TESTDRIVE: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI 4Matic (W251)

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Reviewer: Christian A. Wimmer
Weather Conditions: Dry and warm
Photo Shoot Location: Mühldorf am Inn, Germany

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2006 Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI 4Matic (W251)

Went up to the Benz dealership today in the hopes of driving the new facelifted W211 E-Class. Sadly, all two models they had were booked so I had no choice but to drive the R-Class, an AWD R320 CDI 4Matic. I'm not crazy about the R-Class, but I was dying to try one. Here’s the review.

I have to say it: This thing doesn't look too bad in real life. Us Europeans get the SWB version as standard and the car is still within reasonable proportions. That is to say it is still a big car, but in that borderline area. Parking though, will still be hard to find in bigger cities with such a beast. I used to hate the R-Class, and I still sort of do, but it looks better than in the pictures. The R-Class looks pretty dynamic in reality.



The interior is well constructed and presents a quality feel as well. Personally, I would have preferred lighter colors to this R-Classes’ dark interior. The ergonomics are pretty good with everything within easy reach of the driver. My only problem was that you couldn’t see the hood. It’s the same deal on the A and B-Classes. This means that you need to buy Parktronic if you don’t want scratches upfront. Another important aspect is interior space. Wow! This thing wasn’t short on that. Once you open the door and hop in, you feel like you’re in space. I didn’t sit in the back and check the leg space etc., but the whole car looked very roomy. Furthermore, once you removed those extra seats in the trunk, it looked like you actually will have a respectable luggage space.



Preheating the engine took less than 2 seconds and the 3.0 V6 CDI engine rumbled to life with a quiet purr and then settled down into a soft whisper, like on the ML320 CDI. You couldn’t hear it from the drivers seat. Vibrations were hard to detect as well. Not bad not bad. Even while cold, the R320 CDI 4Matic felt eager and responsive. I drove around for a few minutes to get the engine warmed up for some abusing.

Initial impressions were so-so. This is a European spec R-Class, which means it should be sportier than the watered-down American versions. Well, the steering was pretty light and didn’t offer too much direct feedback. From a sports point of view, disappointing. I did however expect this. On the bright side, the steering may have been vague, but the front wheels reacted quickly to input. Furthermore, the suspension was quite stiff. I was expecting the 2,220 kg R320 CDI 4Matic to handle like a boat: surprisingly, it didn’t. This isn’t a sporty car, but for agile and fluid driving, the R-Class impressed me with its ease of handling and control. It still felt like a large car, but it did handle somewhat like a smaller car, almost like an E-Class. Body roll was surprisingly limited, which means that in curves, the R-Class didn’t lean over as much as could be expected. Best of all, the R320 CDI 4Matic felt safe and solid on the roads. Oh, and the seats were some of the most comfortable seats I’ve ever experienced in a Mercedes-Benz – perfect for long distance driving. What they did lack was enough side support, but since your average R-Class owner won’t be taking it on the track, I don’t think this matters (and there is always the pointless R63 AMG).



Many of you are probably thinking that 224-horsepower and 510 Nm (376 lb/ft) are “completely underpowered” for such a car. How wrong you are. The R320 CDI 4Matic is a powerful ride. 0-100 km/h takes 8.7 seconds according to Mercedes-Benz, which is pretty quick. Midrange power was perfectly adequate for quick overtaking maneuvers. Underpowered? Hell no. And best of all, the diesel R320 CDI kills the R350 and totally pointless R500 and R63 AMG in fuel economy. There was also a nice shove-back when you punched the pedal, thanks to the diesel torque reserves.

The 7Gtronic transmission was as usual excellent. I didn’t feel or hear any shifts. The only way you could tell was by watching the RPM needle flutter up and then down. There were two buttons on the steering wheel where one could manually change gears, but I found them to be useless as the transmission was simply so good.

Overall? Not bad. I was pleasantly surprised by the R-Class. It’s clearly a family-oriented car for vacations and longer distances because of the driving qualities and the generous interior space. Comfort and safety are the top priorities, not sport. Despite this, I found the European R-Class to be just capable enough for fluid driving here in the countryside. 4Matic is a bonus too.



On the downside, it is expensive, the design is subjective, it’s not that fuel-efficient despite the 3.0 V6 CDI engine and for Europe, still a relatively big car. If I was a daddy (I hope this never happens!), I’d opt for an M-Class, GL-Class or an E-Class Estate (all with the ‘320 CDI engine).

END OF REVIEW