Under the Hood

The ML350 carries a 232-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 engine, while the ML500 comes with a 288-hp, 5.0-liter V-8. Both models use a five-speed-automatic transmission with a manual shift gate. The permanently engaged four-wheel-drive system has a Low-range gear setting, and it distributes power among the four wheels as needed to maintain traction. Unlike its X5 and RX 330 rivals, Mercedes insists that the M-Class is a true offroad vehicle.

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    Adjusting the exterior mirrors
    WARNING Exercise care when using the passenger-side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror surface is convex (outwardly curved surface for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror are clo ...

    Ride & Handling
    In its V-8 E550 guise, the E-Class offers unrivaled ride quality, the sort that even its $60,000 peers can't match. Absent the sedan's available Airmatic adaptive air suspension, the E350 wagon ge ...

    Setting the temperature
    2-zone automatic climate control Different temperatures can be set for the driver's and front-passenger sides. ► Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock. ► To increase/ ...