I’m slowly being won over by the idea of diesel.
And, every time I write about diesel-powered vehicles, I get a slew of e-mails from readers who are die-hard diesel fans and have known for a long time what many of us are just figuring out: The new diesel-powered passenger vehicles aren’t loud, dirty or sluggish.
Not to mention the fuel efficiency aspects.
Take, for example, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 BlueTEC. During a test, I averaged around 22 mpg and didn’t even go through a quarter tank of gas in a week of my regular commute. Granted my regular commute doesn’t consist of a huge distance, but it is mostly city driving. And I can tell you I typically go through at least a half tank of gas in a normal week.
EPA gives the all-wheel drive ML 320 BlueTEC estimated city/highway fuel economy ratings of 18/24 mpg, so my 22 mpg was pretty true to life for combined driving. And I wasn’t a complete light foot. Additionally, Mercedes estimates that you should be able to drive around 600 miles on a single tank of gas at highway speeds. Not bad for a vehicle that weighs almost 5,000 pounds.
Of course, one of the big arguments against diesel at this point may be the actual cost of diesel fuel. However, there are a couple of things you should consider before counting out a Mercedes diesel. First, Mercedes estimates that the ML 320 BlueTEC gets up to 30 percent better fuel economy. Second, you’re going to have to put premium fuel in a Mercedes anyway. When you look at the current cost of premium ($2.42) vs. diesel ($3.23), you’re only looking at a 33 percent increase in price. So, the “actual” cost of diesel is relatively negligible.
Another concern with diesel is the dirty factor. However, the ML 320 BlueTEC meets even the most stringent 50-state emissions limits. To achieve this, the BlueTEC system utilizes an oxidation catalytic converter, which helps reduce the toxicity of emissions, as well as a particulate filter. To target nitrogen oxide emissions specifically, the BlueTEC diesels inject a fluid called AdBlue into the exhaust flow, which releases ammonia and breaks nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water.
The 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engine in the ML 320 BlueTEC delivers a stingy 210 horsepower. However, torque ratings are at 398 pound-feet, which is equivalent to a V-8 engine and enables the ML 320 BlueTEC to tow up to 7,200 pounds. Even though the horsepower rating is relatively low for such a large vehicle, I didn’t think the ML 320 BlueTEC felt underpowered. It had decent acceleration when merging with traffic, and it had a nice little burst of speed in passing situations.
From the inside, the diesel engine is incredibly quiet, which is a testament to the Mercedes construction. Outside is a slightly different story. It’s not outrageously loud, but it does have a very distinctly diesel sound.
The M-Class is a compact SUV from Mercedes with a length of 188.5 inches, and that translates into a very carlike ride. It holds curves pretty well, and you get the benefit of a higher sit height without the disadvantage of a huge step-in height. The handling is relatively sporty for an SUV, and the ride is smooth and comfortable.
For 2009 the M-Class is “restyled.” The exterior gets redesigned front and rear bumpers, lower grill, angular intakes and widely set fog lights. But, I’ll be honest with you, the differences aren’t that noticeable. On the inside, the seats get an upgrade with four-stage power lumbar support, and the new four-spoke steering wheel comes with multi-function buttons and shift paddles.
I’m a huge fan of the seats, but those multi-function buttons … not a fan at all. You have two up-down buttons that scroll through the various information screens, and they double as the controls for changing radio stations.
The problem is that there seems to be a disconnect between the buttons and the screen they should operate. I could see the radio stations on the info screen behind the steering wheel, but the up-down buttons wouldn’t change radio stations when I first turned on the car. Instead, I had to switch the optional navigation screen on the center stack to show audio. Without making any audio changes and then flipping it to a different screen, it activated the multi-functioning buttons on the steering wheel to change the radio stations. If I didn’t flip the screen and kept trying to hit the multi-function buttons to change the station, the horn would honk.
The base price of the ML 320 BlueTEC is $48,600. That’s $1,500 more than the base ML 350, but it should be noted that the BlueTEC model is eligible for a $900 tax credit and it gets better fuel economy. The test vehicle added almost $10K in options, including Alpine Rain (i.e. light blue) paint ($720), adaptive damping system ($1,600), rear-seat entertainment ($1,850), Premium Package 1 ($3,850) and Heating Package ($1,390). Thus, the as-tested price range in at $58,885.
In case you missed it, I have to point out the charge for paint. With the ML 320 BlueTEC, there are just two colors you can get without an upcharge: black and white. So what if the charge is only $720. It’s the principle of the thing. You have a $50K car and you’re getting charged extra for a color? Puh-leaze.
OK, aside from my rants on the color charge and the multi-function buttons, I really did like the ML 320 BlueTEC. You get better fuel economy than the gasoline model without sacrificing cargo volume or towing capacity. It has a nice ride, and it’s an attractive compact package. Basically, it has all the good things that go with diesel … and none of the bad.
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