Driving, Part Two

The CL's standard Airmatic suspension is hard to fault. It can operate in either its default Comfort setting or a firmer Sport setting. Without going into technical details, I'll say that it absorbs bumps like little else I've driven.

I drove the CL on my normal route and experienced nothing but a muted "whump" over a road imperfection that makes other cars crash and bang. Granted, that was in Comfort mode, but when I switched to Sport I didn't notice any real degradation in ride quality, just a slight jiggle on really bumpy roads.

Where I really noticed the difference while driving in Sport mode was on highway on-ramps; it does a nice job of holding the car steady. That, combined with the CL's standard all-wheel drive, lends a lot of confidence at sane — but still fast — speeds. It's stable and gets a great amount of grip. I didn't get anywhere near the CL550's limit; there was always enough grip and comfort to put a big smile on my face.

One thing with which I wasn't as enamored was the need for Mercedes' optional blind spot warning system, which I normally don't use. Unfortunately, the CL550's standard mirrors are just too small to be of much use. As far as highway driving goes, the mirror issue is the only major fault I noticed. Other editors pointed out that there was absolutely no road or wind noise, making the CL an excellent road-trip car.

    See also:

    EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (third rowof seats)
    Important safety notes WARNING   To help avoid personal injury, the second-row seat backrests must be properly locked either in the upright position or, when using the expanded cargo vo ...

    Information for customers in California
    Under California law you may be entitled to a replacement of your vehicle or a refund of the purchase price or lease price, if after a reasonable number of repair attempts Mercedes-Benz USA, L ...

    Vehicle level
    Important safety notes Your vehicle regulates its height automatically. All-round self-leveling ensures the best possible suspension and constant ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle. W ...