Mercedes R-Class
This exclusive four-wheel-drive people carrier is in a class of its own
With 17 different models on sale in the UK, Mercedes has a range that aims to fill every niche. So whatever size or style of car you desire, there’s a vehicle with a three-pointed star on the nose to meet your needs.
But in a line-up so vast, some models are inevitably going to be overlooked. Take the R-Class as an example. Described by Mercedes as a ‘grand sports tourer’, it’s an amalgam of several different machines.
The car is based on the four-wheel-drive underpinnings of the M-Class SUV, yet it looks like a people carrier and the cabin has the opulence of an executive saloon. So on paper it offers something unique – but is it the answer to a question nobody has asked?
Well, Mercedes believes it will appeal to wealthy family buyers and serve as five-star corporate transport, too. And having tested it on its launch back in 2006, we think the R-Class has merit.
It’s been updated since then, and the short and long-wheelbase versions now have a choice of five or seven seats. We’d opt for the LWB model, which has an extra 235mm between its wheels. In seven-seat trim, the chairs are laid out in a two-three-two format, with the middle row designed to give a comfortable travelling experience. And it works – there’s a real sense of room and the seats are extremely plush.
The rear seats, which are accessed by sliding the outer chairs of the middle row forward, fold out of the boot floor and offer an impressive amount of legroom. In fact, although the sloping roofline does pinch headroom a little, we can think of no other car with three rows of seats that has more space. And even with all the seats in place you still get a 395-litre boot capacity.
As you would expect from a high-end Mercedes, the quality of materials inside is far better than you would find in a traditional people carrier. Up front, you don’t get the high seating position typical of a large SUV – instead, it’s a rather car-like environment, and there’s stacks of stowage space.
The R-Class’s lower centre of gravity benefits the driving experience, too. Body movement is well controlled, the 4WD offers excellent traction and the soft ride means the Mercedes is an effortless cruiser.
It’s not cheap or very pretty, but the R-Class is opulent and roomy. If a standard MPV is the equivalent of flying in economy, think of the R320 as a business class ticket.
Details
Price: £41,905
Model tested: R320 CDI L (seven seats)
