Brute luxury

Sports utility vehicles aren’t what they used to be. Today, they’re no better than beefed-up sedans designed to take on the urban jungle rather than actual dirt tracks. Hardly a fraction of luxury SUV owners would dare to venture into the mud, so we can’t really blame carmakers for fiddling with the SUV’s DNA. But Mercedes-Benz has retained the true blue 4x4 nature of the M-class with serious off-road capability. It makes true believers out of even hardcore mud-slingers.

The Stuttgart brawler’s new imposing grille may not appeal to everyone, but it has a powerful presence. The front nose looks mean—it reminds us of the terrorising ice hockey mask of Casey Jones and the notorious Shredder’s helmet in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

The interiors are quite stylish. The buttons all over the dashboard and steering wheel are a bit overwhelming— there are so many options to tinker with, you feel like Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. But the chrome touch on the steering wheel is a masterstroke—Mercedes’ way of shedding its older image for something younger and more new money, more the preserve of rivals BMW and Audi. The beige cabin looks a tad downmarket compared to the black and chrome interiors of its peers, but spacewise, the M-class doesn’t disappoint. It’s surprising that this big SUV is a 5-seater unlike the seven-seater BMW X5 and Audi Q7—presumably, they’re thinking more in terms of four bachelors hitting the dirt track.

There’s plenty of power here— the 3-litre diesel engine pumps out 234 bhp and a torque rate of 535 Nm, which should give you a jet-like pickup. Instead, the launch is subdued and dull, a stark contrast to the BMW X5, which kicks and zooms like it has a plane to catch. Where the Merc wins is its silky smooth 7G-tronic automatic gearbox and its ability to get its wheels dirty. With adjustable air suspension and one of the best 7-speed automatic transmissions in the industry, no terrain is too difficult to confront. And it’s as safe as can be—airbags everywhere and nifty programmes like Pre-Safe, which senses potential accidents and prepares the car accordingly, or Neck-Pro, which detects rear-end bangs and releases pre-tensioned springs inside the head restraints.

The M-class is for people who wear Armani suits during the weekdays and Ralph Lauren khakis at the weekend. They may not venture out to the dirt tracks but the option is always there, and it’s always a comfort. And Rs 68 lakh really isn’t a stretch for the machine, a combination of luxury and brute power.

 

Model	ML320 CDI
Engine	3-litre, V6
Max power	234 bhp
Max torque	535 Nm
Gearbox	7-speed automatic
0-100 kmph	8.6 seconds
Top speed	250 kmph (limited)
Price	Rs 68 lakh (ex-showroom)