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Good Grades: Pleasant exterior styling, comfortable seats, superb engine/transmission combination— the 3.5 liter, 268 horsepower V6 and the 7-speed automatic transmission work well together. At 4600 pounds, it surprisingly doesn’t feel like it is. The ML 350 drives like a muscle car. It feels and drives more powerful than it is. The Ml 350 feels quick and nimble, and it has good handling (and braking) as well. The ride feels a bit firm, but generally appropriate for the way it drives. The ML 350 seems better suited to paved roads than dirt trails. Out of all of the SUV’s I've driven to date, the ML 350 is the most fun by far.
Bad Grades: Stark-feeling, all-black interior on my tester was simply disappointing—put the Lexus RX 350 interior in this SUV, and this would really be a masterful vehicle. Also: too many buttons on the dashboard, an unimpressive navigation system, and less-than-stellar fuel economy (17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway).
Final Grade: If buyers want a fun-to-drive SUV, look no further than the Mercedes Benz ML 350. If you want better fuel economy, then choose the BlueTEC 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel engine—just don’t expect the driving fun you’ll get the 3.5 liter V6 model.
The Car Exam Grade: B/B+
Base MSRP: $45,700
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