2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class SE review from UK and Ireland

Nothing has gone wrong and from previous experience of Mercedes it is unlikely anything will, as long as it is serviced correctly.

Fantastic compared to the previous W163 version. The W164 is refined and holds the road well.

Great driving position gives a real commanding view of the road.

The car has a few nice extras which are definitely worth hunting out when purchasing:

Hands free telephone

COMAND system (extremely effective, I have had experience of BMW and Mercedes sat nav and the Mercedes beats the BMW hands down. Easy to navigate, has postcode entry and less chance of getting frustrated with a fiddly i-Drive knob!!)

Privacy glass

18" alloys

Parktronic (Definitely a must for such a big car)

The SE was chosen over the Sport mainly because of the seats. Full leather is by far more easy to maintain (with children) than the half leather/suede of the Sport. Although the alloys and lights on the Sport do make it look more aggressive.

It is excellent on the long journeys, and I can't fault getting 35-37mpg out of it. Plus running it with a Bio-Diesel blend helps with the guilt of owning a 4x4.

By far the best out there for the money... looked at Range Rover Sport, but the 27mpg put me off.

Getting the 320 over the 280 was definitely the best decision, it is no AMG, but it is no slouch when you need to push it. The standard auto box actively encourages you to drive smoothly, and when you do it's silky smooth.