11,000. While that hardly makes the ML an economical option, it does net buyers a beautifully appointed SUV with Benz's outstanding diesel V6 and, on our tester, Active Curve Control, which yields almost magic handling for a 2.5-ton truck. About that lower weight: With the same stout engine as the GL and so much less tonnage, the ML is flat-out fast for the breed. As with most Mercedes products, the overall driving feel of the ML is one of solidness. The steering has heft and weight to the wheel, and there's no doubt this is a large SUV from the driver's seat. It's a feel that I like in trucks like this, though. Mercedes' older dash layout (as opposed to the newer, more fluid theme found in the C-class and CLA) still works well, even if it is a bit stern and monolithic. I have yet to drive the BMW X5 xDrive35d, and the Audi Q5 is a half-size smaller than the ML, so I can't make a fair comparison.

11,000. While that hardly makes the ML an economical option, it does net buyers a beautifully appointed SUV with Benz's outstanding diesel V6 and, on our tester, Active Curve Control, which yields almost magic handling for a 2.5-ton truck. About that lower weight: With the same stout engine as the GL and so much less tonnage, the ML is flat-out fast for the breed. As with most Mercedes products, the overall driving feel of the ML is one of solidness. The steering has heft and weight to the wheel, and there's no doubt this is a large SUV from the driver's seat. It's a feel that I like in trucks like this, though. Mercedes' older dash layout (as opposed to the newer, more fluid theme found in the C-class and CLA) still works well, even if it is a bit stern and monolithic. I have yet to drive the BMW X5 xDrive35d, and the Audi Q5 is a half-size smaller than the ML, so I can't make a fair comparison.

We made it about halfway back from Los Angeles before the fuel light came on. It was CNET's annual road trip to the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec we had chosen for the drive had already traveled the 380 miles between San Francisco and Los Angeles once. Short of it getting much better fuel economy in real world driving than the EPA estimates, we knew it wouldn't make it all the way back. But it was still worth the attempt. On our freeway run, 70-ish mph up the middle of California on Interstate 5, the Mercedes-Benz diesel SUV was only claiming 26 mpg, short of its 27 mpg highway estimate. When the message popped up on the instrument cluster saying it was time to fill the tank, we reckoned it could still go 50 miles. We ate up most of those miles, the car refusing at this point to tell us its remaining range, and rolled into Coalinga. With the next fuel stop another 40 miles out, it was time to throw in the towel. Beyond a little concern over how far we could stretch out the tank, the Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec made the trip very stress-free. The softness of its suspension and the sound dampening of the cabin making hours on the road seem almost restful. No one on our crew felt the need for a leg-stretching stop. Read our review of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Bluetec. Every car infotainment system available in 2019: All you need to know about the touchscreens, infotainment and connectivity options in every new car.

BlueTEC SUV handles everything a family can throw at it. For many of us we鈥檒l face two major purchase decisions in our lifetimes: buying a home and a vehicle. The kicker is you never know if you鈥檝e made the right decision until you take the plunge. Unless, of course, you get to put it through its paces first. The ultimate test drive, so to speak. That鈥檚 the situation I found myself in with the Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTEC, where I put the luxury sport-ute through life鈥檚 paces over the course of five days. It鈥檚 Wednesday and I head into the showroom at Lone Star Mercedes-颅Benz in Calgary where Simon Clarke, the dealership鈥檚 General Sales Manager, meets me. He takes me for a brief tour of the facility 鈥?from the service drop-off and customer waiting areas to the pre-owned centre and back-lot car wash. It鈥檚 a process every new buyer experiences at the dealership.

We鈥檙e then met by Audrie Rogado in the delivery bay where the ML350 sits, polished and poised for action. Instead of handing over the keys right away, Rogado, a delivery specialist at the dealership, walks me through the vehicle鈥檚 feature鈥檚 like a proud father listing off his child鈥檚 accomplishments 鈥?again, a process every new customer goes through. It鈥檚 the little things that excite us: climate-comfort (cooled and heated) front seats, cooled and heated cup holders, a pop-out rear-view camera (that won鈥檛 get dirty!) and a multi-purpose key fob that would make James Bond鈥檚 Q blush. As I take to the street for my first solo flight, the ML manoeuvres in and out of traffic with ease thanks to its Airmatic suspension with adaptive damping system. The all-in-one Command control dial is also surprisingly intuitive. Within minutes, I鈥檝e synced up my phone, navigated through the Sirius satellite radio and activated the very-cool 3D navigation option. My first stop is the grocery store - a true test for any five-passenger vehicle of mine.

Where many in the past have failed, the M-Class thrives, easily accommodating everything. At home, the Mercedes looks as good in the driveway as it does on the road. The kids are excited, as are the inquisitive neighbours. I can鈥檛 help but sneak a smile at the 鈥淛ones鈥檚鈥?not-so-subtle envious line of questioning. If I owned the ML350, I鈥檇 be 20 pounds lighter. No, it doesn鈥檛 have a built-in ab machine 鈥?but don鈥檛 count that out in the future, especially since both the driver and passenger seats already include a massage feature. Instead, it鈥檚 the lifestyle the M encourages. It begs to be driven, and I鈥檓 all too happy to oblige with a trip to the nearby Rockies for an afternoon of cycling. It鈥檚 on the Trans-Canada Highway that the M-Class excels in both comfort and performance. Like most Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the M鈥檚 interior is extremely well appointed. Seven-way adjustable leather seats, panoramic sunroof and dual climate control (tri if you include the rear seats) turns a road trip into a day at the spa.