Mercedes-Benz ML
Euro · Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz ML: The Pioneering Luxury SUV
The ML (M-Class) was Mercedes-Benz's first modern luxury SUV, a pioneering crossover that helped launch the premium SUV boom.
Launched in 1997 and built in the US, the M-Class (ML) was Mercedes-Benz's first car-based luxury SUV and one of the vehicles that ignited the premium SUV market. It combined Mercedes refinement and safety with genuine all-road capability.
Across its generations the ML offered V6, V8, and diesel engines, available air suspension, and a comfortable, upscale interior, with potent AMG versions for performance buyers. It was a strong seller that established Mercedes in the SUV class.
The ML was renamed GLE in 2015 to align with Mercedes' naming structure, but as the M-Class it played a pioneering role in the luxury SUV revolution.
Frequently asked questions about Mercedes-Benz ML
More on the Mercedes-Benz ML
A gray market car is one that was never certified to meet US safety standards. Gray market imports boomed in the 1980s, a 1988 law ended owner conversions, and today these cars come in through registered importers or once they're 25 years old.
A sleeper is a car with serious performance hiding under a completely unremarkable exterior. The classic formula is an economy car, family sedan, wagon, or even a minivan built to embarrass sports cars while looking like it is on its way to a dentist appointment. The whole point is that nothing warns you.