Test Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R350 Bluetec

2011 Mercedes-Benz R350 BlueTec. Click image to enlarge

Related links First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Manufacturer’s web site Mercedes-Benz Canada

Review and photos by Haney Louka

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2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class

Seventy-six per cent: that’s the official diesel take rate among buyers of Mercedes-Benz SUVs and crossovers in Canada. And who can blame them? With a mere 210 hp but a stout 400 lb.-ft. of torque, the modern diesel engine under their hoods gives serene, effortless cruising a new meaning. Not only that, but this 3.0-litre compression-ignition engine burns significantly less fuel than Mercedes’ own 3.5-litre spark-ignition gasoline engine.

In the new R-Class, the diesel consumes 11.5 L/100 km in the city and 8.2 on the highway according to published figures, with the 3.5 gas engine requiring 14.4 and 10.5 L/100 km respectively. And – here’s the part I love – I came very close to achieving those diesel consumption figures in my real-world test – as in half a litre per 100 km close. That rarely happens when I drive gasoline-fuelled vehicles and it absolutely never happens when I’m behind the wheel of a hybrid.

And with its seemingly limitless torque reserves, the diesel R350 completes the zero-to-100 km/h task in 8.4 seconds, a half-second quicker than the gas version.

2011 Mercedes-Benz R350 BlueTec. Click image to enlarge

So, with its useful power and frugal consumption, what’s not to like?

There’s certainly no old-school diesel clatter, although the Benz’s diesel is a bit noisier than the competitive unit from Volkswagen I recently tried in a Touareg. The black smoke and classic diesel smell are gone too. You can thank stricter European and North American emissions regulations for bringing about that change, and you can thank Mercedes’ Bluetec technology for being up to the challenge.

While several technologies are employed to reduce emissions to acceptable levels, including an oxidation catalyst and a particulate filter, the component of Bluetec that garners the most attention is the AdBlue urea additive, which is automatically metered out by the engine control unit and injected into the exhaust stream. When the AdBlue is heated by exhaust gases, ammonia forms and reacts with the dreaded oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and oxygen to form nitrogen and water vapour products, which are harmless. This process reduces the diesel’s NOx emissions by 80 per cent.

The final nail in the gas version’s coffin is the minuscule price difference compared to the diesel: I fully expected the diesel version to be about $5,000 more than the gas one (as is the case with VW’s Touareg), but the diesel price premium on the R350 is a mere $1,500; an amount that could be easily justified by the increased performance. How refreshing is this?

As a vehicle, though, the R-Class is a bit of an odd duck. The Chrysler Pacifica didn’t fare too well and neither did the Ford Taurus X, two vehicles that share the R’s basic form: an oversized wagon with seating for seven. That didn’t stop Mercedes from introducing the R-Class to the unsuspecting public in 2006. That first model had an oddly sloped front end with awkward round headlights that didn’t really give it an identity consistent with the rest of the Benz stable. “Ungainly” was an apt descriptor.

That changes for 2011, with the R getting a much-needed facelift. The jumbo-wagon proportions are still there, so if you weren’t a fan of the original these changes might not be enough to win you over. But at least its more angular bodywork and headlights allow it to fit in with others in the Benz showroom and instantly make it look worth the money.

2011 Mercedes-Benz R350 BlueTec. Click image to enlarge

The money, by the way, is less than it was when the R was first introduced. Starting at $55,200, the R-Class is about $10K cheaper than it was five years ago, and the Bluetec version starts the bidding at $56,700. Our tester was black with deeply tinted windows; it didn’t take long for the word ‘hearse’ to come to mind.

Standard R-Class equipment includes permanent all-wheel drive, heat-insulated glass, LED lighting, dual-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, 19-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding mirrors, and bi-xenon headlights, just to scratch the surface.

The $4,900 premium package consists of blind spot assist, heated rear seats, media interface for iPod and USB audio, hard-drive-based navigation, a panoramic sunroof, keyless go, and a power liftgate. So the as-tested MSRP comes to $61,600 before destination and taxes; a number that I must admit is lower than I expected. About the only glaring omission is the lack of a rear-view camera, which is a stand-alone option worth $480.

The overall look inside is of old-school luxury with generous helpings of burled walnut trim breaking up the mostly black (with a bit of aluminum trim for good measure) interior. The rear passenger doors are limo-long, making getting in and out of the second row a cinch. The downside, though, is that those rear-seat occupants need to be aware of how close the adjacent vehicle is parked. Also a relative cinch is getting into the two-seat third row. The second-row captains chair jumps forward with the flip of a lever to make room; once seated back there the main complaint is the low seat cushion. Like any such third-row accommodations, these are not long-haul seats for adult passengers.

2011 Mercedes-Benz R350 BlueTec. Click image to enlarge

Otherwise, comfort is the name of the game, with supportive yet accommodating seats in the first two rows and a great driving position. The big Benz wagon wafts over highway undulations and possesses truly luxurious manners on the open road. My travels took me 600 km one day in total comfort, all the while consuming about 8.4 L/100 km with the cruise set at 110 km/h. City trips in the 10-11 L/100 km range were easy to accomplish without necessitating languid acceleration practices that encourage road rage in other motorists: such is the diesel advantage.

There are manual shift paddles on the steering wheel, but since torque is available right from a dead stop, they are totally superfluous. Dip into the throttle at any speed and the power will be there instantly.

True to traditional Benz form, throttle tip-in is rather relaxed so as not to allow a lurchy, unrefined launch. On the flipside, though, that makes the car feel a bit lazy and cumbersome around town. There’s no question the power is there, but it’s reserved rather than spirited. Then again, one would think that a shopper looking for something spirited would take one look at this Benz’s 2,335-kg curb weight and keep walking.

The R-Class is a niche product aimed at giving a big-sedan ride to those who need more room than a sedan can provide. And its Bluetec-enhanced diesel is one of the finest examples of its breed on the market today.