With a base price of $63,825, our tester was finished in $720 Obsidian Black Metallic paint over black leather with $160 Anthracite Poplar wood trim. The $4,200 Designo Porcelain Leather option adds Porcelain Nappa leather, a Black Dinamica headliner, and a memory passenger seat with lumbar support. Other interior options include $1,100 for front multi-contour seats with massage, $570 for ventilated front seats, and $1,090 for a panoramic sunroof. Active safety features include the $1,950 Driver Assistance package (Distronic Plus with Pre-Safe brake, active blind-spot assist, and active lane keeping assist) and the $1,290 Parking Assist package (Parktronic with active parking assist and a surround view camera system)

Exterior options include the $1,390 Lighting package (HID headlights with active curve illumination and adaptive high-beam assist), $750 20-inch AMG five-spoke wheels, and a $575 trailer hitch. Performance options include the $1,610 Airmatic Air Suspension package (Airmatic air suspension, an adaptive damping system with Sport and Comfort modes) and the $2,910 active curve system. There is also a $250 special order fee. In total, our tester rang the register at $82,390.

2015 Mercedes Benz ML400 4Matic front three quarter in motion

Notable standard features include Mercedes' COMAND system with navigation; Bluetooth; SiriusXM radio; a Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system; power front seats with driver lumbar and memory driver's seat, steering column, and exterior mirrors; power-folding mirrors; dual-zone climate control; heated front seats; heated/cooled front cupholders; multi-color ambient lighting with illuminated door sills; Keyless-Go; a rearview camera; a power liftgate; and rain-sensing wipers.

Standard safety features include collision prevention assist, attention assist, LED daytime running lights, and adaptive braking technology.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML400 4Matic offers a nice balance between power and fuel economy while delivering lots of luxury and a sportier drive without being harsh. Luxury also means space for four adults and room for all their cargo. The ML400 makes a nice compromise for those who want more power than the 302-hp ML350 and better fuel mileage than the ML63 AMG.

2015 Mercedes-Benz ML400 4Matic
BASE PRICE	$63,825
PRICE AS TESTED	$83,090
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV
ENGINE	3.0L/329-hp/354-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6
TRANSMISSION	7-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	5,098 lb (52/48%)
WHEELBASE	114.8 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	189.1 x 75.8 x 70.7 in
0-60 MPH	5.9 sec
QUARTER MILE	14.4 sec @ 96.1 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	117 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.85 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.2 sec @ 0.67 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	18/22/20 mpg
ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY	187/153 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.99 lb/mile

2015-Mercedes-Benz-ML400-4Matic-side-in-motion