2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Review

As family-haulers go, the Mercedes-Benz R350 Bluetec is a nice rig — perhaps too nice for the sippy-cup-and-Cheerios gang. Even though the R350 doesn't fit nicely into a defined category such as minivan, SUV or crossover, it's nonetheless a practical car for the high-earning, minivan-averse family.

The R350 caters to families with its roomy cabin, compliant ride and available convenience features, but it sacrifices some utility in the name of style.

I tested the diesel-powered R350 Bluetec, and a gas V-6 engine is also offered. The diesel version starts at $51,740, but options made the as-tested price balloon to around $67,000. The R-Class' price range overlaps two of Mercedes' SUVs: the five-seat M-Class and the seven-seat GL-Class. The R-Class is available with seating for six or seven. To see a side-by-side comparison of these three models, click here.

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Rolling with the engine switched off
WARNING There is no power assistance for the steering and the brake when the engine is not running. Steering and braking requires significantly more effort and you could lose control of the ...

Control panel for dual-zone automatic climate control
Control panel for dual-zone automatic climate control Canada only 1 To set the temperature, left. 2 To defrost the windshield. 3 To switch the ZONE function on/off. 4 To activate/deactivate coo ...

Changing the picture format
Select Source in the AUX menu and press the button on the remote control to confirm. Select Display Aux or Disk Drive Aux and press the button to confirm. Select Auto16:9 optimized, 4:3 o ...