For the last few years the auto industry has been hunting for the next big thing. With SUVs under pressure from rising gas prices, this hunt will only intensify. The general sense is that this next big thing will have the functionality of a minivan, but with a sportier image and thus without the stigma of a minivan.

Chrysler gave us one of the first of these over two years ago with the Pacifica. Sales were slow at first, picking up only once lesser-equipped trimlines and huge rebates became available. Undaunted, Mercedes is now introducing a similar vehicle, the R-Class. It is arguably the first vehicle of its type in the luxury class, as Cadillac's SRX is more of an SUV and Infiniti's RX doesn't even offer a third row.

The R-Class is a huge vehicle. Its 126.6-inch wheelbase is ten inches longer than that of a Pacifica, and fourteen inches longer than that of a Ford Freestyle. A Chevrolet Suburban's wheelbase is only a few inches longer. Minimal overhangs keep the overall length a reasonable 203 inches; the Pacifica and Freestyle are just three to four inches shorter. The R-Class' 75.7-inch width and 65.4-inch height fall between the more compact Ford and chunkier Chrysler. The M-Class SUV is over half-a-foot taller.

As someone seeking a vehicle that combines aspects of a minivan, SUV, and sports sedan, I test drove one of these soon after they showed up on dealer lots. The R-Class is available with either a V6 or a V8. Until a new V8 arrives next year the different in horsepower between the two is not large, and neither is my bank account, so I drove the V6.

Styling

The R's long, swoopy body isn't that of an SUV. But it's also too tall to be a wagon. And the section aft of the doors is too small to be that of a van. As with the Pacifica, and Ford's Freestyle to a smaller extent, people will wonder what they're looking at.

I wasn't excited by photos of the R-Class, but it's extremely fluid lines look better in the metal. In overall shape it strongly resembles a stretched, leaner, less butch Infiniti FX. Make that much less butch. Combine tapered ends with gentle curves in the roofline, beltline, and midsection, and the R-Class appears far more lithe--and even downright elegant--than a large, three-row vehicle has any right to. Back in the mid-90s people thought the new Chrysler minivans and Ford Taurus were smaller than their predecessors, when the opposite was very much the case. Curves like those on the R-Class have this effect. In comparison, the Chrysler Pacfica looks like a tank.

Credit is also due the extremely long wheelbase. Like height on a person, a long wheelbase reduces perceived girth. The beltline (base of the side windows) on the R-Class might be a bit lower than that on the Pacifica, but it looks far lower. End result: the first 65-inch-tall, 5000-pound vehicle to actually appear svelte.

The bodysides are especially well done. The bodyside's shape and character lines concentrate visual mass just ahead of the rear wheels. Add in a short rear overhang and relatively small, almost triangular third-row window, and the R doesn't appear nearly the people hauler it is. The Mazda Protege5 I drive has similarly sporty proportions, but then it's truly compact aft of the second row. The R-Class merely appears this way.

I'd personally want to change a few details at the ends. The headlights can't decide whether they want to be ovals or triangles (I vote for the latter), and the metal around the tail lamps has an unfortunate hint of BMW 7. But these are quibbles. The strength of the overall design, and especially the bodysides, cannot be denied.

Wheels make a big difference in the R's appearance. The vehicle I drove had the Saks Edition Package, which includes 19-inch five-spoke wheels. These wheels greatly enhance the exterior appearance of the R. The five-spoke 18s standard on the R500 work reasonably well with the styling. In contrast, the R350's standard 17s and $900 optional 18s are both multispoke designs that push the overall look of the vehicle in a pedestrian direction. With the R350, I'd personally want to go either with the AMG Package and its 19-inch wheels or check out the aftermarket.

Recent Mercedes have had more dramatically styled interiors, and the R-Class largely continues this trend. The SLK and M-Class interiors are more detailed, but the dash, console, and door panels include enough curved surfaces to keep the eyes entertained. The quality of some materials is a bit less than I expected, especially the piece that runs across the front of the instrument panel. The interior in the R350 I drove was black; the also available tan should help warm it up a bit. The interior in the Pacifica is nearly as nice, but then its nicer than that of the average $30,000 vehicle. The interior in the Freestyle is considerably more pedestrian.

The Saks edition has alcantara seat inserts. Not a good idea with children. The regular R-Class comes standard with leather inserts in the first row only, vinyl elsewhere. A very good idea with children.

Accommodations

The driving position, like that of other crossovers, is similar to that in a regular car, just a few inches higher off the ground. You sit a bit lower relative to the instrument panel that in the Freestyle, and the pillars are bulkier in a Pacifica. Of the three, the R-Class feels the most car-like upon first sitting in the driver's seat.

I'm comparing the R-Class to the much cheaper Ford and Chrysler because it has no close competitors among luxury cars. Yet. A similar BMW and Lexus are coming.

As in many recent vehicles with steeply raked windshields, Mercedes disguises the depth of the instrument panel by setting its top edge relatively far from the driver and breaking up its top surface into multiple sections. This strategy is generally effective in the R-Class, except that the piece at the base of the windshield curves up from the section closer to the driver. Luckily the little wall this forms is not as tall as that in the new VW Jetta, so I only got a slight sense of sitting in a hole. I'd still prefer that the instrument panel dropped as it neared the base of the windshield.

Add it all up, and the view forward isn't much different from that in a large sedan.

Surprisingly, visibility to the rear isn't bad, especially not if the second-row headrests are down. The base of the rear window is much lower than on a Pacifica, much less the typical SUV, so you're less likely to back over small objects. Like children. For an extra measure of safety a front-and-rear obstacle detection system is optional.

Heavily bolstered buckets are standard on the R500 and a $400 option on the R350 I drove. Though not exceptionally comfortable, they are better than the average seat, and the bolsters provide more lateral support you'll ever need in a vehicle of this sort. A driver's-side manual lumbar adjuster is standard.

Mercedes' "multicontour" seats, available for $780, include power adjustments for dual lumbar supports, the side bolsters, and cushion length. These should be a bit more comfortable, but will be most necessary in the AMG version of the R-Class, which will be powered by a 500-horsepower 6.2-liter V8. It's coming in 2007.

The second-row buckets are less heavily bolstered but are also comfortable. They slide fore-and-aft. In their furthest rearward position I had about half-a-foot between my knees and the front seatbacks. A removable second-row center console is available and will be included along with dual headrest-mounted screens in a not-yet-released entertainment system package. The second-row seats, like captain's chairs in a minivan, include side-mounted armrests, so a center console would only be of value for additional storage.

Unfortunately, while a three-person bench would fit in the second row--the R-Class is certainly wide enough inside--none is available. The R-Class is strictly a six-passenger vehicle. If you need to seat seven, either get an E-Class wagon (which the salesperson thought would be killed off by the R-Class) or the new G-Class (essentially a stretched M-Class) that will arrive next spring. I prefer the R to a taller SUV or the less roomy E, so I wish it were available in seven-passenger form.

Getting into the two-place third-row bench is facilitated by second-row seats that tip well forward and huge, 51-inch wide rear doors that open to a nearly 90-degree angle. This is both good and bad. Good because it's fairly easy to get to the third row. Bad because if there's another vehicle parked in the next space over, either in a parking lot or your garage, then this other vehicle is going to get dinged. I've never seen a parking space large enough to permit such huge doors to open even most of the way, much less all of the way. My advice: back out of the space first, then open the doors.

The floor is flat, so in R-Classes without the optional rear console it is also possible to walk between the rows as in a minivan. The front console prevents doing the same between the first and second rows.

Once into the adult-sized, reclinable third-row seats you'll find plenty of headroom despite the sloping roofline and a generous amount of legroom as well. The third row in the Pacifica is far more cramped, and even that in the Freestyle is not as capable of carrying adults. The cushion is still a bit low to the floor for good thigh support, but short of the best minivans and largest SUVs this is the roomiest and most comfortable third row I've experienced. The third row in a Cadillac SRX or Volvo XC90, the two closest luxury-class competitors, is a joke in comparison. It seems the R's wheelbase is nearly 127 inches long for a reason.

An optional rear climate control system provides plenty of vents for both rear rows. An optional panoramic sunroof includes a regular sunroof over the front row, a fixed glass panel over the rear rows, and power-flip-out third-row side windows. A motorized shade covers all of the roof panels when you want to keep the sun out. The shades cannot be operated independently, however.

The R-Class' length also pays off in terms of cargo capacity. The cargo floor extends more than a foot-and-a-half behind the third row, yielding far more space than you'll find behind the third row of most minivans and SUVs. Fold both rows flat and the length of the cargo area grows to 92 inches. The only thing better would be a folding front passenger seat like that on the Freesyle. Well, that and second-row headrests that didn't need to be removed before folding the seat. As is, folding these seats is more complicated that in the average SUV. Maximum cargo volume is 85 cubic feet, about the average for a midsize SUV. The Pacifica is tighter, the Freestyle about the same.

On the Road

I'd sampled Mercedes' recently introduced 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 in both the E-Class and M-Class before this test drive, and found it smooth and powerful across its rev range. In the R-Class it's still commendably smooth, but hitched to nearly 5,000 pounds it doesn't feel so powerful. Still thoroughly adequate, though.

The V8 doesn't produce much more top-end power, but has a considerably stronger mid-range. Mercedes says it gets the R to sixty 1.4 seconds faster, 6.7 vs. 8.1. So those who for some reason need the quickest possible 5,000-pound six-passenger people mover might want to spend the extra bucks. Better yet, wait for the new V8 coming next year. Better yet, wait for the AMG model also coming in 2007. It will be powered by 6.2-liter V8 producing over 500 horsepower.

The seven-speed automatic is more of an issue for me than the engine. It was always in a hurry to upshift, such that when left to its own devices it lugs the engine through turns. Buttons to manually shift the transmission and prevent it from upshifting are on the back side of the steering wheel. Never has this feature been more necessary.

As with the M-Class, Merecedes for the R has followed BMW's lead and placed an electronic shifter on the steering column. Unlike with the 7-Series, to shift into "D" or "R" the shifter is simply tapped down or up, respectively; there's no need to pull it back first. Supposedly the shifter was moved to make room for cupholders. Given the buttons on the back of the steering wheel, I don't suppose the method of shifting into "D" matters.

The R-Class comes standard with all-wheel-drive. Toss in a loose-surface ABS program and three extra inches of ground clearance available by adjusting the optional $1,400 air-sprung suspension, and it should comport itself well in light off-road use.

But few people will ever take an R-Class off the pavement. Rather, all-wheel-drive is standard because the Germans have decided that Americans want all of their wagon-like vehicles to have all-wheel-drive. For 2006 you cannot buy a BMW or Mercedes wagon without it. Is this supposed to make them appear more legitimate as SUV substitutes? Most SUVs are available in rear-drive form.

The fancy air suspension has three modes: comfort, sport, and auto. The difference between these modes isn't night and day. In "sport" vs. "comfort" turn-in is a bit sharper, lean in turns is moderately reduced, and the vehicle bounces a bit more over large expansion joints. But even in "sport" the ride is far from harsh. As might be expected given the ultra-long wheelbase, the R rides very smoothly in general. Almost luxury sedan quiet, too.

What the R doesn't do, even in "sport," is make me think I'm driving a sports sedan. I was constantly aware that I was driving something very long and very heavy. The R-Class was easy enough to drive along a curvy road, thanks to a nicely balanced chassis, accurate (though not especially informative) steering, and 255/50WR19 Bridgestone Turanza tires, but I felt absolutely no urge to attack said curvy road. The R might look a lot like the Infiniti FX, but it doens't drive much like one. The Cadillac SRX, though also too soft for my tastes, also feels more compact and agile. Likely because it is. An extended wheelbase S-Class with its suspension set to "comfort" would be a more apt comparison, and was likely the development target.

In the R-Class' defense, it feels much closer to a sport sedan than either the Freestyle, Pacfica, or XC90, but that's not saying much. The Volvo, like other SUVs, has the tippier feel common to tall SUVs.

Mercedes-Benz R350 Price Comparisons and Pricing

The R-Class, which starts at $48,000, is actually over $3,000 less expensive than a similarly-equipped E-Class wagon. Puzzling. But before you get your hopes up, I should note that options pile up easily. The vehicle I drove was loaded with $16,000 worth of them. I paid less for my current car.

A Cadillac SRX is $8,000 to $11,000 less expensive (the higher number when both are loaded). An Acura MDX is over $14,000 less. The R-Class is clearly more car than the others, but there are big numbers.

In sum, the R-Class only seems a great value when compared to other Mercedes (with the exception of the similarly reasonable M).

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the R-Class:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/R-Class.php

Last Words

Mercedes calls the R-Class a "grand sports tourer." It is certainly grand and an excellent tourer. The sports bit I'm less sure about, at least until the AMG version arrives. But if you want to carry three couples in luxury, this is currently your best bet. No other luxury vehicle has as comfortable a third-row. The real question is how many people feel the need to carry three couples in luxury.

More often, people will probably buy the R-Class as an elegant minivan substitute. For them it will serve well, as the cargo capacity is excellent and the third row is easily accessible. But it could be better still. The option of a three-place second-row would be welcome. The G-Class is coming, but not everyone wants their minivan substitute to be a high-riding SUV. And those huge rear doors could prove troublesome in parking lots. I know what my six-year-old daughter would do with them, and it ain't pretty.

A Note on Mercedes R350 Reliability (also R500 reliability)

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an R350 or R500 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Mercedes R350 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the R-Class--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

If you're an Epinions member, and you want to receive an email alert from Epinions when I post a new review, click here.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:Cadillac SRX review
Chrysler Pacifica review
Ford Freestyle review
Infiniti FX35 review
Mercedes GL-Class review (comparison with R-Class)
Volvo XC90 V8 review