Two things happened during the Mercedes ML430′s visit with me that allowed the luxury SUV to show off its best qualities.  First, my mother-in-law came to visit.  Then, while we were showing her around town, there was a violent hailstorm.  Mercedes couldn’t have planned it better.

Mercedes’ M-Class is became known as the “minivan of SUVs,” thanks to its high, slab-sided look and passenger-friendly interior.  It also brings Mercedes’ legendary reliability and quality.  The ML430 slots neatly into the middle of the lineup between the ML320 and ML55 AMG.  Its closest competitor is the BMW X5, and where the X5 feels like a big, overweight BMW sedan, the ML430 has a personality quite different from any other Mercedes.  For 2001 The M-Class adds dual-stage front airbags, Mercedes’ Tele Aid remote messaging system, and expanded off-road capabilities.

It’s hard to tell one M-Class from another from the outside, apart from their badges, but the line’s parentage is unmistakable.  A familiar Mercedes grille flanked by aerodynamic headlamps stretches up, up, up into the ML430′s big, boxy form.  The wheels are set wide and covered with body-colored flares, giving the truck a substantial look.  Round foglights set in the front bumper would look more at home on a sports sedan than a sport-ute.  Everything else is trucky, if civilized.  The roof rack is neatly integrated with the design.  Even the liftgate feels heavy and substantial.

My mother-in-law, who’s notoriously, ahem, unaware of cars and has failed to be even slightly impressed by Cadillacs, luxury convertibles and SUVs, or a supercharged Ford Lightning, actually took notice of the ML430′s interior.  Thank goodness for that; if she had failed to be impressed by Mercedes’ sumptuous leather and wood interior, I’m not sure what I would have done.  Chair-height seats all around and a high roof make the quiet interior feel more like that of an unusually luxurious minivan than a truck.   A GPS navigation system is standard equipment, although as with other non-CD changer-equipped Benzes its use precludes playing any music from CD.

Under the hood is the ML430′s primary distinction from its M-Class stablemates; a 268-horsepower V8.  Acceleration is generous, and with the assistance of the five-speed automatic transmission we had no trouble keeping up with traffic.  Mercedes TouchShift system allows the driver to change gears at will.  The manumatic does a good job of overcoming the transmission’s typically Mercedes reluctance to kick down for passing or lane changes.  Still, the ML430 felt less beholden by inertia than either the BMW X5 or Lexus RX300 I drove recently.

I couldn’t help comparing the ML430 to the X5 over the road, either.  Both trucks retain the smooth, pavement-connected glide that they’ve inherited from their respective Teutonic sedan counterparts, but the ML430 feels more alive.  Rather than the Brinks-truck feel of the X5, the ML430 allows a decent amount of road feel.  It’s a big confidence boost.
All Mercedes vehicles have a four-wheel independent suspension, and race car-like double wishbones at all four corners made the ML430 a delight on the highway and curvy four-lanes.  Thanks to the smooth, controlled ride, Mom didn’t notice that we put on a bit of extra speed to make it to more sights than we otherwise might have.

Then of course, there was that hailstorm.  At first we decided to tough it out.  When the hail kept falling, we took cover under a tree to save the ML430′s paint job and body panels, but frankly, no tree offers much protection from marble-sized hail.  When I decided that waiting it out wasn’t going to do any good, the ML430′s all-wheel-drive wasted no time in getting us through ice-slicked grass and back onto the road without drama.  Open differentials front, center and rear allow power to go only to the wheels with traction.  If we spun a tire on the ice, no one noticed.  Mercedes’ excellent traction control and Electronic Stability Control (ESP) kept the ML430 so civilized through the blinding downpour that my mother-in-law was reading contentedly in the back seat while the hailstones cracked like rifle shots against the glass and bodywork.

New for 2001 is Mercedes’ Tele Aid system, which is now standard on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles.  Tele Aid provides concierge-type and emergency services by using an integrated cellular connection to automatically phone for help in the event that the airbags are deployed.  An “SOS” button allows ML430 drivers to request assistance for other emergencies as well.  Tele Aid can use GPS tracking to locate the vehicle and send police or other emergency personnel.  A second Tele Aid function allows drivers to call Mercedes for roadside repairs or answers to questions about the car.  Tele Aid even allows Mercedes representatives to unlock the doors remotely, should you lock your keys inside, and can track the vehicle if it’s stolen.

The ML430 may be one of the most competent real-world SUVs.  As with every Mercedes-Benz, though, the downside is that you get what you pay for.  First off, fuel economy is dismal; at 16 city/20 freeway it’s little better than a full-size American land yacht.  And the ML430 requires premium gas, so it’ll hit hard in the wallet every time you fill that nineteen-gallon tank.  ML430 pricing starts at $44,200.  Our test vehicle featured the Sport suspension package and a sunroof, which brought the total cost to $49,725.  Considering its competition from BMW and Land Rover, however, the ML430 offers a great deal more real-world competence with less trade-offs, for about the same price.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Mercedes ML430, which we tested.

Length:         180.6 in.
Width:            72.2 in.
Height:            69.9 in.
Wheelbase:        111.0 in.
Curb weight:        4696 lb.
Cargo space:        40.4 cu.ft (seats up); 81.2 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Towing capacity:    5000 lb.
Base price:        $44,200
Price as tested:     $49,725
Engine:         4.3 liter SOHC V8
Drivetrain:         five-speed automatic
Horsepower:         268 @ 5500
Torque:         288 @ 3000-4500
Fuel capacity:        19.0 gal.
Est. mileage:        16/20