Mercedes R 350 CDI 4Matic in the test: luxury liner with new nose and new diesel

Let's not talk about the past of the M ercedes R-class, In the past four and a half years, their name has seldom been mentioned in a sentence that also contained terms such as 'grace' or 'great success'. Let's talk about the future of this car, although it doesn't seem more futuristic than before, 5.16 meters long and 2.24 tons.

Space for up to seven people

Instead more beautiful. The facelift - those familiar with Mercedes use the term Mopf - gives its face more resemblance to the Mercedes GLK and Mercedes ML. Despite the less dodgy appearance, the Mercedes R- Great a car for slim continents, Europe still looks a bit narrow for the R - especially the long wheelbase variant. At 3.22 meters, it exceeds that of the short version by 24 centimeters, creating a space that is sufficient to accommodate seven passengers. In terms of the concept, everything remains as before: rear doors in the format of lock gates make entering the fund easier - as long as the Mercedes R-class is not in tight parking spaces. Even on the narrow folding seats in the third row, adults find plenty of space in the test, only the wide roof pillar restricts the feeling of space.

Unsuitable for the city

Mercedes furnishes the middle row with lavish footwell with two single seats or a three-person station wagon. She prefers the people sitting outside, who can snuggle up in longitudinally sliding and tilt-adjustable armchairs. Pilots and co. Don't sit better either, which is due to the fact that their comfortable seats are mounted far forward and because of the flat A-pillar they almost sit under the window frame. The fact that there is so much Mercedes R-Class behind the driver makes maneuvering in tight spaces difficult in the test. Threading your way through multi-storey car parks without scraping your flanks against pillars needs as much attention as circling a wing through a narrow stairwell. No, the city and the Mercedes R-Class will not work.

Still not a particularly economical car

First the long journeyshows the greatest quality of the Mercedes R-Class: comfort. If you order the seven-seater (2,618 euros extra), you get air suspension and level control on the rear axle. The test car springs all around with air, and that excellent. Even in the normal position it can cope with nasty bumps, only stumbles gently in the dispensable sport mode, and even in the soft Comfort program it remains free from wobbling. In terms of driving safety, the Mercedes is flawless, without any ambitions for dynamic performance - not with the high weight and the sluggish, low-feedback steering. This is not new, as is very little on the modified R.

That leaves the engine: the three-liter V6 is now called 350 instead of 320 CDI, increasing its output to 265 hp. To do this, the developers increased the boost pressure by 0.3 bar and at the same time reduced the compression from 17.7 to 15.5: 1. The mean effective pressure rose significantly from 17.4 to 20.6 bar - and with it the efficiency. As the test average of 10.8 L /100 km shows, the Mercedes R 350 CDI is still not a particularly economical car. A harmoniously motorized one, however, does. After a short start-up, the V6 in the Mercedes R-Class unpacks its torque, rolling down large mountains without ever giving up its smooth running.

Revision was not comprehensive enough

In comparison Compared to the eight-speed automatic machines of the competition, the seven-speed box now seems a bit slow and understaffed. Optimized in terms of friction, it has everything under control as long as it is comfortable and the controls are set to economy. During sport she gets into a hectic rush, lets the engine rev up unnecessarily in the test and reacts unwillingly to manual interventions on the gearshift paddles a level loading area - prove that the overhaul was not extensive enough. According to the new Mercedes motto 'The best or nothing', it could mean that many buyers will continue not to choose the Mercedes R-Class.