2009 GL320 goes a long way on a tank of diesel

• By STEVE WHEELER
• Advocate Wheels editor
• Published: Apr 24, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Having been victimized by an inaccurate fuel gauge more than once, I’ve learned to rely more on the car’s computer to tell me how many miles are left until the tank is empty.

On most vehicles, the distance-to-empty number is somewhere between 300 and 400 miles. But on the 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320, the range displayed by the computer after a fill-up was 620 miles.

“Nonsense,” I thought. “This can’t be accurate.”

More than 200 miles later, when the fuel gauge still registered somewhere around three-quarters of a tank, I became a believer.

Officially, the diesel-powered GL320 BlueTEC has a range of 600 miles, meaning you could drive from Baton Rouge to Pensacola and back on a single tank of diesel. With EPA ratings of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, the GL320 gets an impressive 398 lb.-ft. of torque from the 210-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 engine. And with an optional Class IV trailer hitch, the SUV can easily tow your toys up to 7,500 pounds.

Many of you may be thinking about now that you’ll never own a diesel engine. You believe they stink, they’re loud and cashiers in the drive-thru lane at McDonald’s hate them. But the Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC engine doesn’t fit the stereotype. It doesn’t stink, it’s quiet and the McDonald’s cashiers don’t even know the GL320 runs on diesel.

The diesel engine also has a new AdBlue exhaust treatment system that helps the new model meet emissions requirements in all 50 states. The system is serviced every 10,000 miles as part of regularly scheduled maintenance.

New for 2009 is a standard

COMAND system which governs the entertainment, navigation, communication and climate control functions of the vehicle.

Also new is the Mercedes-Benz PRE-SAFE collision system, which detects when a collision is imminent and takes measures like tightening seat belts and closing windows to protect occupants in the seconds before impact.

A large SUV, the GL320 can seat seven in comfort. Eight-way power adjustable heated front seats are standard, as is a power folding split third row. The interior is elegant with maple wood trim, a leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel with paddle shifters, Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity, a 6-disc DVD/CD changer and power everything. The list of standard amenities is long, as you’d expect from a Mercedes-Benz.

Although the ride in the GL320 is outstanding, I found the throttle softer than I like. There’s nothing wrong with the vehicle’s power, but your have to really mash the accelerator pedal to get the big SUV moving.

The suggested retail price is $58,200. With upgraded paint and upholstery, a navigation and rearview camera package, and a rear seat dual screen entertainment package, the as-tested price of the GL320 BlueTEC with automatic transmission was $71,125.