2010 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Overview

The R-Class comes in two trims: the R350 4MATIC and the R350 BlueTec turbo-diesel. The R350 4MATIC comes with a 3.5L V-6 gasoline engine offering 268 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque. Mileage for this engine is estimated at 15 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. The R350 BlueTec features a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine, offering 210 horsepower and 398 foot-pounds of torque at 1600-2400 rpm. Mileage for the BlueTec is estimated at 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Both engines come mated to a standard 7-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes-Benz' 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. Front and rear suspension is independent, featuring double wishbone in front and 4-arm multilink in rear.

Comfortable seating for six is standard on the R-Class and 7-passenger seating is optional. There are up to 40 inches of space between the first two rows and up to 30 inches between the second and third rows.

A full range of safety features are standard, including 4-wheel vented anti-lock disc brakes, side airbags for the first and second rows, side-curtain bags for all three rows, electronic stability control with rollover sensors, an advanced tire pressure monitoring system and a trailer stability assist feature. The R-Class also comes standard with the Mercedes 'Pre-Safe' system, which tightens seat belts, adjusts seats and prepares the vehicle to be more ?flexible' in the event of an impending accident. Standard for 2010 is Mercedes 'Post-Safe' system which unlocks the doors and shuts off the engine and fuel system after an accident.

Standard equipment includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 18-inch aluminum wheels, power sunroof, performance tires, bucket seats, power driver's seat, fog lamps, privacy glass, anti-theft system, brown maple woodgrain interior trim, trip computer, wireless cell phone hookup and interior cargo shade. Also standard is Mercedes' COMAND screen-driven menu system with enhanced voice control, 6.5-inch color screen, Bluetooth interface and SD memory-card slot. The R350 BlueTEC will add as standard chrome trim, blue-tinted glass, and darkened tail lenses.

Available options for 2010 include a navigation system, a high-end harmon/kardon sound system, satellite radio, mirror memory, rear parking aid, rear-seat entertainment system, power liftgate, backup camera, keyless remote start, high-definition radio, power folding mirrors, hard disk drive, panoramic roof and heated seats. A second-row bench is available instead of standard bucket seats.