Luxury Crossover Leaves a Wide FootprintSome time ago I was flying across the country in business
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| The R-Class: A minivan for those who cringe at the thought of driving a minivan. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
class, something I do as often as I can, I found myself sitting beside the president of a major financial company. When he found out what I do, which normally happens when I pull out a press kit and begin punching out a news story, preview or road test, he asked me, "I normally only drive BMWs, but I just bought a minivan. Guess which one I bought." I knew immediately, and answered "A Honda Odyssey, of course." He smiled and said, "How'd you know?!"
You could easily substitute Mercedes-Benz for BMW in this scenario, or any luxury marque for that matter, as none makes a minivan. No doubt, if BMW, Mercedes-Benz or some other premium brand produced a minivan this person would have, at the very least, considered it, but nothing even remotely similar was available from the top-tier carmakers - at least it wasn't back then. Mercedes-Benz, mind you, is trying to capture this market, with an all-new model that comes close to providing the same type of functionality.
Yes,
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| Interestingly, half of the R-Class range consists of AMG models. Pictured here is the base R350. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
the new R-Class comes close, but if you're used to the amazing flexibility of the world's most versatile automotive genre, it won't quite hit the mark. Although, for many it will, so before I get into where it comes up short, let's define what's good about it? First and foremost, the
R350 and R500, the two models currently available (an R55 AMG and R63 AMG are on the way), are both incredibly spacious inside. Amongst luxury brands, nothing comes close to offering as much room for driver and passengers, even those relegated to the third row. Yes, there's room for full-size adults back there, so now those who have teens or often carry around their aging parents or customers aplenty (it would be ideal for real estate agents), don't have to give up on premium appointments to get the room they need.
Those rear seats fold flat into the floor too, making room for
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| Flat-fold seats yeild a big, wide floor. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
extra luggage if the third row isn't needed. If all seats are full, the R's cargo volume is compromised - understandably. I loaded up a variety of items, something I normally have to do in order to deal with life while living with a test vehicle, and all it took were two tugs on rear straps that popped the rear seatbacks forward. They wouldn't fold flat until I went around the side, tumbled a second-row forward, an easy and efficient process, and then pulled forward the lower seat cushions. Not as convenient as an Odyssey minivan, or the class-leading Stow 'n Go seating system in M-B's second-cousin Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country, but it worked. I suppose this is as good a time as any to say what didn't work, in this regard with the R-Class.
