Mercedes unveils 2012 M-Class

[Laconian]

Must be something in the water over here, since I also think the exterior looks horrid. However I quite like what I see of the interior.

I think your standards would be lower if you lived amongst a sea of gauche full size SUVs, like we do over here.

Here, look at this car as a palate clenser:


Now look back at the Mercedes. Ah, now it's beautiful.

[Galaxy]

I think your standards would be lower if you lived amongst a sea of gauche full size SUVs, like we do over here.

Here, look at this car as a palate clenser:


Now look back at the Mercedes. Ah, now it's beautiful.

True.

[TBR]

A new level of ugly, congrats Mercedes.

[Mustangfan2003]

A new level of ugly, congrats Mercedes.

Nahh I think the Nissan Morono convertible takes care of that

[Madman]

Mercedes has somewhat split its luxury SUV customers among the M, R and GL

I don't think the R Class is taking any sales away from the M and GL Classes.  Given the R's dismal sales figures, I don't think it's taking sales away from anything else, either.

[ifcar]

I don't think the R Class is taking any sales away from the M and GL Classes.  Given the R's dismal sales figures, I don't think it's taking sales away from anything else, either.

It had a great month in May, for some reason. And even its typical 200-400 monthly sales represent 10-20 percent of M-Class -- the low volumes are significant in a class where no one is a huge seller.

[68_427]

I think your standards would be lower if you lived amongst a sea of gauche full size SUVs, like we do over here.

Here, look at this car as a palate clenser:


Now look back at the Mercedes. Ah, now it's beautiful.

That's beautiful.  I love the new QX

[Submariner]

That's beautiful.  I love the new QX

What the hell is wrong with you?

[S204STi]

What the hell is wrong with you?

[Submariner]

Seriously though - it's a terrible, terrible design.  It's ill proportioned and tacky to boot.  It's reeks of tacky "new money" design - almost as if they did a factory "thrift store bling" option and made it stock.  It's only redeeming quality is that it looks perfect in front of the 0-down McMansions that inspired it's trashy "look at me!" style. 

[Submariner]

It almost looks too short in that front 3/4 view, but it's relatively inoffensive and recognisably Mercedes.

That's what I thought, too.  The full gallery seems to rectify that: it appears as if the picture is the culprit, not the actual design.

[SVT32V]

I think your standards would be lower if you lived amongst a sea of gauche full size SUVs, like we do over here.

Here, look at this car as a palate clenser:


Now look back at the Mercedes. Ah, now it's beautiful.

Or this pumpkin carving experiment gone bad.


One cannot get a grasp of how big the giant cow-catcher grill is on this thing until seen in person, it should be on a locomotive.

[2o6]

I think it looks good on the MDX.


The rest of the lineup looks horrible.

[Submariner]

I think it looks good on the MDX.


The rest of the lineup looks horrible.

+...erm  .5

I can see where you're coming from...it works far better with the MDX than it does the rest of the brand, but boy, does it still suck. 

[r0tor]

The JGC version looks much much better then that thing... Inside and outside

[hotrodalex]

The rear end is quite minivan-esque. Not good. The front end is pretty nice looking though.

The interior isn't bad, but I don't like how the center stack bulges out. Again, reminds me of a minivan (Toyota Sienna, in particular)

[Raza]

It looks terrible.  The sides are awful; there's way too much sheetmetal and it's too low.  It looks like a regular SUV that ate too much.  The first ML is still the best looking.

[S204STi]

Seriously though - it's a terrible, terrible design.  It's ill proportioned and tacky to boot.  It's reeks of tacky "new money" design - almost as if they did a factory "thrift store bling" option and made it stock.  It's only redeeming quality is that it looks perfect in front of the 0-down McMansions that inspired it's trashy "look at me!" style. 

Don't get me started about Nissans since Renault got involved. Sans the Z and GTR I can's stand a single one of their products.

[SVT32V]

I think it looks good on the MDX.


The rest of the lineup looks horrible.

Holy overhang batman. The nose is bigger than the bow of many boats, if you turned it upside down it would be the perfect watercraft.

[ifcar]

That's a concept car. The production grille is smaller.

[SVT32V]

That's a concept car. The production grille is smaller.

I know, but the production version is barely smaller and the point (literally and figuratively) still stands, it is huge, ugly and looks like it could double for marine (water) duty.

[Hachee]

Late to the game here, but count me in on the side that thinks this thing is awful.  I never cared for the first generation, the second was an improvement, but this thing is terrible looking.  The interior looks like a nice place to be, but it doesn't give a Mercedes vibe, and it reminds me of a Chrysler/Jeep GC interior too.  And this is not meant to be an insult to the new GC, as I think that is a great looking vehicle, perhaps a bit too small in the greenhouse, but far better than the ML.  Hopefully the GL will look better, as it does now.

I'll admit the new E Class has grown on me, and having been in a few, I think the interior and ride are mighty impressive, but overall, it seems all new Mercs just seem somewhat off in their looks, whether it's too many character lines or bad proportions, even if they're partly caused by Euro pedestrian regs.

[cawimmer430]

Late to the game here, but count me in on the side that thinks this thing is awful.  I never cared for the first generation, the second was an improvement, but this thing is terrible looking.  The interior looks like a nice place to be, but it doesn't give a Mercedes vibe, and it reminds me of a Chrysler/Jeep GC interior too.  And this is not meant to be an insult to the new GC, as I think that is a great looking vehicle, perhaps a bit too small in the greenhouse, but far better than the ML.  Hopefully the GL will look better, as it does now.

I'll admit the new E Class has grown on me, and having been in a few, I think the interior and ride are mighty impressive, but overall, it seems all new Mercs just seem somewhat off in their looks, whether it's too many character lines or bad proportions, even if they're partly caused by Euro pedestrian regs.

The exterior, the interior...

It all makes sense to me.

This car was designed for the North American market. I've noticed that people here hate the design, but on American-based car forums the responses are more positive. To me that indicates that the car was designed with its most important market in mind: North America.


Maybe it'll look better in person, but I doubt it. I find it ugly inside and out, although the interior does appear to be very nicely done.

[Atomic]

I agree, decent. But i like the GL & the Range Rover better.

they come with premium price tags, though, especially the g-class. the m-class is in easier reach i would think compared to the range rover... although the price of the "m", not unlike all mercedes-benz vehicles climb mighty high when adding individual options or packages.

[AltinD]

Seriously though - it's a terrible, terrible design.  It's ill proportioned and tacky to boot.  It's reeks of tacky "new money" design - almost as if they did a factory "thrift store bling" option and made it stock.  It's only redeeming quality is that it looks perfect in front of the 0-down McMansions that inspired it's trashy "look at me!" style. 

Do you guys get the Nissan Patrol on which is based?




http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-nissan-patrol/

[ifcar]

We don't. We get an unrelated large SUV based on the Nissan Titan pickup, the Armada -- the basis for the previous-gen QX.

[Laconian]

Seriously though - it's a terrible, terrible design.  It's ill proportioned and tacky to boot.  It's reeks of tacky "new money" design - almost as if they did a factory "thrift store bling" option and made it stock.  It's only redeeming quality is that it looks perfect in front of the 0-down McMansions that inspired it's trashy "look at me!" style. 

Yes yes yes. Often seen towing the trashiest, tackiest, most fiberglassy boats known to mankind. The sort of boats that have 5000W sounds systems for blaring Sweet Home Alabama over a 5 mile radius and disrupting marine mammal echolocation in the process.

[68_427]

Honestly one of the best looking SUVs in the world right now.  I love it.

[hotrodalex]

The interior is awesome, but the exterior just looks like someone took a baseball bat to it.

[thewizard16]

Honestly one of the best looking SUVs in the world right now.  I love it.

Maybe you have cataracts.