The Mercedes-Benz R-Class is a luxury sports tourer offering individual seating for six. It combines the best qualities of a sports sedan and luxury sport utility vehicle. The range offers agile handling and a balanced performance supported by standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The versatile interiors are ideal for traveling families and for hauling cargo. For 2008, the R-Class includes the R 350, R 350 2WD and the diesel R 320 CDI. Mercedes-Benz offers a basic warranty of 48 months or 50,000 miles.

The Mercedes-Benz R 350 is equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The R 320 CDI comes with a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engine that produces 221 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are teamed with a seven-speed automatic transmission. A new electronic gear selector is mounted on the steering column. The R 350 is now available as rear-wheel-drive as well as all-wheel-drive models. The fully independent suspension uses double wishbones in the front and a four-link setup in the rear. Three operating modes are available - normal, comfort and sport. The EPA-estimated fuel consumption for the R 350 is 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on highways; whereas for the R 320 CDI, it is 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on highways.

The Mercedes-Benz R-Class has the sleek, long look of a sports sedan in the front; while the round squat shape of the rear is reminiscent of a station wagon. All R-Class models have 18-inch wheels. Two kinds of sunroofs are optional: a conventional glass panel and a double-sized panoramic unit with a 5-foot, 7-inch glass panel and powered roller blinds. The interior is spacious and chic, with leather inserts and brown bird's-eye maple wood trim; a two-tone dashboard has large gauges, well positioned and easy to read. Most controls are ergonomically sound. The available cargo space is 85 cubic feet when the second- and third-row seats are folded. The cargo capacity is less than in a minivan, but on par with its competitors.

Standard safety features include side curtain air bags, door-mounted side-impact air bags for front occupants, rollover sensors, seatbelt pretensioners, tire-pressure monitoring system, anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability program. Other features are side guard door beams and panic button or alarm. Wheel locks and vehicle theft tracking are both optional.