Used Mercedes-Benz M-Class 4x4 1998 - 2006 review

What's the used Mercedes-Benz M Class like?

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Overview

The Mercedes M-Class may look attractive on paper, but it's not everything a Mercedes should be

Pros

• This is a cheap way into a prestige 4x4 that's also good off-road

Cons

• It's not great on-road, and the quality and reliability are well below par

Used cars available now

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Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML320 CDI Sport 7G-Tronic 5dr

£2,299

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML320 CDI Sport 7G-Tronic 5dr

£2,395

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML320 CDI SE 7G-Tronic 5dr

£2,895

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML320 CDI Sport 7G-Tronic 5dr

£3,650

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML280 CDI Sport 5dr

£3,795

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML280 CDI S 7G-Tronic 5dr

£3,997

Mercedes-Benz M Class

4.0 ML420 CDI Sport 7G-Tronic 5dr

£3,999

Mercedes-Benz M Class

3.0 ML280 CDI Sport 7G-Tronic 5dr

£5,995

Mercedes-Benz M-CLASS

3.0 ML320 CDI SE 7G-Tronic 5dr

£6,900

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The Mercedes M-Class was one of the earliest prestige 4x4s and is built with a separate chassis, like a Land Rover. The result is that it has a more equal blend of on- and off-road abilities than many of its later rivals. So, whereas the M-Class isn't as good as the likes of the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 on-road, it can show them a thing or two away from the Tarmac.

This means that, if you spend a lot of time on the road, you'll be disappointed by its low-speed ride, obvious body roll and cumbersome handling. However, if you want a genuine off-roader, you may be willing to put up with its shortcomings. What there's no doubt about is that the M-Class has one of the most spacious cabins of any of its rivals. It's on a par with the X5 for passenger and luggage space, and much better than a contemporary Land Rover Discovery.

Our recommendations

Which used Mercedes-Benz M Class should I buy?

M-Classes are now widely available, but avoid Mercedes dealers to find the keenest prices, especially on older models.

If you can, go for a face-lifted model from a 51-plate onwards. Although the car didn't drive much better after these tweaks, the improvements to the materials and layout in the cabin went a long way to answering the criticisms of the original model. With any age of car, the 2.7-litre diesel is the best engine to choose, and preferably with the automatic gearbox. As we've said, the car's chassis is not the greatest, but its limitations are least obvious with the less powerful engines.

The diesel also has other advantages, such as its better fuel economy and strong low-rev pulling power, which is great for towing. There's a wide range of petrol engines, too, with the less powerful versions the best. Avoid the ML500 and ML55 AMG, which are too dear, and much too fast for their own good.

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