Initial Quality – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class received an Overall Initial Quality Power Circle Rating of 3 out of 5.

Performance and Design – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL), the Mercedes-Benz M-Class received an Overall Performance and Design Power Circle Rating of 4 out of 5.

Vehicle Dependability – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measures dependability of 2006 model-year vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class received an Overall Vehicle Dependability Power Circle Rating of 2 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings.

Fuel Economy – The 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is equipped with one of four engines: a 210-horsepower, 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 engine; a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine; a 382-horsepower, 5.5-liter V-8 engine; or a 503-horsepower, 6.3-liter V-8 engine, the latter three requiring premium fuel. The most fuel-efficient M-Class is the ML320 BlueTec turbodiesel, which is rated to achieve 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The least fuel-efficient M-Class is, not surprisingly, the high-powered ML63 AMG, rated to deliver 11 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway.

Our review vehicle, the ML350 4Matic with the 3.5-liter V-6 engine, is EPA-rated for 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. We averaged 16.1 mpg in mixed driving. Combined with the ML350’s standard 25.1-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 400-mile range between fill-ups of premium unleaded.

Safety – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets 5-star ratings in frontal- and side-impact crash tests, and a 4-star rollover rating with rear- or all-wheel drive.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calls the Mercedes-Benz M-Class a “Top Safety Pick” because it has standard stability control and received a “Good” rating in the offset frontal impact crash test, a “Good” rating in the side impact crash test, and a “Good” rating for rear impact protection.

Environment – According to the EPA, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class consumes between 19.7 and 28.6 barrels of petroleum annually, depending on engine choice. The resulting carbon footprint ratings range between 10.6 and 15.2 tons of air pollution per year. Our ML350 4Matic review vehicle gets a carbon footprint rating of 10.8.

The Mercedes-Benz M-Class receives national air pollution scores of 6 out of 10 for all powertrain combinations except the ML350 with rear-wheel drive, which the EPA has not rated. In California/New England, the M-Class receives air pollution scores of 7 out of 10, except the ML63 AMG, which gets 6 out of 10. The ML350 with rear-wheel drive is not rated for the California or New England regions.