In 1997, the crossover term applied only to psychics and gender swappers. The Honda CR-V, the Subaru Forester, and the Toyota RAV4 were thoughtfully mapping a car-based path for the Lexus RX300, the BMW X5, and the Acura MDX to follow. The course was clear for mid-size SUVs to ditch trucky underpinnings in favor of lighter, more supple chassis components.
Then Mercedes-Benz muddled the movement by introducing its ML320 with husky body-on-frame construction. Did Stuttgart know something that other SUV engineers had missed? Could the first premium mid-size sport-ute thrive with Gelndewagen bones inside a minivan body?
Remarkably, the M-class lacked the fortitude to venture far off-road, and its street verve fell well below Mercedes car norms. Interior furnishings were functionally flawed, conspicuously cost-conscious, and fraught with quality glitches.... Read full article