2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Review

A new Sport package for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class allows you to outfit the ML350 with the ML550's standard AMG styling cues. All 2014 models can be equipped with a nifty split-screen dashboard display that can project different images to driver and passenger.

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class isn't a standout among five-passenger luxury crossover SUVs, but its wide variety of engines and packages gives it broad appeal.

Notably, we picked the Mercedes-Benz M-Class as one of Edmunds' Best Used SUVs and Best Used Luxury SUVs for 2014.

Remember a certain defunct American brand that promised "driving excitement"? Well, Pontiac's old tagline wouldn't work so well for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Unless you opt for the exclusive ML63 AMG version of this five-passenger midsize crossover SUV, the ML simply doesn't feel very athletic or graceful when going around turns, and its steering is numb and deliberate. The M-Class is heavy for its size, too, and you feel every last Teutonic ounce from behind the wheel. It's not a flattering picture, but for some, this feeling of substance is entirely the point of driving a big Benz like the 2014 M-Class.

There's no denying the M-Class' regal ride quality and imposing presence on the road, either. And unlike its American- and Japanese-brand rivals, this Mercedes-Benz crossover offers a deep roster of engines, ranging from a regular gasoline V6 and a fuel-efficient turbocharged diesel V6 to a pair of formidable turbocharged V8s. As you'd expect from a Mercedes in this price range, cabin quality is second to none, and the ML's extensive options list allows for plenty of personalization. Just keep an eye on the bottom line: The base price is already relatively high to begin with, and adding extras can easily inflate it by another five figures if you're not careful.

If you're shopping for a midsize luxury crossover SUV, there's no shortage of appealing candidates. The redesigned 2014 BMW X5, for example, handles better and provides comparable luxury, power and feature content; it also offers a third-row seat, which Mercedes leaves to the larger GL-Class. If sporty performance is a top priority, the 2014 Porsche Cayenne is a breed apart, while the 2014 Acura MDX and Lexus RX 350 are also quite appealing, and less expensive to boot. But for those who prefer to cruise in dignified comfort, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is bound to satisfy, as long as you don't need a third row.

The ML350 features a 3.5-liter V6 engine rated at 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. As with every M-Class model, the transmission is a seven-speed automatic with shift paddles. The ML350 comes with rear-wheel drive and offers all-wheel drive as an extra-cost option. In Edmunds performance testing, an ML350 with AWD accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is average for this segment. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 20 mpg combined (18 mpg city/24 mpg highway) with rear-drive and 19 mpg combined (17 mpg city/22 mpg highway) with AWD.

The ML350 Bluetec comes with a diesel-powered, 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine that produces 240 hp and a prodigious 455 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard here and on all higher-trim models. Mercedes puts the Bluetec's acceleration on par with the gas-powered ML350, while fuel economy improves to an impressive 23 mpg combined (20 mpg city/28 mpg highway).

The ML550 boasts a 4.7-liter turbocharged V8 that produces 402 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes says it'll hit 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 16 mpg combined (14 mpg city/19 mpg highway).

The ML63 AMG rocks a 5.5-liter turbo V8 that produces 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The AMG Performance package inflates that output to 550 hp and 560 lb-ft. Mercedes says the ML63 will hit 60 mph in a startling 4.7 seconds in standard form, while the Performance package knocks off a tenth of a second. Fuel economy stands at 15 mpg combined (13 mpg city/17 mpg highway).

Properly equipped, any one of the M-Class variants except the gas-powered ML350 can tow up to 7,200 pounds. The ML350 tops out at 6,600 pounds.

Standard safety features for all 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class models include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, PreSafe (which can identify an imminent crash and automatically take measures to secure occupants), hill-start assist and hill-descent control, active front head restraints, a collision warning system, front and rear side airbags, side curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag. The mbrace2 communications system includes automatic collision notification, an SOS button, stolen vehicle location, geo-fencing, alarm notification and remote door lock/unlock. A rearview camera is standard on the ML63 and optional on all other versions.

The M-Class additionally offers two levels of blind-spot and lane-departure protection. The first level comes via the Lane Tracking package, which monitors road conditions and alerts the driver by vibrating the wheel or emitting a beep. The second level is found in the Driver Assistance package, which adds "active" versions of these systems that can selectively apply the brakes if the driver fails to heed the car's warnings.

In government crash tests, the 2014 Mercedes M-Class earned a rating of five stars overall with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover testing. The M-Class came up aces in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, receiving the top rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap front offset, small-overlap frontal offset, side-impact and roof strength test. Its seat/head restraint design also rates Good for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

In Edmunds brake testing, an ML350 4Matic came to a stop from 60 mph in 114 feet, an outstanding performance for such a heavy vehicle with all-season tires.

The 2014 M-Class's standard gasoline V6 engine gets fairly frisky if you're willing to take it to redline, but acceleration can feel a little pokey in normal driving conditions. That's why the ML350 Bluetec diesel version is a win-win proposition: It delivers more usable thrust in everyday passing and merging maneuvers along with superior fuel economy. As for the V8-powered models, the ML550 is sports-car quick, and the ML63 is just nuts. If straight-line speed turns you on, has Benz ever got an SUV for you.

From the driver seat, the feel of the brakes inspires confidence, and that's corroborated by our own testing: The M-Class is one of the shortest-stopping SUVs we've ever tested. The ride quality is exemplary, isolating occupants from both impacts and noise; it's a reason in itself to buy this Benz. On winding roads, however, the non-AMG M-Class models feel soft and out of sorts around turns, and the steering is both devoid of feel and rather slow to respond. Translation: This is not a sporty SUV. The ML63 AMG, meanwhile, delivers capable but ultimately uninspiring handling. Even the hot-rod M-Class, it turns out, is more of a deranged highway cruiser than a true sport machine.

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class features understated interior styling that complements the restrained exterior. The dashboard is almost identical to that of the larger GL-Class, underscoring the fact that the M and GL are essentially different flavors of the same dish. If you're cool with only two rows of seating, save some money and get the M-Class; if you need three rows, bring enough cash for the GL-Class. However, rival midsize luxury crossovers like the Acura MDX or BMW X5 offer the convenience of seven-passenger seating in a package that's similar in size and price to the Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

To its credit, though, the M offers roomy accommodations for five and provides more second-row legroom than most competitors. Cargo capacity measures 38.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 80 cubes with the rear seatbacks folded flat: solid figures for this class.

Materials quality inside the M-Class is superb, ranking right up there with any luxury SUV on the market. The standard knob-based COMAND interface works better than most systems of its ilk, streamlining the navigation system's destination entry process with two simple menu bars (top and bottom) that should quickly become second-nature.