Manchester, Vermont - The folks at Mercedes-Benz like to call the R-Class a sport utility vehicle. Yet, no matter how I look at it, I can't find anything SUV-like about this vehicle. It shares a lot more similarities with the big family wagons that used to be so popular many years ago. This confusion of body styles is usually summed up with the now-famous "crossover" label. And for 2009, we're talking about a clean crossover: similar to the GL and ML, the R-Class will indeed be available with BlueTEC, an all-new generation of clean diesel engines.

Auto123.com attended a recent event in Vermont where the German automaker introduced its entire 2009 model lineup -- at least those that will meet the environmental standards of all 50 U.S. states... and Canada, obviously.


Big yet convenient
The Mercedes R-Class is not subtle at all. Massive and commanding, it has a lot of presence on the road. While remarkably long and wide, however, this squat-looking vehicle is actually several centimetres lower than other SUV-type models in the portfolio. The result is an elongated silhouette which kind of looks disproportioned. Of course, it's always a matter of tastes.

One thing's for sure, though: Mercedes knows quite a thing or two about interior designs. Here, the cabin is roomy and beautifully laid out, with third-row seats even adults can access and feel at ease in, something few rivals can brag about.

With regard to cargo capacity, the R320 also impresses. Just imagine: it managed to swallow the entire equipment of our photo and video crews while offering utmost comfort to the three passengers. I did wind up with a shortage of clothes, but that's simply because I didn't plan ahead well enough.

The 2009 R-Class is a carbon copy of the 2008 model. Except for the BlueTEC system, no significant change has been made. The audio unit is slightly improved, while the Pre-Safe and Neck-Pro technologies now come standard -- that's about it.

Green diesel
Under the hood of the new R320 is a 3.0-liter BlueTEC V6 shared with other Mercedes-Benz utility vehicles. I'm not going to explain once again how it works. What you need to remember is that BlueTEC uses a urea-based fluid called AdBlue which neutralizes most nitrogen oxides in the exhaust system.

Thusly equipped, the Mercedes R320 averages 11.3 L/100 km in the city and 8.2 L/100 km on the highway -- roughly a 30-percent improvement over traditionally-powered models. Surprisingly, power and performance are not compromised: the automaker claims that acceleration times from 0 to 100 km/h are as low as 8.8 seconds.

Efficient, convenient and uniquely styled, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz R320 BlueTEC might be the ultimate versatile wagon. As expected, driving dynamics are not particularly exciting, but high-end comfort and genuine luxury make up for it. All that in a clean, environmentally-friendly package. What else could you ask for?


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux