2011 Mercedes Benz r350

Inside, you’ll have to be an R-class aficionado to really notice the alterations. They’re limited to a newly designed instrument cluster and altered piping on the seats. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, considering the R-class interior has always been a roomy and comfortable residence for the first two rows of passengers, but riders taller than six feet will find the third row only adequate. We are quite surprised to see the navigation-and-radio interface that first appeared in the 2003 E-class carry over in the refreshed R. It does have the latest COMAND software, but in a vehicle this expensive, we expect better.

Diesel Power

The R350 is currently offered in the U.S. with standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive and your choice of a gas-powered 3.5-liter V-6 producing 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque or—for a $1500 premium—our tester’s 3.0-liter BlueTec diesel V-6, which pumps out 210 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The diesel’s fuel-economy ratings of 18 mpg city and 24 highway easily trump the gas V-6’s 14 and 19. We achieved a respectable 20 mpg in the BlueTec.

It’s relaxing, and we appreciate the dead spot because of the tremendous amount of body roll that accompanies steering inputs. That said, the R350 BlueTec did manage to improve on the R500’s skidpad performance, from 0.75 g to 0.80. Braking from 70 mph takes 177 feet—pretty good for a six-seater—but pedal feel is noticeably absent. /p p Disappointingly, what isn’t absent is noise from the suspension and road. Even on a stretch of week-old asphalt, the chassis is always hard at work, sending tremors through the interior. On rough pavement, it only gets more aggravating. We have much fonder memories of the ride in the R-class. The BlueTec’s standard run-flat Bridgestones on 19-inch wheels could well be cause for the chatter. /p table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"x">

How Much?

The R-class doesn’t come cheap. The BlueTec’s base price is $52, 615, and our test vehicle arrived loaded with about $15, 000 in options. Premium Packages 1 and 2 include perks such as navigation, a rearview camera, an iPod interface, power front seats with memory, a power liftgate, a power steering column, an upgraded Harman/Kardon stereo, and keyless start for a total of $6050. On the list of additional amenities were a lighting package with xenon headlights and LED running lights ($985), park assist ($800), blind-spot assist ($600), a panoramic sunroof ($1090), heated front seats ($750), a rear-seat entertainment system ($1950), and more. The total: $68, 260, a hefty sum to be sure, but on par with that of other luxury cars offering a similar blend of characteristics.

No doubt, the R350’s configuration endows it with great ability to move people and gear. But the unruly ride strips the diesel R-class of what should be its greatest asset: the ability to do so in supreme comfort. The second row remains the place to be, with comfortable bucket seats and lots of legroom, but what passenger can relax when it sounds as if the wheels were about to fall off? Given the harsh ride and steep price, the R350 feels severely outgunned in a piece of the market it helped identify.