Some might call this nitpicking though. Coupled to the carried-over seven-speed automatic, which gets paddle controls and a shifter on the steering column instead of the console, the new V-6 feels gutsy and vibrant. The steering's gone electric, but hasn't gone completely numb; it corners neatly, though with less heft and feedback than before. It seems to be just right. New this year are features like Attention Assist, which uses cameras to measure drowsy driving--and to suggest a coffee stop when needed. Mercedes-Benz has been a tech pioneer for quite some time in the automotive industry, combining cutting-edge features with an impeccable luxury finish.
The seat adjustments sit on the door panel, a design aspect that I personally love about Mercedes and it makes adjusting the seats easy and simple. . For a leap forward in fuel economy, the coming diesel's the clear choice. It always catches me off guard how agile the car feels despite it being high off the ground and top-heavy. We'll also revisit this page to update the diesel numbers when they're released.
One thing about this car is that it looks good. It's completely intentional, and it does show every sign of holding up well over time. It sounds it, too, noticeably more throaty at full bore, but just as smooth and responsive. Almost every backup camera does this. Steering the car is sharp and crisp as well, with lots of nice feedback, something I was surprised by, to say the least.
At night it looks very nice. Mercedes-Benz is known for producing beautiful cars and this model certainly has aged gracefully. This is likely due to it sharing the C-Class sedan chassis, but the responsiveness of the steering makes the car very nice to handle. No third-row seat is offered, but the rear seat folds and splits to expand the storage area. The platform continues to share resources with the C-Class sedans today.
As far as gauge clusters go this one is top notch. Mercedes quotes a 0-60 mph time of about 6. It can go into downtown easily and also off the beaten path once in a while without a problem. The leather seats still fill good to sit in, are easy to adjust, and using seat memory is a breeze. Another great thing about this car is the size. The gauges and controls still are remarkably straightforward, but the vaguely retro tone that lingered through the cabin is gone, replaced by something much more contemporary. Inside, it's less of the same this year.
We've driven both versions overseas, prior to their U. Finding a comfortable driving position isn't difficult, even for taller drivers. New this year on all models is mbrace2, the Mercedes connectivity suite that puts mobile apps in touch with the vehicle--so that Yelp, Google search, and Facebook are a voice command or fingertip touch away. Almost, that is, except its traditionalist body. The suspension is tuned to be taut but well damped; it doesn't allow much body motion, but soaks up most roughness while the cabin stays tight and quiet.
There is a tendency for used car shoppers to see steep discounts on luxury cars and assume it means they are cheap to own, but the truth is that they are so heavily depreciated because of the cost of ownership. I was able to fit an entire toolbox from Home Depot in the back as well as a full sized dresser. Top speed's also limited to 130 mph. The ersatz stuff is good enough that only you and your auto-loan underwriter will know the difference. With four people on board, the 23. Interior room is ample for passengers, and the front seats are supportive and nicely tailored. This is simply my opinion based on driving the car and it is completely unfiltered.
The queasy body motions and pitchiness you find in some other comparable vehicles during abrupt maneuvers is remarkably absent here. Official numbers haven't been released yet but we expect a healthy increase in fuel economy. It comes with a lot of nice standard technology that has aged well, especially the hilariously crisp back-up camera. Gear changing is easy and the lever is actually off the side of the steering wheel in much the same way vintage cars have the old school gear lever. The second-row seats offer up enough knee room and three children will fit across the bench seat.
Probably fine for kids and the occasional back seat passengers, but definitely not suited for two adults making a road trip. The wood inlays in the dash are very nice but unfortunately, age has caused some blemishes which would indicate that the woodgrain the car might not have been the highest of quality, but it still looks sharp. The quality of that plastic, and of the interior's styling, has gotten better for 2013. We'll update this rating and this page as soon as those figures are available. Performance is gutsy and vibrant, with more pleasant engine noise than before, and 0-60 mph times of 6.
That depends entirely on what you are using it for and what you expect to get out of your money. Mercedes also has a way of making a maintenance interval or service interval light pop up on your dash every 17 miles. But its four-wheel-drive system adjusts as the various traction systems determine where torque is needed most. And finally, the headlights are bullshit. They're all about egg-shaped smoothness and unruffled curves. The plastics are softer now, and the band's swelled into a more organic shape--wood on some models, metallic plastic on others, with new details formed in and gimballed vents drilled into the span, breaking up the surface. As weird as this is to say the backup camera is unreasonably crisp.