M-Class (W166/C292) [Official] 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W166)

[Tarek]

MUCH better..love it!

 

[fortuner]

Wow the video above the ML is freaking a beuty..Just superb i cant wait to see them roll into SA..Superb.

 

[Bartek S.]

 

[Wolfgang]

Love the pics! Thank You.

 

[tennmb]

Well, drove, the new ML as we got our first ones in today.

Negatives: I was concerned about the back seat, and although its OK, it is definitely behind the competition. The seat back does recline.
The front grill looks dated. The ones we got are black with only the star in chrome. Would love to have seen the GL and GLK style grille. Xenon lights are delayed, so all of these are standard lighting. The headlamp shape is as boring as it looks in pictures.

Positives: Overall shape is very pleasant. Looks good from all angles. Getting rid of sloped hood, and downward sloping side accent lines, gives it more presence, and takes away awkward angles. Interior is massive improvement. Everything is better. Even the base interior has nice stitching accents all around. MB-Tex is hard to distinguish from real leather. Smooth edges everywhere. No unfinished details like previous version. Very upscale. Better storage, now with sunglass storage near rear view mirror. Cupholders sit side by side with retractable cover. Ipod and USB connections in center console. Center armrest is also wider. Seat controls on door panel like rest of Mercedes. Interior is actually softer than the E-class. Some of the contouring and fit just don't come across in pictures. COMAND is so much better with screen in higher location. Cargo area now has wide spot in the back that will fit a golf bag.

The ML sits lower and you instantly notice this when you access the vehicle. Easier to get in to. This also seems to affect the drive ability. This ML seems to have the electric assist power steering like the new CLS. Not crazy about this, particularly at lower speeds. But, overall handling seems to be much improved. Haven't gotten one with sport package.

 

[Merc1]

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M

 

[Deckhook]

I don't know why I like it but I do because like the last one the wrap around rear window which in turn moves the C-pillars away from the rear corners where they belong. It's odd that I am finding it the most attractive of the lot. Love the interior totally, has a real upmarket look about it that I didn't get from the old one.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

The ML has grown on me to the point it's now my desktop background.

 

[Tarek]

Lol..and u'll replace that with ML63 one when its out.

 

[Merc1]

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[Yaz]

Spent some more time in the new ML at MB of Manhattan, and I take the legroom comment back. Don't know what it is, but it's roomier back there now :-D.

Couldn't move the seats like TennMB mentioned though. The head rests in the back are annoying. If you pull them up, they're in the way of your rear view. If you press them down, they go behind your back, not your head (2012 Mercedes Benz ML 350 4MATIC Rear Seating - High Resolution Photo 12).

The spot lights under the rear view mirror were bright LED's in the 164, now they're not.
Can't auto fold the mirrors, at least on this car, but it should be STANDARD.
Pano roof isn't standard (it is on the X5 for years now, hello!).

I also found the new gear shifter (from the F700) to be awkward. It would give unfamiliar people the impression that it's the wiper stalk. I also didn't like the way it felt/look of the plastic it's made out of. I kind of wished they kept the old style shifter.

Also, sadly, MB is repeating the same mistake with 166, as they did with the 164, by not offering fully optioned out models from the get go. I mean, this car had nothing. How are they supposed to launch a new car with barely any options on it.

I would definitely wait a couple years to get one.

 

[Wunderkind]

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I love the comment at 2:23. "Now we're pretty close to water, just like American beer."

Hahahahahahahaha

 

[K-A]

Does anyone have any photos of the new gear shifter/stalk? I didn't notice that they changed it.

I saw and sat in one, started it up, etc. Finally a nice and strong/M-B like looking SUV/ML. Not my "thing", but it finally looks appropriate with the M-B badge on it. The interior is nice, not as regal or elegant as the E, but it's appropriate and "just right" for a Luxury Truck. I found the plastics in the E to be a bit more appropriately refined VS some of the more rugged feels in the ML, but there were actually some in the ML that were surprisingly softer, like the dash in the ML was so soft it's "squishy", you can literally press down on it with your finger.

One thing that felt terrible was the incredibly light steering. Is this a positive/normal thing for SUV's? Man, it felt like you can blow on it and it'll spin all the way around. Reminded me of those old 70's Chevy Trucks you'd drive with super loose steering. The new 3.5L at idle and startup does indeed sound kind of "tappy"/Diesel like (as I'd heard, due to the D/I).

Overall, a good, solid offering. The C-Coupe was the one that I didn't like at all really.

 

[Human]

The video just highlights the nice tech, versatility, luxury and practicality of the new ML. I was left really impressed and proud of the German conglomerate

 

[Yaz]

Does anyone have any photos of the new gear shifter/stalk? I didn't notice that they changed it.

 

[K-A]

Ah, thanks. Yeah the one in my E looks a bit more elegant than that long thing.

 

[Wolfgang]

Yup, also prefer the classy style. The stubby one is a BMW design... Guess due to the MB/BMW parts sharing agreement.

 

[K-A]

Is it really a BMW design?

 

[Wolfgang]

If not designed by BMW, then it's very close to a BMW design. The supplier makes both styles.

 

[tennmb]

One thing that felt terrible was the incredibly light steering. Is this a positive/normal thing for SUV's?

It actually has nothing to do with an SUV. It is the same thing MB is offering in the CLS, and likely to go product wide. It is electromechanical power steering. No conventional PS module. It is now done with an electric motor. At parking lot speeds the assist is at full power, and you can steer with one finger. At highway speeds there is little to no assist and you are getting 100% real steering feel. I imagine MB will tone down the assist at low speeds, as it is very light, and a huge change for MB drivers. The new CLS was the first to offer this.

I actually like the dash execution much better in the ML. I would say materials are equal to the E. Specifically the stitching on the MB tex, and on the door panels is better than in the E, IMO. I also find the COMAND screen integration better instead of having the obvious dash hood extension. The ML dash flows from one end to the other, and the screen fits nicely between the air vents with no awkward protrusions.

The previous ML used the identical shifting lever as the E. I would imagine the longer version will also make its way into the rest of the line.

The new ML is a huge leap forward, and yet pricing actually went down a little. However, this is one of the most competitive segments going right now.