2012 Mercedes Benz ML350: Video Road Test and Review

The Mercedes Benz ML350 is a four door five passenger luxury sport utility vehicle.  Powered by a 3.5 Liter direct injected six cylinder engine mated to a seven speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters producing 302 HP and 273 lb-ft of torque, the ML returns an estimated 17 MPG in the city and as much as 22 MPG on the highway.  Starting out at $48,990 all Mercedes M-Class SUVs come complete with safety features like 11 standard airbags, 4MATIC all wheel drive and adaptive braking technology, rain sensing windshield wipers, ATTENTION ASSIST, PRE-SAFE and POST-SAFE technologies; not to mention the ability to tow up to 7,200 lbs.

The ML350 rides around on a set of 19 inch split five spoke wheels from the factory and has high tech features like a pair of strips of LED daytime running lights and matching tails, as well as a set of stylish brushed aluminum roof rails with available matching running boards, premium leather wrapped steering wheel with optional wood accents, MB-Tex upholstery or optional genuine leather, Eucalyptus wood trim standard and optional Burl Walnut as well as a power tilt/slide sunroof with optional panorama design.  Meanwhile Mercedes Benz’s COMAND system with seven inch LCD monitor and in dash CD/DVD player handles infotainment duties as well as an optional rear seat entertainment system, while Bluetooth hands free connectivity with streaming audio makes driving a little easier.

Popular accessory packages for the ML350 include the Premium 1 Package, priced at $3,600 which brings and 80 GB hard drive navigation with Zagat Survery, 10 GB music register, Gracenote media database, iPod/MP3 compatibility, Sirius XM Satellite radio with Sirius XM Traffic, enhanced voice control for audio, telephone and navigation, front seat memory function, power tilt/telescoping steering column, auto dimming power folding side mirrors, double sun visors, a 115 Volt power outlet and a rear view camera.  The $5,370 Premium 2 Package adds a Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system, KEYLESS-GO, a lockable rear storage compartment, enhanced cabin illumination with perimeter lighting as well as luminous front door sills.  The Lane Tracking Package bundles Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist for an additional $850.  The Driver Assistance Package includes DISTRONIC PLUS radar based cruise control, Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping starting at $2,950.  The $1,290 Lighting Package upgrades the ML with a set of bi-xenon headlamps with Active Curve Illumination, adaptive highbeam assist, corner illuminating front lamps as well as headlight washing squirters.  Last but not least, the $5,150 Dynamic Handling Package brings with it Mercedes AIRMATIC height adjustable suspension, adaptive damping system, ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM and a set of 20 inch ten spoke rims to round things out.

A list of cars similar to the ML350 includes the 2012 Audio Q5, 2012 BMW X5 and 2012 Lexus RX350.

See more details about the 2012 Mercedes Benz ML350.