I like the R500 no matter what our other staffers say. It's not a minivan that's missing sliding doors. It's not as tall as a minivan. It's more luxurious than a minivan certainly...
Sure it feels like it weights 2 tons when you're driving, but it feels solidly built. The creature comforts like heated leather seats, nav and audio system, climate controls are all high quality.
I did experience one minor annoyance to and from work, however. I put all my stuff on the passenger seat while I was driving and the R500 kept insisting I put the seatbelt on my passenger. I only had my laptop, a jacket and my very small purse. So I think the seat is a little too sensitive.
Other than that, I enjoy driving our non-minivan.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
P.S. I know the top photo is blurry, but I liked the trees, so I used it anyway.
desmolicious says:
12:27 PM, 01/23/07
depending on how she spreads her weight, my dog occasioanlly sets off the seat belt warning sign/chime in my 330. She weighs 30lbs.
playdrv4me says:
04:44 PM, 01/23/07
I find it hard to constrain my dislike of the bulbous, heavy and completely disproportionate R500, but suffice it to say, I think the Cadillac SRX and especially the 2007 X5 are a cut above this car. I honestly have never seen any vehicle that looks more like it was slapped together at the last minute and as poorly thought out as the R Class. Perhaps only the GL series bugs me as much as the R, and in the case of the GL, its mainly because it doesnt quite live up to the standards of its forebear (although it is much more suited to the type of person who usually buys it, whatever that means).
Surprisingly DCX's own Chrysler division's Pacifica, seems BETTER suited to most of the tasks the R Class is SUPPOSED to perform, and does it with more innovative features at around half the price, with plenty of incentives heaped on for good measure. In fact if I did not know any better, I would have assumed the Pacifica and R500 perhaps even rode on the same underpinnings.
On the other hand, the new ML is absolutely perfect. It is such an improvement over its predecessor, that its hard to imagine the R was spun off the same platform. Its small enough that you dont have to feel guilty about driving an Escalade sized 'ute, and powerful enough to handle most towing chores. It might not be a true "cross-over", but it is flexible enough that in my opinion, it kind of makes the R Class redundant.
billt9 says:
09:14 PM, 01/23/07
I tripped my passenger seatbelt light with two 64 oz cartons of milk.
That's what, 10 lbs?
I readjusted the milk, and the light turned off.
desmolicious says:
09:55 PM, 01/23/07
Guess the easy thing to do would be just to fasten the passenger seatbelt, then place the dog/groceries/human kidney in cooler being delivered for transplant on the seat.
billt9 says:
03:08 PM, 01/24/07
Desmolicious, are you giving in your human free will to the computer masters? Such a day shall never come.
desmolicious says:
04:00 PM, 01/24/07
You're right Bilt! The dog goes in the Wrangler! No pesky beepings in that ride!
ahightower says:
06:00 PM, 01/24/07
Re: M-class... 'Its small enough that you dont have to feel guilty about driving an Escalade sized 'ute"...
I didn't know I was supposed to feel guilty about what I drive... Some tolerant liberals are so judgmental... And when it comes to gas mileage, ML550 is about as bad as anything else on the road.
I do think the 320 deisel will be cool though.
blue330xi says:
07:13 PM, 01/26/07
your right its a tall station wagon, not a mini van.
playdrv4me says:
01:20 PM, 01/28/07
playdrv4me says:
01:25 PM, 01/28/07
Well, first... furthest thing from a liberal here. In fact, Im usually spurning hateful and in-jest comments alike from co-workers and friends over my incessant need to listen to Limbaugh and yes, even O'Reilly every time they get in my car... so thanks for THAT generalization! ;-)
Second, I'm all for driving a gigantor SUV if you actually NEED the space, i.e. Kids, business reasons (and LOOSE justification there) etc. But if you are like I have no problem admitting was forever, and are driving a 6.0L behemoth by yourself just for the sake of doing it, then yes, I dont know if guilty is the word, but something ought to be coming to mind every time you pay 72.83 to fill up the tank and go through it in about 4 days driving from mall to mall. This is why H2's are usually the butt of jokes, while the H3 has been for the most part well received, and gets the formula just about right.
Attacking the ML550 on the virtue of its poor fuel economy is perfectly reasonable, except for the fact that both six cylinder gas, and as you noted, Diesel versions now exist. The Escalade? Well, last I heard, plans for a V12 are still on the shelf, but it certainly aint gettin a Diesel anytime soon. Multi-Displacement begins to make a SMALL tickmark on the GMT900's overall efficiency, but not by a whole hell of alot.
Keep in mind, my disdain over huge SUV's has very little if at all to do with environmental concerns. Pretty much, it came down to my wallet. When I realized that the "cool factor" of driving an urbanized mac truck had all but worn off on the public, and I was still the butt of the joke paying out the butt at the fuel pump, and having to perform acrobatic maneuvers to park, I quickly turned my glance toward the suddenly burgeoning landscape of Crossover and Small and Midsize SUV's that delivered all the performance and snazz I ever wanted, in a more efficient and manageable size. At this juncture, I'd feel about the same driving my old Avalanche, as I do whenever I eat just for the sake of eating... stuffed and bloated.