2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class User Reviews

Pros

great handling for large car, seats are very comfortable, good gadgets and pano roof

Cons

bad mileage, center of 2nd row not removeable for captain's chair config

a pleasant surprise. leased it in August, got a pretty good deal (probably even better now!). Was expecting a clunker but it actually drove fast (over 260hp V6), handles better than expected, corners well, great interior with very comfortable seats. Wife and I are used to performance, I have an SL and she has an E550. This is for the trips with newborn baby. the auto lift gate and low stance are great, very ample cargo space without the 3rd row seats. 3rd row seats are the most comfortable of any SUV/Crossovers. Even more comfortable than vans but are not as easy to get into as vans. Can fit 6footers comfortablely in all three rows at once.
Only gripe is the crummy mileage. Averaged 20mpg on drive to Vegas from LA. normal driving yields only 14-17mpg.
Back up camera in the 09's are great and the built in bluetooth is great add on's for the new model. Pano roof is beautiful, baby loves to see up into the sky. Keyless go is very important if you have babies, mine didn't come with one because they didn't have any available at the time. If you can order it, get it. All in all, great family crossover/SUV, great for those of us not wanting to be caught dead in a Sienna or Odysse, and great for those who like to drive