The Mercedes-Benz R-Class

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class

Does your family have deep pockets? Think a 7 seater MPV is the best way to keep everyone in tow? The R-Class may be just what you need.

Mercedes-Benz filled what they thought is another gap in their range of vehicles by creating the R-Class 7 seater. The vehicle is positioned as a luxury alternative to the more mundane MPVs crowding our roads. A starting price of nearly 40,000 is not for the faint of heart but if you've come to the point where your family won't fit into that shiny S-class you might have little choice.

You do get a lot of kit in return. The R-Class comes with a choice of two diesel engines that both provide extremely strong performance given the size of the vehicle. Standard equipment includes alloys, parking aids, electric quarter lights and automatic wipers. The cabin has climate control, faux leather upholstery, stereo with blue-tooth connection and DVD-based navigation. Options are air suspension, two-tone (real) leather upholstery and upgrades to the in-car entertainment system.

Any buyer of a 7 seater MPV will have the practical aspects of the vehicle at the top of the list and in that sense the R-Class is a bit of a mixed bag. There is a choice of short or long wheelbase versions, both with seven seats. The long wheelbase version provides the passenger space expected from a luxury vehicle but the short version is cramped and just plain disappointing, with limited boot space when the rearmost seats are in place.

The safety of your family when they're on the move is paramount and here the R-Class excels. There are active head restraints, a total of six airbags of which two are full-length curtain versions and also a wide range of driver aids. Driver aids include the Mercedes-Benz Pre-safe system that minimise injuriesin case of a collision as well as active and passive features including ESP, ABS and so forth.

As with all Mercedes-Benz cars the ownership experience should be a pleasant one. There is the usual classy interior materials and solid build quality. Mechanical problems should be few but should something break down you are backed up by the comprehensive warranty plan and a chain of Mercedes-Benz dealers that have a brilliant reputation.

One aspect of the ownership experience that you won't enjoy is the financial outlay. Dealers are generally keen to cut a deal on this car so you might be able to get away with paying less than list price. However you can be sure that this 7 seater car will prove expensive to run: fuel consumption will be significantly higher than that of a more mundane MPV and company car tax is also likely to bite.

Drivers of this kind of car are not usually too concerned about handling and drivability. Which is a good thing as the R-Class suffers from the same body roll that plagues every tall vehicle, including 7 seaters and remains an unwieldy vehicle due to its sheer weight. The good news is that grip is great on the top model thanks to permanent 4x4-drive and the car rides with incredible smoothness, dialling out every road imperfection it comes across.

The R-Class is a 7 seater alternative to prestige off-roaders and is an incredibly smooth cruiser. However it has a steep purchase price and high running costs and is not particularly practical. Worth considering but not an obvious first choice.

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