An all-new Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV has gone on sale, with prices starting at €71,060, undercutting direct rivals, while buyers will pay road tax of just €481 per annum.
The headline figures relate to the new ML 250 CDI version, which uses a four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. This 2.1-litre unit puts out 204hp, pushing the new M-Class to 100km/h from rest in just nine seconds, on the way to a top speed of 210km/h.
More importantly, in conjunction with the standard 7-G Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox, this BlueTEC-badged model uses just six litres of diesel every 100 kilometres (equivalent to 47.1mpg) and emits 158g/km of CO2. That qualifies the big M-Class for Band C taxation and represents a 28 per cent improvement in efficiency over the model it replaces.
Indeed, Mercedes-Benz quotes an average 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption across the M-Class line-up, including the new 3.5-litre petrol V6-engined ML 350 BlueEfficiency. Though available to order, that model is unlikely to find many buyers in Ireland. A 3.0-litre V6 diesel, badged ML 350 CDI, should be relatively popular, with 258hp at its disposal and a purchase price of €76,140.
All versions of the M-Class come with the automatic gearbox and 4-MATIC four-wheel drive.