Mercedes R-Class Estate 2006 - Present

An outstanding cruiser would be the place that Mercedes R-Class owners are likely to start their review of the upmarket MPV.  The R-Class offers the room for six people to travel in relative comfort, although in-keeping with many others in the MPV class the quality of the ride depends upon where you’re sat within the cabin.  Coming in short and long wheelbase forms, there is the choice of bootspace with all seats in use (the long wheelbase model), or sacrifice of the third row of seats to realise the space for luggage rather than passengers (the short one).  As you'd expect from Mercedes, this is all achieved with a suitably upmarket feel.

The R-Class has seating for six in the increasingly popular 2+2+2 layout.  The rows of seats get progressively less comfortable as you make your way towards the back of the car.  The front row has superb seats, offering both comfort and support they make the act of travel comfortable for as long as you’re in the seat.  Head and leg room are also both excellent adding to the comfort package that the front of the car offers.  Second row seats are treated to the same level of room but with less impressive seats.  Still well shaped, the middle seats are a bit more flabby than the front row and as a result are less supportive.  The rear row of seats features really impressive levels of legroom but the sloping roofline really compromises the headroom.  The seating position has also been lowered to compensate for the lack of headroom and sitting in the back row a strange low down position, which as with many MPVs make it best suited to young people. 

Driving the R-Class it is easy to forget that you’re driving a big motor.  It feels lithe and nimble when on the road, not like something that has room for half a dozen passengers.  Having four wheel drive offers the R-Class an extra dimension in terms of handling, especially in wet and slippery conditions.  The power is split 50:50 between the two axles, which while not as flexible as many modern systems does offer good support to the driver in tricky conditions.  The R-Class is no off roader so there’s little chance that they will see too much green lane action anyway.  This makes the four-wheel drive system feel that bit more special, like it’s been used as a nice finishing touch to round off a great car, no expense spared.  The great grip and easy handling do lull you into a false sense of security though as the R-Class really is a big motor.  The size of the R-Class is easily forgotten on the open road, where the upmarket MPV excels.  The same cannot be said of in town driving, where the bulk of the R-Class is suddenly the driver’s immediate concern.  The longer wheelbase version will test drivers ability to corner a long vehicle every time they take it off the driveway, and have them frantically looking in the rear view mirrors with every new manoeuvre. 

Engine options are good from the entry level 2.8 diesel unit right through to the muscular 6.3L AMG powerhouse.  The 2.8 gets to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, with a top speed of 130 mph.  The big AMG gets there in 4.9 seconds, en route to 155 mph limited top end.  The fuel figures for it are 17 mpg, but with that sort of performance it’s unlikely you’ll be looking at the fuel gauge.  The 3.0L diesels all come with the excellent automatic 7-GTRONIC transmission and offer 29mpg while powering the car to 137 mph and offering 0 – 60 in 8.4 seconds.  The petrol engines offer good performance but don’t do it generously, the best fuel figures being 24 mpg from the 3.5L engine, which can get from rest to 60 in 8 seconds and tops out at 143mph.

The Mercedes R-Class will be best suited to families who drive a lot of miles on the open road.  It’s a bit too big for much town action but will be great for putting motorway miles behind you.  There are good options for those who like a bit of performance with their family transport, but they don’t come cheap.

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