1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Trims and Specs

By its second year, the Mercedes-Benz ML320 "light truck" was getting mixed reviews from drivers who liked the vehicle's quietness, feel and smoothness over the road but were concerned about some of its less-than-luxury appointments (cloth seats, plastic dashboard) and quality problems. Reports of rattles and ill-performing equipment were growing and some were wondering whether Mercedesi had built "a clunker."

That's probably going too far, as most reviewers and drivers were extolling the virtues of the vehicle, and at least one reviewer awarded the ML320's 3.2-liter, 215-hp V6 engine one of its "10 Best Engines" awards.

There's no doubt that Mercedes packed a lot of technology into the ML320. Its aluminum-alloy engine, for instance, had long-life cylinder walls and iron-coated aluminum pistons. The suspension featured a four-wheel independent double-wishbone system and gas-pressurized shock absorbers that improved handling and stability. Other features included an anti-lock braking system, traction control, and front and side airbags.

When it was launched in 1998, the Mercedes-Benz ML320 sport utility (officially a light truck) was powered by a 3.2-liter, 215-hp V6 engine that many were impressed with. One reviewer even labeled the engine on the 10 Best for that year. But some drivers were unimpressed, believing that a luxury SUV designed to go off-road, or even just around town, deserved, and even demanded, more power.

So the following year, in 1999, Mercedes introduced the ML430, which added a beefy 4.3-liter single-overhead-cam V8 engine that generated 268 hp, making for a faster, more powerful vehicle, ideal for drivers who wanted a luxury SUV that was also capable of ascending a steep mountain slope with aplomb or towing a trailer without wheezing down the highway.

Of course, that added power was wrapped in a steel-framed, safety-enhanced vehicle that included a wide range of standard and luxury features, such as heated leather power seats, walnut interior trim, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, privacy glass, keyless entry, and power heated mirrors.

Drivers tend to like the ML430's power bump, its tight turning ratio, its ramped-up traction control system, and its luxury appointments (naturally). Some still express concerns about the vehicle's reliablity, though, and point to a number of parts and systems that have had to be replaced after relatively low mileage.