ML 280 CDI Edition S

The old M-Class was a winner in terms of desirability – and plenty sold as a result – but it was let down by poor build quality and suspect reliability. Thankfully, the current model is even more desirable – and it’s far better built too. We put the entry level ML 280CDI to the test.

Launched in September 2005, the second generation M-Class represents a significant leap forward over the original. The old car was a high scorer in the style and desirability stakes (over 38,000 examples were sold in the UK between 1998 and 2005), but fell disappointingly short on the levels of build-quality expected from Mercedes.

Thankfully, the new model seems to have banished those reliability and build quality gremlins, and it still looks good. In fact, to our eyes it looks even better. Certainly, the new model’s road presence has been upped a couple of notches, but it remains understated enough to be as elegant as it as possible for a large 4x4 SUV to be. Desirability, then, is not an issue.

The current M-Class was originally launched with just one diesel engine option, the 224bhp 3-litre V6 offered in the ML 320 CDI, but a 4.0-litre 306bhp V8 was added last year to power the ML 420 CDI, as was a detuned 190bhp version of the 3.0-litre V6. It is this engine that powers our test ML 280 CDI.

For petrol devotees, a 3.5-litre V6 and 5.0-litre V8 power the ML 350 and ML 500 respectively, with a 510bhp 6.2-litre V8 used in the range topping ML 63 AMG. However, given that it was the smallest-engined diesel model that was the best-selling UK model in the old M-Class range, will our entry level ML 280 CDI have similar appeal within the current line-up?

Specifications

Though the base model in engine terms, the ML 280 CDI is available in three specifications: Standard, SE and sport although, just to make things interesting, our test example is a special ‘Edition S’ model. At £36,372, it costs just £205 more than the standard model, yet includes several features of the £38,917 Sport spec example.

Interior wise, spec is unchanged from the Standard model, which means such as seats trimmed in fabric/Artico (a synthetic leather substitute), a single slot eight-speaker audio system, front seats that adjust electronically for backrest and height (fore/aft adjustment is manual), electric windows all round, aluminium trim, automatic climate control, multifunction steering wheel, trip computer and folding door mirrors. Standard safety features (on all models) include front passenger and driver airbags, front sidebags and windowbags.

However, what your extra £205 does buy you is a number of exterior features from the more expensive Sport, namely: attractive 19in alloy five spoke wheels, an imposing sterling silver/chrome radiator grille, rear bumper trim (with scratch protection), dark tinted taillights, twin chrome rectangular tailpipes – and no exterior badging. In other words, your 280 CDI Edition S will look like a Sport, but less a few additional interior and exterior extras, one of which is metallic paint that, just to confuse things, our test example had specified as a £620 optional extra!

Other options on our test car – none of which would be standard on SE or Sport spec cars either – were privacy glass from the B-pillars backwards (£300), telephone pre-wiring with handsfree (£430) and the very worthwhile Parktronic parking aid system (£605). If you want sat-nav, that’s a £2,660 option – although a sixdisc CD changer is included.

On the road

The current M-Class sits 5mm lower than its predecessor, yet in every other respect it is bigger. Wheelbase is 95mm longer, width is up 71mm, and overall length is 150mm greater. Yet, though the increase in size makes its presence felt through a more spacious interior (despite the lack of a seven seat option being disappointing), the 280 CDI is not in the least bit intimidating to drive.

The speed sensitive power steering is light at low speeds yet weights up nicely on the move and the ride – despite the 19in alloys – is sufficiently supple to make progress over even poorly surfaced roads a relaxing experience. Noise – both road and wind roar – is very well suppressed too. Press on and the combination of permanent four-wheel-drive, traction control and assorted other electronic jiggery-pokery mean that this M-Class just grips and grips in hard cornering, although body roll is fairly substantial given the conventionally sprung setup.

Adaptive air suspension is £1,265 an option that would improve matters in this department and which, if you intend to go serious off-roading, will help there too as it enables increased ground clearance. However, even with conventional suspension, standard features such as its ‘Downhill Speed Regulation’ device mean that the 280 CDI is still more than capable off-road, not that many are likely to see more than the odd blade of grass…

Back on tarmac and, other than an occasional tendency to trip over itself at low speeds in traffic, the column operated seven-speed ‘7G-Tronic’ automatic gearbox is generally supersmooth. There are buttons on the back of the steering wheel for manual operation too, although they are best left alone as when manually downshifting into a corner the ‘box still tries to help out, meaning you can often find yourself in a gear lower than intended. One other let down was braking feel; though the car pulled up surely enough, pedal feel was a little on the soft side.

Given the 280 CDI’s weight, performance from its very refined 190bhp V6 is sprightly – 0-62mph comes up in 9.8 seconds and top speed is 127mph – but fuel consumption isn’t fantastic. During our time with the car we averaged 25.4mpg on a mixture of motorway, A- and B- road driving; that’s some way short of the quoted combined figure of 30.1mpg.

Market impressions

Demand for the M-Class means that residuals are super-strong at present with very low mileage examples changing hands for little under list price. For example, through Mercedes’ own used car finder the cheapest used 280 CDI Edition S that we could find was a 4,500-mile ’07 example in Iridum Silver for £35,293. Cheapest of all 280s listed was a 16,000-mile ’06 Sport at £32,950 – so don’t expect to pick up a used bargain! Even an early ’06 standard spec 280 with average miles would be unlikely to go for less than £32,000 at a dealer, and we don’t anticipate demand and thus values dropping for some time yet.

Conclusion

Faults, flaws and fixes

The Rivals