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Mercedes-Benz adds a 50-state diesel to its GL-Class lineup.
Introduction
Introduction
What’s New: The 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTec replaces the GL320 CDI as the diesel offering in the GL-Class. M-B's accident-anticipating Pre-Safe system comes standard in all GLs this year. An integrated rear-seat DVD entertainment system, HD Radio and Sirius Real-Time Traffic top the list of options available. But again, the big news is the diesel.
What We Think: Despite the high price of diesel in the U.S., the GL320 BlueTec offers fuel economy, environmental sensitivity and good old-fashioned power, especially if you've got to do some towing. Of the three Mercedes SUVs that the BlueTec V-6 is being added to for 2009 – the GL-Class, the M-Class and the R-Class – our number one pick is the GL.
Review: 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTec
Fuel prices appear to be heading ever higher as the summer wears on, and diesel prices are leading the way. So is this a good time to introduce a full-size diesel-powered SUV? Mercedes-Benz answers in the affirmative with the 2009 GL320 BlueTec.
The GL-Class already has a strong reputation among luxury SUV watchers. It's a big package that drives smaller than it really is. The interior comfort and convenience is notable. The feature-to-dollar ratio is high. So now, here comes a BlueTec V-6 turbodiesel version of the GL-Class boasting high mpg and good towing capability, as you'd expect, along with low tailpipe emissions and some spirit to its off-the-line performance – a bit more on the unexpected side.
Along with the 2009 ML320 BlueTec and R320 BlueTec, the GL320 V-6 brings the notion of clean-diesel to the SUV market. Thanks to numerous technological breakthroughs, the Mercedes trio of diesel SUVs runs so clean – in fact, in some cases even cleaner than their gasoline-burning counterparts in the car, truck and SUV world – that they are certified as legal for sale in all 50 U.S. states.
Combined with a deliciously smooth-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission, the GL320 BlueTec's 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V-6 gets 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the open road. That's especially impressive for a full-size luxury SUV, even at diesel fuel's current premium, although the new Cadillac Escalade Hybrid should give it a run for its money.
In the GL320 BlueTec, the diesel V-6 produces 210 horsepower – not the stuff of legends. What commands attention, however, is the burst of 398 lb.-ft. of torque that starts at 1,600 rpm and stays on until 2,400 rpm. That kind of thrust just off idle launches the 5,313-lb. GL across an intersection as soon as the light turns green, and it'll get you onto the freeway pretty quick. On the other side of the 2,400-rev mark, however, the best of the acceleration is over too quickly. So while you can haul to your heart's desire (the GL320 BlueTec has a 7,500-lb. towing capacity), your highway-speed passing power is only average.
Like the other GLs in the Mercedes stable, the GL320 BlueTec is one of the easiest driving full-size SUVs on the market. That ease begins with the car-like stability and connection to the road afforded by the GL's unit-body construction, especially significant in a class full of body-on-frame SUVs. The air-suspension ride was Mercedes-Benz pleasant, and the interior quiet was undisturbed by road noise, despite standard 20-inch run-flat tires.
The steering, while not razor-sharp, was nicely weighted and responsive to inputs. The brakes felt better than we remembered from earlier years of GL, though we didn't stress them much.
If you catch the off-road bug, the GL320 BlueTec includes standard four-wheel drive, height-adjustable suspension (good for three inches of added clearance), a hill-descent control feature (controls the braking and throttling for you as you "crawl" down tricky slopes) and an off-road driving package.
Despite the lack of standard leather upholstery (a leather seating package is optional), the standard equipment list on the GL320 BlueTec is impressive. For the front-seat occupants, three-stage heated seats with eight-way power adjustments and, for the driver, four-way pneumatic lumbar support.
Third-row occupants – yes, there's almost enough room for adults – are treated to a fixed panorama sunroof to ward off any claustrophobia, and when the third row is empty, you can power-fold them down to increase your cargo space to 43.8 cubic feet. With both rows folded flat, the result is a generous 83.3 cubic feet of room.
Standard technology includes the COMAND in-car media control system with a 6.5-inch high-definition color screen, a Bluetooth interface, and a DVD video/audio player.
Anything that doesn't come standard you can find on the options page, including a rear-seat entertainment system, an adaptive-damping suspension, three-zone climate control, and premium packages that bundle high-tech goodies like rear-views cameras, navigation with voice control, and HD radio.
Standard safety considerations include nine airbags, including a kneebag for the driver, and Pre-Safe, which uses throttle, braking and steering input sensors to detect when a crash may be imminent. If such a determination is made, the seatbelts are firmed up, the front passenger seat moves into a better position for effective airbag deployment, and the side windows close. If a rollover is detected, the sunroof will close as well to help protect occupants from flying debris.
Arriving this coming October and forecast to be priced at around $55,000, the 2009 GL320 BlueTec represents quite a bargain in the big luxury SUV arena. If you're shopping for one, this one belongs in your consideration set.