Truly a car you feel you can go anywhere in the ML 270cdi great to drive and very comfortable even with 7 passengers in place. Very good in town and on Motorway. Beware petrol models are very very heavy on petrol. The ML is shorter than our E class Saloon and the E class Estate so Parktronic is a useful extra but not essential. The 270Cdi Diesel engine is surprisingly powerful with lots of torque and good economy similar to the mpg we get from our E200 auto 2ltr saloon. Very easy to drive in town we live in central London the higher seating position improves visibility dramatically in town and it's become our preferred London transport. Other road users keep their distance this helps to make for relaxed progress in one stressed out city, I think the dark privacy glass helps here. Avoid the pre facelift cars and you are unlikely to have any problems. As Mercedes are not going to introduce the post 2005- model ML in a 7 seater version there is likely to be good demand for the 2002-2005 7 seater model with a premium of up to £2000 as it would cost £2500 to retro fit 7 seat option and the conversion does not have rear A/C and opening quarter light windows in the rear so a factory family pack is worth the extra even if you don't need it as it when you go to sell it'll sell faster than a 5 seater car which will always be competing with X5 and Cayenne.
Must have's.
Privacy glass Lux Pack (includes Auto transmission full Leather interior heated electric memory seats folding mirrors) Family pack (two extra seats making the ML a 7 seater with A/C and rear opening windows).
So if you need 7 seats good economy goes anywhere style in your 4x4 then an ML may be the car for you. The 270cdi is the Best of all the pre 2005 MLs.
Any negative reports on the ML are comparing the ML to BMW X5's (which are not as good off road) Volvo XC90's (much bigger vehicle not suitable around town try parking one in a sainsburys car park parktronic is a must) and various post 2005 4x4's Audi Q7 (Like the XC90 the size of a bus).
Other cars to consider.
The ML is all about relaxed progress not racing around on two wheels Motoring Journalists are obsessed with speed and race car cornering on a rating out of 10 the ML gets 6/10 compared to every other car I have driven for ride at the limit but 10/10 for cruising in town and on the motorway. If you do drive flat out all the time and want a 4x4 then you need a BMW X5 or a Porsche Cayenne turbo and I'd only give them an 8/10.
Forget Landrovers both old and new they look frumpy and Van like ( the new model) to me. No matter how much better the new model is supposed to be it's fuel economy is so truly appalling I am amazed anyone buys them. The build quality of the old model Landi is a joke I looked at some a few years before I bought my ML and well I just laughed.
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Mercedes A-Class - Hatchback - Front (FWD) - 6 Speed - (Man) / Autotronic - (Auto) - 1992 cc - Max Speed: 116 mph - 109 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: Elegance SE, Classic SE, Classic, Avantgarde SE, Long
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