
afterthought. Even more alarming, the cassette player sat hidden
behind the center console information screen, and the CD player
and heated seats were options. (Apparently, Mercedes hasn’t
looked at the standard equipment available on an Acura or Lexus.)
Presumably though, they are concerned about wiping out
illiteracy: the owner’s manual was longer than Moby Dick,
and came with a quick reference booklet. Think of it as Cliff
Notes to help get you on the road.
But at least there were no squeaks and rattles. No, this was
one bank-vault-tight vehicle. Even over the worst roads, the
ML320 was quiet as could be. And that is an improvement worth
making noise about.
