I've got a 3rd kid coming (well, when the wife and I get around to it). So our main family hauler needs an upgrade on space and practicality for a family of 5.

Anybody else use the R-class for this? Do three kids fit across the second row?

How does the cargo space compare to the GL's cargo space?

I'd love the GL, but it's out of our budget frankly.

And before I cave and buy something like an Acadia Denali, I would like to know if the Merc can do the job.

 

There are only two seats in second row in my 2007 R. We used to travel with 2 kinds in carseats up to 1000 km in one shot. Very comfortable. Third row of seats (or just one seat) can be put down which can give you some space. I am buying roof top box now to get more space when travelling.
GL, I believe still has more space in the trunk.

 

If you don't plan on deploying at least one seat in the third row, I would not recommend the R for a family of 5.

I have not tried it before, but can imagine it would be a pretty tight squeeze to fit 3 carseats in the second row. Also, even if there are just 2 car seats installed on the two outer seats in row 2, it may be difficult to access the 3rd row (the 2nd row seats can't be lowered unless the backrest is pushed forward first). So it really only works if you can put the 2 younger kids in 2nd row, and the kid in row 3 must be able to climb in/out him or herself. Or, if you don't need the cargo space, have 2 kids in 3rd row and 1 kid in 2nd row... this also allows for an adult to be in the back with the kids.

I have 2 kid and the R is just big enough for the weekend (we deploy 1 seat in 3rd row, and leave the other seat down for cargo), when we need to take stroller, cooler, bags etc.. The passenger seat up front usually end up being used for bags, grocery and other cargo overflow. If I have more then 2 kids, I would probably (and painfully) go with a mini-van like the Odyssey or Sienna.

Compared to the GL, the R is actually better for families in my opinion. Unlike the GL, the R (with the 7 seat option) has 2nd row where the 3 seats can fold independently, unlike the 40/60 split in the GL. The R also has sliding 2nd row seats, which is an absolutely necessary feature to keep things flexible. The R also sits lower and easier for kids to get in/out. The R has huge rear doors. The R has better visibility up front due to the sloping hood etc. etc. Yes the GL has larger trunk with all seats up, but really not by much.

So, while I do think the R is better than the GL... it is difficult for me to recommend it over a mini-van or, maybe, other huge SUV's

 

Well said!
OP, I pm you in another forum yesterday night I think.

 

Hi,

I have a 2009 R320CDI-L with family of 6.

Me,Wife,10yo, 7yo,4yo and approaching 2yo.

Ours is the 7 seater and we have the baby seat on the passenger side.

We rarely use the mid row middle seat as its really only a 1/2 seat.

The R is great and the Long Wheel Base that we have is perfect. a 6' adult could comfortably sit in the 3rd row when required. (i looked at the Audi Q7 also, but the 3rd row was only for kids)

I love the R class and am about to add a DTUK Diesel tuning kit (DTUK tuning chip R320cdi R-Class 320 CDI 224 PS Stage 2 (CRD-T) from stock 165kw (224 PS)510 Nm to 200kw (270 PS) 640 Nm ) Im more after the fuel economy and improved drivability that comes with this module.

BTW the kids have done long long drives and absolutely love this car! I also have the OEM Roof rack and Large Mercedes Roof box for these long trips.

 

What does 'large' mean? I have checked with Mercedes and they only offer 450 l = 16 cu ft box here.

 

Mine is the one in the middle.

Mercedes-Benz Roof Box 450: family box. Capacity approx. 450 litres. Available in black metallic and silver metallic.
Mercedes-Benz Roof Box 330: sports box. Capacity approx. 330 litres. Available in titanium metallic and matt silver.

I wanted the Family Box but the Sports Box with matching MB Bag set, which I have travels well!


On a side note: I split my Joolz Bloom pram into 2. The base goes into the boot vertically, and the seat goes infront of the baby seat footwell.

 

We use a Packasport 90 on the roof of the R500 which is, as far as I can tell, one of the two the largest cargo boxes that you can buy. it holds 21 cubic feet [594 liters] of stuff and turns the R into a road trip machine for us w/ two kids...not quite as easy to pack as the mercedes boxes [which are made by thule] but a lot of room. this is our second R500; best road trip car that we have ever owned and that includes three honda odysseys, a honda pilot and a bunch of volvo wagons...

 

Looks nice and aero dynamic!

The other box I considered was the Yakima SkyBox Pro 21 also 21 cubic feet.
This one is side loading like the Mercedes boxes.

R Class all the way. The GL really only sits higher in status, but not in functionality. (for a family anyway)

 

+1 on R vs. GL. the newer GLs are much nicer and finally fixed the 2nd/3rd row head rest that's too low and in the middle of my back. also, i think the R rides better - the GL bounces a bit, imho...and much cushier. the 3rd row on R is also much bigger/more practical than the GL(despite MB brochure saying it's better than R).
btw, for driving around town, the Odyyssey is actually quite practical due to the sliding doors more interior room - and it's a solid performers. however, from a safety perspective on long trips and/or snow/rain, there's no substitute for the R class - it just feels plain SOLID.

p.s. if you're going to have 3 kids, if oldest kid is capable, you can have him/her sit in rear. if only 2 seats in 2nd row, it's quite easy to get to 3rd row.

p.p.s. if 3rd row is up, there isn't much room in trunk in either R or GL - and the box is needed. we bought the MB XL size box and it's great for long trips.

PL

 

I like the R better...and for the cargo, just get a cargo box and put them on top should you need to travel with your family. We own a 2007 R350 with 6 passanger seat....everybody sits comfortably everywhere in the car. We just wish we can get r320 instead....more torque with better mpg. Other than that, no complain so far.

 

the R and the GL are similar, same platform but different body and suspension. the R is more of a car suspension where the GL is more suv truck. the R is a real value because they're not as well known or popular so you can get MUCH more for your money and to me it's a better ride and better looking and just better all around, AND it costs much less all other things being equal, so to me it's a no brainer, the R is one of the best underappreciated cars you can get where the GL is much more popular and in demand and you will pay a whole lot more for something equal or less... why? R class all the way to me

 

I'll throw my 2 cents in here. One thing to consider when comparing the cargo capacity of an R Class to an SUV bodied competitor like a GL or Escalade is the physical dimensions of the cargo area.

An 08 GL Class has a maximum 83.3 cu ft of cargo space according to the Mercedes brochure while an 07 R Class is advertised at 85 cu ft. 1.7 cu ft, no big deal right? Wrong!

The load floor in the R Class is 92.0 inches. The GL is only 83.8 inches. That's an 8.2 inch difference. And the R Class cargo area has a minimum width of 44.5 inches vs 40.4 in the GL. That's a 4.1 inch width advantage.

So, how doe the GL (or a Tahoe) compensate and end up at roughly the same volume? Height! The taller box of an SUV body style gives you more space vertically. Now I'll ask you, do you really want to stack cargo above the seat backs all the way to the roof? Do you want your rear vision blocked? Do you want to risk that pile of stuff whacking you in the back of your head in a panic stop? If not, how valuable is that vertical cargo volume?

And the GL roof is 72.4 inches off the ground. The R Class roof is 7 inches lower at 65.4 inches. That means it's easier to reach a cargo box or bike carrier, or a kayak on a roof rack.

I decided the R Class made a lot more sense whether it looks like a giant station wagon or not. The SUV / truck body designs really don't make much sense. But people love em. Go figure.

 

Excellent points Spud Racer. The cargo area width was an important feature for us; two dog crates fit side by side with the rear seat folded down. I think the Audi Q7 has reasonable width, but the middle seat room was not that great.

Will be trying out our cargo box on the R for the first time on a big trip this fall. Besides better access to the box, I expect the lower roof height to help with cross winds; absolutely diabolical when installed on our Ford E150 passenger van.

The only advantage I see to the GL is the towing capacity. We use the Ford van for towing duties, so turned out to not be an issue. Bought the factory hitch and haven't used it yet. It is only an 1 1/4" receiver rated to 3.500 lbs, so only really suitable for a small utility trailer or similar.

HTH, although I expect the OP has decided on something already.

Stu

 

Actually, I haven't, but this thread has been immensely useful.

One question: if you have three kids, and captains chairs, then you are forced (100% of the time) to be using the third row. It seems that there is no ability to fit 3 kids across even with the 2nd row bench.

While I am not certain, I think I could use the GL in the following way (that I couldnt use the R):

80% of the time: 2 kids in buckets/seats in the second row (maybe in the middle and outboard). Oldest child in booster seat in back row. 2nd back row seat flopped down for Costco runs, etc. Then, on a road trip, I can put the booster in the middle row, and run 3 across put the third row down, and have pretty good cargo space in the trunk.

It sounds like the R couldn't do this particular double trick?

 

No, not at all. My 07 R500 has the second row captains chairs and the rear center console but I believe they also offered the middle row as a split bench although it may have been 08 or 09 when that came along. If so, I would flip to the diesel as my engine of choice. It should be just as enjoyable as the V8 in the R500. The split bench seat will give you three across seating in the middle row just like the GL.

 

Excellent McGG, glad it is helpful discussion.

My 2012 Diesel has the bench style three position middle row. Not sure when they were added as an option. When I bought the car it was an either/or deal at no additional cost for either the two seat or three seat configuration. The centre seating position folds down as a sort of arm rest piece, but does not have a flip up lid or anything, just hard plastic top. We opted for this configuration primarily because the cargo floor is flat when all seats are folded down for hauling; dog crate fitting issues again. I haven't tried child seats so can't unfortunately comment on the width of the seat for this use.

The other car to check out might be the Infiniti JX. I have not put this to the test personally, but their TV ads feature that access to the rear row can be accomplished with child seats in place. Might be worth a try?

I believe the Infiniti uses a 265 HP version of their gas V6. We have an older Infiniti I35 sedan (that uses a lower output version of this VQ engine) and it has been excellent with zero issues in ten years of ownership. Been very happy with the brand and dealer experience.

I briefly looked at the JX last year at our car show and it looked well appointed, although I still prefer the MB R. I did not test drive the JX, but would be wondering about their CV transmission; they mention "Manual shift mode offers sequentially selectable manual gearshifts", so it may be OK.

HTH

Stu

 

I can't speak for the Infiniti JX model either but my wife drives a G35x sedan that we bought new in 2008 and she loves it. It also uses a variant of the Nissan/Infiniti VQHR V6 and the car has been trouble free since new with only routine maintenance. And like you, our Infiniti dealer experience has been as good as Mercedes which is to say excellent. I would have no problem buying another Infiniti product.

 

A few thoughts for you, since we had to sell our R-class and are now in a 2013 GL (R-class is no longer sold in the US). We seriously considered the JX but ultimately said no for 2 reasons:

1) With a rear facing infant seat in the second row, no one in the family could fit in the front seat.
2) I couldn't stand up straight under the rear lift gate. I'm 6'4" and the corner of the lift gate was just above my eye.

Ride, space, and power are all superior in the R-Class. I didn't find the CVT in the JX to be that bad, but the engine made a lot of noise when floored and didn't go anywhere.

Comparing the R to the new GL, the GL is better with agility (feels like a sedan), surround camera is fantastic, navigation is much improved. I still miss the sliding rear seat of the R. The 2nd row on the GL feels cramped to me.

 

Does anyone know the vertical height inside the R-class, with the 3rd row seats folded down?

Basically looking for the interior floor to interior ceiling height of the cargo area.

I want to put our big dogs in the back, if we buy an R-class, but not sure how much room there will be for them if they stand up.

 

Having had both the GL and the R, I like the R better. Lower ride height makes loading the car easier, plus I'm a fan of the second row single chairs. I have loaded and transported a full size washer AND dryer in my R, which I don't think I could have in a GL.

 

Hi max,
I just sold my 92 MB 500E...and selling my R500, so let me know if you are still looking for a clean loaded R that was just inspected.
Patrick
925 683 3218

 

Been enjoying my 2013 GL450 (one year lease left w/ option to buy)...and doing a bit of comparison. I do like the newer electronics and V8TT of the GL, but gotta say...I really like the lower entry/height of the Rs. Been thinking about getting a 2012 R350 - last year of the R, but most don't seem to have P2...hmmm, and I wonder if I'd be content w/ the V6, even though it has 302 hp - anyone have comments on how it drives vs the V8 in my 2006 R?

Patrick